4/12/20

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Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

In the observation of the Easter holiday, it seemed only fitting to pick a piece which has the nickname “Resurrection.” If you are looking for other selections besides Gustav Mahler which would be appropriate to listen to today, I would highly suggest J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion or George Frideric Handel’s Messiah. Unfortunately, whichever of the three you pick, you’re in for quite a long performance. That is also true for all of Mahler’s symphonies, with all nine that he completed clocking in as some of the longest pieces in standard orchestral repertoire. The one which I have selected for today, Symphony No. 2, is on the longer side, with five movements totaling about 90-95 minutes in length.

As I do with all my posts, I listened to the piece before sitting down to write so that the piece is fresh in my mind and I have time to think of what I believe to be meaningful things to say. Today, I came up blank. In part, I think this is for the same reason that I struggled talking about Olivier Messiaen’s Turangalîla-Symphonie, where there is so much to unpack not only about the history of the composer, but also within the arc of the piece. Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 is not just one of his most famous works; it is a monument of the Romantic era symphony and a story which, I might even argue, rivals the great epics of literature. For as successful as he was, Gustav Mahler’s life was plagued with tragedy, and even for a work which he completed at the early age of 34, I believe this symphony shows his hardship and his triumph. The struggle of the first hour of the work is so painfully human - and that is why the payoff at the end of the final movement is so incredibly rewarding (not to mention the genius use of harmony or bells in the last minutes). Granted, a fair bit of the symphony may be a bit overt in its drama, but Mahler (through his expert knowledge of the orchestra as an accomplished conductor) knew how to give space and time for the listener to catch their breath between moments of overbearing romantic writing.

Anyway, I do want to keep this post short. There is so much more to be said about the piece, but with the holiday in mind, I’d like to leave the rest of it in your hands to enjoy. Below I have linked a score video with the piece being performed by the New York Philharmonic. I urge you to savor the entirety of the piece, and to bask in the glory that is the final few minutes after four entire movements of story and struggle. Happy Easter to those who observe and celebrate.