In the footsteps of Gustav Mahler: Fabio Luisi conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D major as if the composer himself were standing at the lectern. This performance by Staatskapelle Dresden took place in 2008 at the Philharmonie im Gasteig Munich.
(00:00) I. Langsam. Schleppend. Im Anfang sehr gemächlich (Slowly, dragging)
(15:38) II. Kräftig bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell (Moving strongly, but not too quickly)
(24:17) III. Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen (Solemnly and measured, without dragging)
(36:03) IV. Stürmisch bewegt (Stormily agitated - energetic)
Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911) composed most of his first symphony between the end of 1887 and March 1888 and premiered it himself in 1889 - at that time as a “symphonic poem” in five movements. The lack of success of the premiere resulted in years of struggle over how to present and program this weighty symphonic work. This process only came to an end in 1899 when the first symphony went to print. While working on it, Mahler had even at times assigned his orchestral symphony movement titles and the nickname ‘Titan’ (after the hero of Jean Paul’s novel of the same name), which in the end he decided not to use.
Despite its traditional four-movement structure, at times Mahler’s First almost seems like a colorful, exuberant collage in which marches, fanfares, waltzes and folk songs abruptly alternate at times. As the main theme of the first movement, Mahler uses an instrumental version of the song ‘Ging heut’ morgen über’s Feld’, which he had taken from his first song cycle ‘Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen’. This joyous walk is framed by onomatopoeic sounds from nature, where listeners have the impression they are hearing French horns and birdcalls. The ‘musical wander’ then builds up to a triumphant finale. In the second movement, a coarse, powerful Ländler frames a sweetly wistful trio. This strident parody of folk music is reminiscent of an unbridled folk festival or busy fairground hustle and bustle. In contrast, the third movement begins as a funeral march, which turns out to be a minor-key version of the folk tune that became world-famous as the children’s song ‘Frère Jacques’. The funeral march theme is contrasted with distorted insertions of pleasing themes. Again, a song from Mahler’s first song cycle, this time ‘Die zwei blauen Augen’, provides the inspiration. In the fourth movement Mahler incorporates march music and other musical styles, and also revisits the theme of nature of the opening movement, although now it sounds more like a distant memory. The symphony culminates in a chorale that turns into a triumphant fanfare and concludes the thematic round. Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 is a magnificent orchestral work, probably unsurpassed in its theatricality and irony, in which the tragic and the grotesque are never far apart.
© EuroArts Music International
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