On 21 February 1911, at Carnegie Hall in New York, this was the final music Gustav Mahler ever conducted. It was the composer's (Busoni) premiere for his beautiful composition. Mahler was very ill that evening; he died on 18 May 1911 in Vienna from the infection in his blood. (There were no antibiotics at that time.)
The orchestra of this score is specific. All the strings are by 6, divided into 2+4 (usually, they are more numerous and there is more violins than violas or celli) , we have three flutes, one oboe, three clarinets 'including a bass clarinet), no bassoon, four horns, one harp; one celesta, one gong. This is not a fantasy of composer: the sonority of the orchestra is indeed changed, the various tones are much more perceptible. In particuler, the bass of woodwinds is a bass clarinet, which sounds very different from the traditional bassoons. This soft and calmscore is dedicated to the memory of his mother. In my mind, it is an exceptional masterwork with an unique sonority.
Literarisch elegische Leistung dieses wunderschönen Meisterstücks mit seidigen Töne aller Violinen und milden Töne aller Holzbläser. Der geniale Dirigent leitet das ganze Orchester im perfekten Einklang.
Prachtige muziek !! met dank aan Erik Voermans, in wiens boek "Eerste hulp bij Klassieke Muziek" , ik deze componist leerde kennen ... nooit te oud om bij te leren !!
Un agradable descubrimiento. Música sutil, expresiva, rica en color y matices a pesar de contar con reducidos efectivos instrumentales.Música intimista de armonia indeterminada. Breve pero interesante.
On 21 February 1911, at Carnegie Hall in New York, this was the final music Gustav Mahler ever conducted. It was the composer's (Busoni) premiere for his beautiful composition. Mahler was very ill that evening; he died on 18 May 1911 in Vienna from the infection in his blood. (There were no antibiotics at that time.)
This version is the best I came across in a one hour comparison on this platform.
The orchestra of this score is specific. All the strings are by 6, divided into 2+4 (usually, they are more numerous and there is more violins than violas or celli) , we have three flutes, one oboe, three clarinets 'including a bass clarinet), no bassoon, four horns, one harp; one celesta, one gong. This is not a fantasy of composer: the sonority of the orchestra is indeed changed, the various tones are much more perceptible. In particuler, the bass of woodwinds is a bass clarinet, which sounds very different from the traditional bassoons. This soft and calmscore is dedicated to the memory of his mother. In my mind, it is an exceptional masterwork with an unique sonority.
#GerardBegni Totałly agree with your in-depth comment.
Literarisch elegische Leistung dieses wunderschönen Meisterstücks mit seidigen Töne aller Violinen und milden Töne aller Holzbläser. Der geniale Dirigent leitet das ganze Orchester im perfekten Einklang.
A work of profound beauty, quite different from the version for piano solo, of which this seems an orchestration.
Prachtige muziek !!
met dank aan Erik Voermans, in wiens boek "Eerste hulp bij Klassieke Muziek" , ik deze componist leerde kennen ... nooit te oud om bij te leren !!
bass clarinet love right there!
Grande Busoni. Peccato che un genio di questa portata sia poco rappresentato in Italia....
Magnifique !
beautiful!!
There is a beautiful small-orch version of this made by Schonberg. (camera work on this performance is strange and not very helpful)
Yes, it should state that this is the orchestration by Arnold Schoenberg.
Very nice! Thank you for posting
Un agradable descubrimiento. Música sutil, expresiva, rica en color y matices a pesar de contar con reducidos efectivos instrumentales.Música intimista de armonia indeterminada. Breve pero interesante.
Grand.
A beautiful, atonal (but not tonal in the traditional sense), mesmerizing piece of music, and certainly not expressionistic.
It's not atonal.
@@AndrewRudin There are tonal regions, where a key is momentarily implied, but wouldn't call it tonal. It has been called metatonal.
@@AndrewRudin It is not tonal.
Atonal ??????
@@AndrewRudin It is not tonal in a traditional sense.