Iván Fischer: Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 9
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- Опубликовано: 16 июн 2020
- Iván Fischer, Music Director of the Budapest Festival Orchestra, walks us through the symphonies of Gustav Mahler. He shares his thoughts and feelings about each work, answering your questions and listening to his recording of these masterpieces.
Mahler: Symphony No. 9 in D Major
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As a passionate lover of Mahler's music since the late 1950s/early 1960s, that is, ever since the "Mahler revival" attributed to Bernstein's efforts, until now, I am grateful to all those who have helped me deepen my appreciation and enjoyment of Mahler's unique creations. In my opinion, Iván Fischer continues this wonderful tradition. He picked up the baton of the great interpreters (Walter, Bernstein, etc.) of Mahler. Specifically, I thank maestro Fischer for demonstrating on the piano the multiple layers of meaning of Mahler 9th by looking back at-and playing pertinent phrases of-Mahler's earlier symphonies that help shed light on his final completed (i.e., fully orchestrated) symphony.
To see him speak about music for music’s sake, as an end in itself. That’s the only pertinent discussion, as far as I can tell, and it has become so rare nowadays. He doesn’t talk about physical vibration of the strings, or the brain… a passionate and nuanced introduction to the symphony. Congratulations to him.
The most deeply stirring piece I ever played. I love it, but there's also a troubling feeling that comes with it somehow, I can't really explain it. Most recently I played his fourth symphony. Those two symphonies, 4 & 9, are the only times I've had tears run down my cheek during a symphony performance. There may have been a few moments like that in the opera pit too actually.
25 wonderful minutes by a Master conductor and a Master teacher. Thank you Iván Fischer.
I don't like classical music, not 100% sure how I ended up here. But I watched all 25:22 minutes of this and loved every second of it.
Well congratulations, apparently you *do* like classical music! Welcome aboard.
what a treat maestro, thank you
This was taped before Maestro Fischer delivered one of the greatest performances of the symphony I've ever heard in Leipzig this past spring. I listened to the 25 min. lecture with enormous respect and a recollection of that unforgettable concert.
Mahler had a prolapsed mitral valve. This, by itself, would not create an irregular heartbeat but would, on auscultation, evidence sounds of blood leaking through the damaged valve as a kind of soft whistling. This is a fairly common heart defect and has a wide range of severity. In Mahler's case, according to one of his physicians, it was fully compensated, i.e., he could carry on normal activities without limitation. Nevertheless, in the years before penicillin, this was a deadly disease. The omnipresent streptococcus bacillus, if it finds it's way into the cavity of the damaged mitral valve, will become impervious to the the immune system and result in death by septic endocarditis, usually around three months from the infection's inception. This is precisely how Mahler died. Quite possibly the infection was caused by a dental procedure. Today, dental patients with mitral valve prolapse will take a preventative course of antibiotics before dental procedures.
I think the opening irregular rhythm is simply an expression of the dualism which this symphony (in fact, most of Mahler's symphonies) rests upon. Here, the dualism is between a love of life and feelings of death and leave-taking. Mahler said that this symphony had been something that he wanted to express for some time. It might have also been motivated by the death of his best-loved daughter, "Putzi", in 1907. This was also the year when he left the Wiener Hofoper, but that may have resulted more from relief than regret, as he was tired of the anti-Semitic diatribes in the Viennese press and the pressures of being a music director in an institution that did not share his feelings about the supreme importance of art.
Regarding the 3rd movement, the "Rondo Burlesque", it is subtitled "To My Brothers in Apollo." Mahler had frequent combative relations with other musicians and, particularly with music critics. What he did in the movement was compose a work flashing the highest comprehension of fugal technique and, at least in part, I can't help but believe that he was using this compositional brilliance to thumb his nose at his critics. Of course, the movement also projects the intense life of a man at the center of music and some people interpreted this as Mahler's farewell to this aspect of his life.
I think Maestro Fischer is right on target in viewing the finale as not simply a farewell to life but a leave-taking with acceptance. And perhaps this was, at least in part, a leave-taking from his deceased daughter and of his youth.
Nowhere near enough credit given to you for this absolutely genius comment/analysis- thanks for the read!
@@fazec0ld802 Thanks for your kind comment.
I only wish that your brilliant and incisive descriptions could be included in every recording of Mahler's 9th Symphony. Thank you.
Excellent ! - Thank You - Mr. Fischer
Thank you for the video! Very nice explanation.
Iván, I'd really like to hear what you have to say about Mahler's 10th. While far from finished, there's a lot there, and several composers have attempted to develop the sketches Mahler left. I'm not asking you to say which of them is 'better'; possibly just to discuss them in terms of plausibility of development of Mahler's ideas. Many thanks for your videos!
The First movement of the 10th is my favorite from Mahler. So much emotion.
What I have not seen or heard discussed… i’m sure it has been somewhere… is the fact that the two note “farewell” motif that opens the first movement of the 9th is the same two note motif the ends Das Lied von der Erde, who’s last movement is titled Der Abschied (the farewell/goodbye)
I find it interesting that Mahler knew about the danger of nine symphonies and started a tenth in the remote key of F sharp major almost as if this new symphony would be part of a different group and wouldn't violate the magic number 9.
I always wonder about the climax of the last movement. This culminates in a loud clash on the cymbas, after which the rest of the orchestra dies down. Only the high strings remain, crying out passionately in a breathless rythm. This rythm is an elongated version of the 'irregular heartbeat' motive with which the 1st movement had started. I have never heard a pergformance in which this return is made audible. Could this be because this is impossible in its present orchestration? Afterall Mahler never heard his 9th symphony in performance. And he usually made extensive changes after hearing the 1st performance of his works. Could it be that he would have made the relationship of this moment in the finale and tat fateful motive from the first movement more clear than it is now? Or do you think there is a way for a conductor to perform the passage in a way that makes the motive recognizable for the listener?
Pieter van Boetzelaer.
hello. I'm not sure this passage is meant to represent a heartbeat, as in the first movement. You've said it well, the music is simply gasping for air.
Thank you for the video.
Nevertheless, I do have a question: don't you think it would have been relevant to mention the 3rd movement is based on the carol "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas"...?
Did he skip the 8th? Someone please post the link! Thanks!
indeed. The 8th will be coming at a later stage, stay tuned.
@@IDAGIOclassical will it also be recorded???
There's a post coital bliss in all his slow movements, it seems. Tragedy nearby, but not encroaching.
Then the 9th's Adagio, which also seems to take place in a bed.
Minor key is sinister, horrific and depressing. Major key us pacific, optimistic and melancholic.
I don't like the 9th.. 5th symphony is the greatest music ever written though, in my opinion.