GUSTAV MAHLER

GUSTAV MAHLER

Gustav Mahler (7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was a composer and conductor, born in Bohemia (formerly part of the Austrian Empire, currently located in the Czech Republic), and identified throughout his life as a German-speaking Austrian.
Mahler was best known during his own lifetime as one of the leading orchestral and operatic conductors of the day. He has since come to be acknowledged as among the most important late-romantic composers, although his music was never completely accepted by the musical establishment of Vienna while he was still alive. Mahler composed primarily symphonies and songs; however, his approach to genre often blurred the lines between orchestral Lied, symphony, and symphonic poem.

SYMPHONIES
(1860-1911)
London Philarmonic Orchestra
KLAUS TENNSTEDT
320KBPS

First period
Mahler's symphonic output is generally divided into three 'periods'. The 'first period', dominated by his reading of the Wunderhorn poems, comprises his Symphonies Nos. 1 to 4. Within this group, the cross-fertilization from the world of Mahlerian song is considerable. His Symphony No. 1 uses a melodic idea from one of the Gesellen songs in its first movement, and employs a section of another in the central part of its third. (The third movement of Symphony No. 1 also contains a version of the round 'Bruder Martin' -- known, in its French version, as 'Frère Jacques' -- presented in a minor key.) The third movement of Symphony No. 2 is a voice-less orchestral amplification and extension of a Wunderhorn song, and is followed by a Wunderhorn setting incorporated completely. The third movement of Symphony No. 3 is another orchestral fantasia on a Wunderhorn song, while the fifth movement is a Wunderhorn setting composed especially for the symphony. In the Symphony No. 4, the finale is a pre-existing Wunderhorn setting (earlier considered as a possible finale for the Symphony No. 3), elements of which are prefiguratively inserted into the first three movements.

Second period
The symphonies of Mahler's 'second period', Nos. 5 to 7, manifest an increased severity of expression and a growing interest in non-standard instrumentation. Mahler used somewhat unusual instruments such as a post horn (in Symphony No. 3) in his earlier symphonies. However, in the 'second period' his use of non-standard instruments became more striking with a whip in the Symphony No. 5; cowbells, deep bells and a hammer in the Symphony No. 6; and cowbells, cornet, tenor horn, mandolin and guitar in the Symphony No. 7.
Although the symphonies in the 'second period' have no vocal component, the world of Mahlerian song is hinted at in the first movement of Symphony No. 5 and the slow movement of the Symphony No. 6, in which phrases from one of the Kindertotenlieder are briefly heard, and in the finale of Symphony No. 5, which incorporates material from the 1896 Wunderhorn song 'Lob des hohen Verstandes.'

Third period
Mahler's symphonic 'third period' is marked by increasing polyphony and embraces Nos. 8, 9, and 10 (unfinished), as well as Das Lied von der Erde. Credible connections to freestanding songs are difficult to demonstrate in these works – perhaps, unsurprisingly, as Mahler's last non-symphonic songs were the Kindertotenlieder, completed in 1904. A striking example does come, however, with the intervallically exact reminiscence, on the final page of Symphony No. 9, of the line 'The day is fine on yonder heights' from Kindertotenlieder No. 4.

Interconnections
Few composers freely interconnected their work so completely as did Gustav Mahler. Musical interconnections can be heard to exist between symphonies and symphonies, and between symphonies and songs, that seem to bind them together into a larger 'narrative.' For example, material heard in Symphony No. 3 recurs in the finale of Symphony No. 4. An idea from the first movement of Symphony No. 4 opens Symphony No. 5. And a 'tragic' harmonic gesture repeatedly heard in Symphony No. 6 (a major chord declining into a minor) makes a striking reappearance in Symphony No. 7. The same gesture can 'prophetically' be heard at the end of the first movement of Symphony No. 2. Furthermore, a theme heard in Symphony No. 1 is restated in the first movement of Symphony No. 9, the last complete symphony Mahler wrote.

Curse of the ninth
Mahler stated that the three final orchestral blows which are heard on the finale of his sixth symphony prophesied three things: losing his job, death of his daughter, and ultimately his own. Mahler was obsessed with Beethoven's legacy; he declared that all of his symphonies were "ninths", having the same impact and scale as Beethoven's famous Choral. Mahler was also apparently a firm believer in the curse of the ninth and thus terrified of writing a ninth numbered symphony. This is held to be the reason why he did not give a number to the symphonic work - Das Lied von der Erde - which followed his Eighth, but instead described it merely as Eine Symphonie für eine Tenor- und eine Alt- (oder Bariton-) Stimme und Orchester (nach Hans Bethges "Die chinesische Flöte") (A symphony for one tenor and one alto (or baritone) voice and orchestra, after Hans Bethge's "The Chinese Flute"). The work can be considered a combination of song cycle and symphony.
Leonard Bernstein, who was instrumental in championing Mahler's music after his lifetime, portrayed the Symphony as the prophetic musical statement of the 20th century crisis in classical music. Not only did Mahler know he would not live long after the work was completed in 1908, but (according to Bernstein) he also "prophesized" through the music that the death of major/minor tonality was soon at hand. A further extension of that idea also implied that the death of Faustian culture and perhaps the entire human race (the rumblings of World War I were already apparent) would soon be at hand.
Mahler's unfinished tenth symphony was later orchestrated by Deryck Cooke, with the apparent blessings of Alma Mahler. While Leonard Bernstein never performed or recorded this "realization," other conductors appreciated the work, both performing and recording it such as Klaus Tennstedt whose "versions" are presented here.

Symphonie n° 1 « Titan » ré majeur
1884-1888
1. I. Langsam. Schleppend - Im Anfang Sehr Gemachlich
2. II: Kraftig bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell
3. III: Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen
4. IV: Sturmisch bewegt

Symphonie n° 2 « Résurrection » ut mineur
1888-1894
1. I: Adagio maestoso
2. II: Andante moderato
3. III: In ruhig fliessender Bewegung
4. IV: Urlicht (Sehr feierlich aber schlicht)
5. V: Im Tempo des Scherzos (Wild herausfahrend) - Langsam - Allegro energico - Langsam

Symphonie n° 3 ré mineur
1893-1896
Erste Aabteilung
1. I: Kraftig. Entschieden
Zweite Abteilung
2. II: Tempo di Menuetto. Sehr massig
3. III: Comodo. Scherzando. Ohne Hast
4. IV: Sehr Langsam. Misterioso. Durchaus ppp
5. V: Lustig im Tempo und keck im Ausdruck
Qweite Abteilung
6. VI: Langsam. Ruhevoll. Empfunden.

Symphonie n° 4 sol majeur
1899-1900
1. I: Bedachtig. Nicht eilen
2. II: In gemachlicher Bewegung. Ohne Hast
3. III: Ruhevoll
4. IV: Sehr behaglich

Symphonie n° 5 ut dièse mineur
1901-1902
1. I: Trauermarsch
2. II: Sturmisch bewegt, mit grosster Vehemenz
3. III: Scherzo: Schattenhaft
4. IV: Adagietto: Sehr langsam
5. V: Rondo-Finale: Allegro

Symphonie n° 6 « Tragique » la mineur
1903-1904
1. I: Allegro energico, ma non troppo. Heftig aber markig
2. II: Scherzo Wuchtig
3. III: Andante moderato
4. IV: Finale: Allegro moderato

Symphonie n° 7 « Chant de la nuit » si mineur
1904-1905
1. I: Langsam - Allegro
2. II: Nachtmusik I: Allegro moderato
3. III: Scherzo: Schattenhaft
4. IV: Nachtmusik II: Andante amoroso
5. V: Rondo - Finale: Tempo I (Allegro ordinario) - Tempo II (Allegro moderato ma energico)

Symphonie n° 8 « Symphonie des mille » mi bémol majeur
1906-1907
I. Teil. Hymnus
1. Veni, creator spiritus
2. Allegro impetuoso: Imple superna gratia
3. Allegro impetuoso: Infirma nostri corporis
4. Allegro impetuoso: Accende lumen sensibus
5. Allegro impetuoso: Veni, creator spiritus
6. Allegro impetuoso: Gloria, Patri Domino
II. Teil. Schlussszene 'Faust'
7. Poco adagio: Waldung sie schwankt heran
8. Poco adagio: Ewiger Wonnerbrand
9. Poco adagio: Wie Felsenabgrund mir zu Fussen
10. Allegro deciso: Gerettet ist das edle Glied
11. Allegro deciso: Uns bleibt ein Erdenrest
12. Allegro deciso: Hier ist die Aussicht frei
13. Allegro deciso: Hochste Herrscherin der Welt
14. Ausserst langsam. Adagissimo: Dir, der Unberuhrbaren
15. Allegro deciso: Bei der Liebe, die den Fussen
16. Allegro deciso: Neige, neige, du Ohnegleiche
17. Allegro deciso: Blicket auf zum Retterblick
18. Allegro deciso: Alles Vergangliche

Symphonie n° 9 ré majeur
1908-1909
1. I: Andante comodo
2. II: Im Tempo eines gemachlichen Landlers. Etwas tappisch und sehr derb
3. III: Rondo-Burleske: Allegro assai. Sehr trotiz
4. IV: Adagio: Sehr langsam und noch zuruckhaltend
Symphonie n° 10 « Inachevée » fa dièse majeur
1910
1. I: Adagio

password: MOODSWINGSmusic