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From: tss@astrovax.UUCP (Thomas S. Statler)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Gustav Mahler
Message-ID: <194@astrovax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 15-Dec-83 18:46:26 EST
Article-I.D.: astrovax.194
Posted: Thu Dec 15 18:46:26 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 17-Dec-83 02:15:55 EST
Organization: Princeton Univ. Astrophysics
Lines: 32


   Gorsh, Charles, y'all shore have a lot to say! But that's OK-- who better
to be verbose about than Mahler? I have just a few additional remarks...

   Mahler was, indeed, born Jewish. According to at least one book I've
seen (Sorry, can't give you an exact reference.), he "diplomatically" converted
to Christianity before taking over directorship of the Vienna Opera. On the
other hand, the religious aspects of his music, especially the second and fourth
symphonies, seem so Christian that I wonder whether his decision was motivated
by diplomacy or just his personal religious beliefs. Anyone have any details?

   allegra!cbf points out that the 2nd symphony was "conceived as a continuation
of the first". In fact, all through his symphonies, Mahler repeatedly quotes
from earlier works-- not in the sense of thematic material being repeated, but
rather of important tonal relationships reappearing in a similar context. (My
brother, cynical sort that he is, suggested once that Mahler actually wrote
only one symphony, and it's 12 hours long.) Also, the last mvt. of the 4th
symphony was originally intended to be a SEVENTH movement of the 3rd, but
the composer decided that no, six was probably enough.

   I'll agree that the 7th is the hardest to interpret. This is the only one
of the symphonies that I've had the good fortune to play, and still large
chunks of it remain somewhat beyond me. But I'm afraid I don't care for the
Haitink recording very much, mainly because a too-fast tempo in the 1st mvt.
cheats the dotted-quarter, two-sixteenth figures in the strings and upper
woodwinds of the precision they deserve, and everything sort of gets lost in
the mud. But I'll be fair; the treatments of the last two movements are
just right.

   That's my three-paragraphs worth. I'm going on vacation for a couple weeks,
and I expect to see all sorts of fascinating discussions waiting to be read
when I get back!