History Symphony No. 3
Composed Year 1895. Year 1896. Pre premiere 1897 Berlin: Performance of movement 2, 3 and 6 conducted by Felix von Weingartner (1863-1942). Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO). 17-10-1903 Arnhem: First performance of a symphony composed by Gustav Mahler in the Netherlands. Conductor Jacob Martin Severint Heuckeroth (1853-1936). Performances by Gustav Mahler 1897 Concert Budapest 31-03-1897 – Symphony No. […]
Movement 6: Langsam. Ruhevoll. Empfunden
“What Love Tells Me” Slowly, tranquil, deeply felt. D major. Of the great finale, Bruno Walter wrote, “In the last movement, words are stilled—for what language can utter heavenly love more powerfully and forcefully than music itself? The Adagio, with its broad, solemn melodic line, is, as a whole—and despite passages of burning pain—eloquent of […]
Movement 5: Lied 2: Lustig im Tempo und keck im Ausdruck: Bimm bamm. Es sungen drei Engel einen Sussen Gesang
“What the Angels Tell Me” Cheerful in tempo and cheeky in expression. F major. The cheerful fifth movement, “Es sungen drei Engel”, is one of Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn songs, (whose text itself is loosely based on a 17th-century church hymn, which Paul Hindemithlater used in its original form in his Symphony “Mathis der Maler”) […]
Movement 4: Lied 1: Sehr langsam! Misterioso: O Mensch! gib Acht!
“What Man Tells Me” Very slowly, mysteriously. A minor. “Midnight song”. At this point, in the sparsely instrumentated fourth movement, we hear an alto solo singing a setting of Friedrich Nietzsche’s “Midnight Song” from Also sprach Zarathustra “O Mensch! Gib acht!” (“O man! Take heed!”), with thematic material from the first movement woven into it. […]
Movement 3: Comodo. Scherzando. Ohne Hast
“What the Animals in the Forest Tells Me” Comfortably, like a scherzo. C minor to C major. The third movement, a scherzo, with alternating sections in 2/4 and 6/8 metre, quotes extensively from Mahler’s early song “Ablösung im Sommer” (Relief in Summer). In the trio section, a complete mood changes from playful to contemplative occurs […]
Movement 2: Tempo di minuetto. Sehr massig
“What the Flowers in the Meadow Tell Me” In the tempo of a minuet. A major. Mahler dedicated the second movement to “the flowers on the meadow”. In contrast to the violent forces of the first movement, it starts as a graceful Menuet, but also features stormier episodes. Blumenstuck. Embrace Everything Listening Guide
Movement 1: Kraftig. Entschieden
“Pan Awakes, Summer Marches In” Strong and decisive. D minor to F major. The symphony, particularly due to the extensive number of movements and their marked differences in character and construction, is a unique work. The opening movement, colossal in its conception (much like the symphony itself), roughly takes the shape of sonata form, insofar […]