Symphony No. 4 (Mahler)
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The Symphony No. 4 in G major by Gustav Mahler was written between 1899 and 1901.
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[edit] Orchestration
The symphony is for a fairly small orchestra by Mahler's standards, interestingly lacking trombones and tuba(s). It is scored for the following orchestral forces:
- Woodwinds
- 4 Flutes (Fl. 3, 4 double piccolos 1, 2)
- 3 Oboes (Ob. 3 doubles English horn)
- 3 Clarinets in A, B-flat, C (Cl. 2 doubles E-flat clarinet) (Cl. 3 doubles bass clarinet)
- 3 Bassoons (Bsn. 3 doubles contrabassoon)
- Percussion
- Timpani
- Sleigh bells
- Cymbals
- Glockenspiel
- Triangle
- Tam-tam
- Bass drum
- Violins I, II
- Violas
- Cellos
- Double basses
[edit] Structure
A typical performance of the whole work lasts around fifty minutes, making it one of Mahler's shortest completed symphonies, if not the shortest.
The symphony is in four movements:
- Bedächtig, nicht eilen (Moderately, not rushed)
- In gemächlicher Bewegung, ohne Hast (Leisurely moving, without haste)
- Ruhevoll, poco adagio (Peacefully, a little adagio)
- Sehr behaglich (Very comfortably)
After what is for Mahler an unusually restrained first movement, often said to have almost classical poise, the second movement is a scherzo featuring a solo part for a violin tuned a tone higher than usual (see: scordatura). This tuning adds to the rather ghostly and other-worldly nature of the music. The third movement is slow, and essentially a set of variations.
The last movement is a song for soprano, and takes its text from Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Youth's Magic Horn), a collection to which Mahler had turned on many previous occasions. Since this symphony strives to describe a child's vision of heaven, Mahler originally planned a boy soloist in the fourth movement[citation needed]; however, wishing for more convenient performance, he used a soprano. This song was originally composed as a free-standing piece in 1892, but a year later was being considered as a possible seventh and final movement for the gestating third symphony. Mahler finally abandoned this plan, however, deciding instead that the song (in a revised form) should be the seed for his fourth. The poem, "Das himmlische Leben" ("The Heavenly Life"), describes a great feast in heaven.
[edit] Text (for last movement)
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[edit] Premieres
- World premiere: November 25, 1901, Munich, Margarete Michalek (soprano) with the Kaim Orchestra conducted by the composer.
- American premiere: November 6, 1904, New York City, Etta de Montjau (soprano) with the New York Symphony Society conducted by Walter Damrosch.
- English premiere: October 25, 1905, London, in a Proms concert conducted by Henry Wood. Wood's wife sang the soprano part.
- Recording premiere: May 1930, Sakaye Kitasaya (soprano) with the New Symphony Orchestra of Tokyo conducted by Hidemaro Konoye. This was also the first electrical recording of any Mahler symphony.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ Smoley, Lewis M. (1996). Gustav Mahler's Symphonies: critical commentary on recordings since 1986, first edition, Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 93. ISBN 0313297711.
[edit] External links
- Extensive history and analysis by renowned Mahler scholar Henry Louis de La Grange
- Program note
- Full text of the song (with English translation)
- Kunst der Fuge: The Mahler's 4th Symphony (MIDI files)
| Symphonies by Gustav Mahler |
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| By Number: 1 | †2 | †3 | †4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | †8 | 9 | ¶10| By name: †Das Lied von der Erde |
| † denotes piece with chorus and/or vocal soloists• ¶ denotes unfinished piece |
