Gustav Mahler
For those not familiar with this mammoth work, here are some notes which give an insight to the work and the composer's thoughts behind it. I hope they are of interest to you
The first four symphonies of Gustav Mahler are extremely personal documents in which he speaks about his relations with the human and natural world around him, his God and his ultimate spiritual happiness. As a result they seem to grow from one another psychologically and spiritually, rather than stylistically or technically.
In the creative process words were very important to Mahler. "When I conceive a great musical organism I invariably arrrive at a point where I feel compelled to call on the help of words as a carrier of my musical idea." he once said. In the First Symphony he found inspiration in his own verses for his song cycle "The Songs of a Wayfarer". Four years later he discovered the collection of traditional verses called "Das Knaben Wunderhorn" (Youth's magic Horn) which were remarkably similar in atmosphere and language to his own poetry. This became the basis for his "Wunderhorn" songs and his 2nd, 3rd and 4th symphonies, all of which employ the human voice and have as focal points, texts from "Wunderhorn".
The Second Symphony written between 1887 and 1894 uses in addition Friederich Klopstock's hymn "Auferstehung" (Resurrection). There are five movements, the first three purely instrumental. The fourth features a contralto soloist who reappears in the final movement along with a soprano soloist and a four part mixed choir. Mahler himself conducted the first performance of the complete work, in Berlin, on December 13th 1895.
Much is known about the work from Mahler's own letters and 'programme' notes. His 'programme' notes and titles for each movement of all his first three symphonies were later removed by himself to allow everyone to approach the works without preconceived ideas of the content of each work. The 'programmes' were only abstract notions of the ideas from which the music sprang. However audiences who had seen them insisted on regarding them as detailed programmes similar to those being worked on at the time by Richard Strauss. What was worse was that musical critics saw them as indicative of Mahler being unable to compose music which could stand on its own.
The work as a whole grows from the First Symphony as Mahler points out in his letters : "I have called the first movement 'Funeral Rites' . . . , it is the hero of my Symphony in D major that I am lowering into his grave." Other comments on individual movements are quoted as follows :-
FIRST MOVEMENT
"We are standing beside the coffin of one dearly loved. For the last time his battles, his sufferings and his purpose pass through the mind. . . . . Released from the insignificant distractions of ordinary life our hearts are seized by an awesomely solemn voice. What next? it says. What is life and what is death? Do we have any continuous existence? Is it all a hollow dream, or does our life , now and after death, have meaning? If we are to continue living we must answer this question." ("I give this answer in the last movement.") The sense of conflict is reflected musically in the violent contrast of the main theme - an extended funeral march - and a lyrical second subject and in their tonalities (C minor/E major). In the development of the march a reference to the plainsong "Dies irae" emerges, looking forward to the march within the finale.
SECOND MOVEMENT
"Remembering the past. A moment of bliss from the dead hero's life. A mournful memory of youthfulness and lost innocence". The movement seems to look back musically to the minuet of the classical symphony. The gracious Landler waltz theme has a decidedly Schubertian flavour.
THIRD MOVEMENT
"The spirit of disbelief and denial has taken possession of the hero. Looking at the turmoil of life's superficiality he loses the clear vision of childhood and the firm footing which only Love gives. He despairs of himself and God." "Life appears senseless. . .and like a dreadful nightmare." " Disgust strikes him and drives him into an outburst of despair." For this scherzo Mahler uses the theme of his song from "Das Knaben Wunderhorn" which describes St. Anthony of Padua's sermon to the fishes. The irony of that situation in which the saint vainly tries to convert the fish - to stop pike stealing and carp gorging - has obvious application to the human condition.
FOURTH MOVEMENT
"The stirring voice of the simple faith sounds in our ears - 'I am of God and will return to God'. " The contralto's words are from the same 'Urlicht' (Primal Light) poem also from "Das Knaben Wunderhorn".
FIFTH MOVEMENT
"We are faced again with terrible questions. A voice is heard crying aloud. The end of all life has come . . . the Day of Judgement has come . . the earth trembles, the graves open, the dead rise and march, the great and the humble. . .the trumpet sounds. . . in the silence a nightingale sings like the last echo of life on earth. . .a choir of saints sings "Thou shalt arise". And behold there is no judgement - there are no sinners, no righteous, no great, no humble. An overwhelming Love shines. We know and are." For the song of the saints Mahler extends Auferstehung with words of his own. In the final march he uses the "Dies irae" which was hinted in the first movement. It is complete.
Compiled from :-
1) Programme notes of a 1965 performance by The Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam with The Netherland's Radio Choir conducted by Bernard Haitinck
2) "Gustav Mahler" Vol." - Donald Mitchell
Translations of the poems quoted :-
PRIMAL LIGHT
O little red rose!
Man is in the deepest misery!
Man is in the deepest suffering!
Ah, how I wish I were in heaven"
I was climbing a wide path
When an angel came and tried to turn me away,
No, I will not be turned away:
I came from God and will return to God!
God is good and will give me his light;
He will light my way to eternal life!.
RESURRECTION
You shall come back to life, yes, you shall come back to life,
My body after a short rest!
Eternal life
Will be given to you by Him who called you back.
To be reborn you were sown.
The Reaper approaches
And gathers the sheaves
Of us who are dead
Believe my heart believe :
You have lost nothing.
You will receive everything you have hoped for,
Everything you have loved and striven for.
Believe this:
You were not born in vain!
You have not lived and suffered in vain!
Everything that lives must die!
And everything that dies will be reborn!
Fear no longer!
Prepare yourself to live!
O suffering, all powerful suffering!
Now I have escaped you!
O death forever victorious!
Now you are conquered!
With the wings I won,
In the ardour of Love
Shall I fly
To the light no eye has seen!
I die to live!
You shall come back to life, yes,
My heart, you shall come back to life!
The pain you have endured
Will bear you to God
(Translations by Robert Cushman)
No comments:
Post a Comment