Symphony No. 1 (Mahler)
The Symphony No. 1 in D major is a symphony by Gustav Mahler. This gave the work temporarily nicknamed Titan, took the title but later returned.
Formation
The symphony was born in the period from January to March 1888 in Leipzig. However, the preliminary work date back to the year 1884. Mahler has taken the inspiration for the symphony his first song cycle, the songs of a Wayfarer by 1885. Mahler was initially undecided whether he should conceive the work as a symphonic poem or a symphony. The originally planned large-scale structure of the sentences into two parts fell over time as well off as an original standing in second place additional set. This is sometimes still listed under the name " Blumine ". In the original performances Mahler also tried the public access to the work as work and movement titles easier. The temporary beige passed Title titanium refers to the eponymous novel of Jean Paul. Mahler drew these programmatic name but back later. The funeral march was shortly nicknamed A Dead March in Callot's manner, which was a reference to ETA Hoffmann's Fantasy Pieces in Callot's Manner. However, Mahler did not even know this time work on the origins of the symphony, so that also retracted title probably goes back to the suggestion of his friend Ferdinand Pfohl. 1889 led Mahler 's work in Budapest as a symphonic poem in two parts. For performance in Hamburg in 1893, Mahler wrote even for a fully developed program, whose addition he renounced later, "because I have experienced it, on what wrong ways By this means got the audience ". Not until the time of printing in 1899 received the symphony its known today four-movement form.
About the Music
Occupation
4 flutes (3rd and 4th also Piccolo ), 4 oboes ( 3 also English horn ), 4 clarinets (3rd also bass clarinet and Eb clarinet, 4 Eb clarinet), 3 bassoons (3rd also contrabassoon ), 7 horns, 5 trumpets, 4 trombones, tuba 1, timpani, percussion, harp and strings
1st Set: Slow. Sluggish. As a natural sound - In the beginning was very leisurely
The first set has the form of a highly varied sonata. In the introduction, with more than 60 cycles produced extremely large-scale behavior and cautiously the musical events. A pedal point A in seven octaves forms the basis on which different " sounds of nature " as fragmented aspects motivic fragments appear. For example, the distinctive sloping fourth, which acts as the original motive for the entire plant. After this extended slow introduction also sets the exposure behavior, which deploys a single theme that Mahler 's song Went this morning has borrowed over the cycle of songs of a Wayfarer field. The carefree singing piano wanders through various orchestral parts. A modified version of this theme occurs in the final movement again. The subsequent implementation processed motives rather than the initiation of exposure. The contrast between the slow introduction and moving main theme is in the spotlight. At the end of the fragment carrying the stick natural sounds of initiation occur again and thereby initiate a shortened recapitulation. Towards the end of the sentence suggests ever more clearly the main theme of the final movement of, but is not yet formulated. Instead uses a jubilant coda, which is derived from a motif of the introduction.
2nd Set: Strong moves, but not too fast
The second movement is a rough Landler, which picks up elements of Austrian folk music. The sentence is clear and appears to be rather conventional. It begins with the original motive of the falling fourth in the accompaniment in the lower strings. The Landler topic, however, takes on elements of the main theme from the first movement. The trio offers a contrast to the Landler lyrical material. It begins with a horn motif, whereupon an enthusiastic Landler melody in the strings developed. This will be replaced in the second part of the trio of a lyrical waltz of the cellos. Towards the end of this trio is found thematic material from the first movement. The movement ends with a repeat of ländler, concisely and somewhat larger orchestration.
3rd set: Solemn and measured to drag without
The third movement in D minor begins with a funeral march for alienated processing of the folk song canon " Frère Jacques ". Mahler here refers to the sung parts of Austria minor variant of the canon. The musical performance increases from the beginning of the sentence slowly and acts like a zoom -withdrawing funeral. The character of the funeral march, however, seems to grotesque and ironic. The melody seems empty and hard. An unexpectedly turns up mood change is brought about by using Mahler klezmer -like motifs from the Jewish music world in the first trio. In this sentence again and again are strong opposites next to each other, as is typical of Mahler's compositional style. The lyrical middle section in the form of the second trio cites the " Lindenbaum " passage from Mahler's own song The two blue eyes of my sweetheart from Songs of a Wayfarer. The dream remains just a short episode, and with an abrupt skidding after it returns the minor funeral march. This eventually fades away in the uncanny pizzicato basses in pianissimo.
4th movement: Stormy moves
Also, the final movement is a highly varied sonata form a basis. While in the header of the " going out " is becoming one of the music discussed in the nature and in the broadest sense, the final sentence describes rather the opposite. Only after several breakthroughs done the apotheosis of the symphony. The motives at first sound rushed and aggressive, always the music is piling up and acts almost chaotic. The movement begins with a wildly out -propelled motif of the entire orchestra of the highest bustle and dynamism. This results in the main, the heroic theme in F minor, which was already indicated in the first sentence developed. Only after some time, the action and a lyrical and highly intimate, away reminiscent of Bruckner second theme in D flat major soothes established. The development begins with the return of the main theme, which is processed by hectic and fragment -like motifs. For the first time now heard the main theme still turned to the major extremely subdued in pianissimo. An increase in wave begins to jubilantly auszusingen the subject in C major. Here the chorale-like extension of the theme first appears complete. The recapitulation begins with the lyrical second theme in a different form. Then, the main theme is heard in its minor form. This is done in preparation for the final apotheosis in the form of a large increase in shaft. The liberating final breakthrough to D major is achieved laboriously in a long process. This occurs in the greatest tension of the whole orchestra. With the solemn sounding of the chorale in the brass section in D major apotheosis is finally brought about. In most symphonic performances also play the horn player the closing theme of standing in order to drown out the already late romantic and large ensembles, symphony orchestra yet. The hymn -like cheering Tutti song ends the symphony.
Effect
The first performance of the Symphony No. 1 was held on November 20, 1889 under the baton of the composer rather than a symphonic poem in Budapest. Mahler worked there at that time as director of the Royal Hungarian Opera. The performance came across extremely divided opinions, which ranged from enthusiasm to anger and malice. The writer Karl Kraus reported a splitting of the audience in "Mahler Mahler friends and haters " that " a fierce battle, " delivered. Derisive laughter of Mahler 's opponents had to be taken of the Mahler friends to rest. " The noise of the party struggle was nothing more to hear from the comic orchestral sounds ." The New Journal of Pest certified to be Mahler as his famous conductors colleagues " Symphony no ." The Hungarian music magazine Pesti Hirlap celebrated the first three sentences and criticized only the finale of the symphony. The actual premiere of the work in its final form as a pure symphony took place in Berlin on 16 March 1896. The eminent music critic Eduard Hanslick, who had already panned the symphonies of Anton Bruckner regularly formulated his criticism starting from the " horrors finale ". He postulated that the " new symphony belongs to that genre music that is not for me." Hanslick wished to approach him for the enigmatic recognize the intentions of Mahler's better, but also witnessed the enthusiastic applause of the mainly young audience. The excitement surrounding the new symphony strange sounding from today's perspective, barely understandable, as the first symphony in the context of Mahler's symphonies is one of the classic - romantic works. It is played, and often like today and is considered a forerunner of the later symphonies of Mahler even more important.
Status
The Symphony No. 1 already contains many elements typical of Mahler's musical language. The use of folk melodies, the ironic alienation, the collage-like layering of motives and partly rugged processing of the topics already indicated here. Even the seemingly grotesque rough rhythm of the scherzo returns in the following works more pronounced again. The juxtaposition of seemingly inept as Mahler conceived in the third set, later in the 3rd and 4th Symphony to the rule. The conception of the final movement, which leads to several breakthroughs apotheosis, Mahler used in many later symphonies to also. In the 3rd and 6th Symphony, it will be even breakdowns. However, none of these symphonies, it comes in a comparable clarity to the final apotheosis. Nevertheless, Mahler established already in his first work, a model which is binding on his future work: The conception of the work on a redemptive final out. " All Mahler symphonies are symphonies Final " noted Paul Bekker in 1921, this first work is the classic romantic type of the symphony in the tradition of Beethoven -. Brahms / Bruckner still pretty close. This can be determined, for example, to make the classic four-movement and the moderate conditions for Mahler orchestra. Only in the 4th and 9th Symphony, the cast will be smaller. In these symphonies this connects up with a radical simplification to make musical conventions behind. In the 1st Symphony still sounds to the late romantic pathos, from which Mahler finally dissolves only in the 4th Symphony. In terms of sound preparing this first work of Mahler possibly new ways before, but to tread nor without himself. The Mahler later characteristic extension of chromaticism and tonality to its limits, as it is operated at the latest by the 5th Symphony of increasing consistency, can still find hardly takes place. Nevertheless, the work quite already sounds late romantic progressive.