# Mahler's First Symphony



## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

I'll be visiting a performance of Mahler's First Symphony. What makes a great performance of this symphony? What should I pay attention to?


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I am too much a novice to answer your question, but a live performance of Mahler's first got me going with Mahler. Now I have a couple sets, some miscellaneous recordings, and am attending Mahler's 7th tomorrow night. Enjoy!


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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

You enjoy yourself as well!

I'm not a complete novice on Mahler but having been more of a recipient listener I would like to extend my ears with knowledge and opinions from forum members to become a more active listener on Mahler.


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

Casebearer said:


> I'll be visiting a performance of Mahler's First Symphony. What makes a great performance of this symphony? What should I pay attention to?


 I believe your answer will come to you with the hearing of it. I have head Mahler 1 live twice: Ormandy/Philadelphia and Levine/Chicago.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

For any new work, becoming familiar with it is the key. Prepare a month or two in advance and really expose yourself to the music.

Repetition is your friend.

Ignore the snorers and program rustlers if you can and stake out the armrest early.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

The beginning of the third movement has a double bass solo, which is a rare occurrence. Might be interesting to watch out for that. 

Also, listen to the theme that begins the symphony (quiet in the woodwind section) compared to the theme that ends the symphony (loud in the brass), they are very much related.

I don't know how well you can hear and identify melodic intervals, but if you are good at that sort of thing listen out for 4ths. Melodically, 4ths are probably the most important interval in this symphony, at least for the outer movements. In fact, the two themes I mentioned previously that begin and end the symphony are made of a series of descending 4ths.


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## Antiquarian (Apr 29, 2014)

The third movement of Mahler 's first has always been the most interesting to me. There is the obvious dance-band parody that is amusing early in the movement, and near the end is a parody of _Frère Jacques_ that is hard to miss.


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## Bettina (Sep 29, 2016)

hpowders said:


> For any new work, becoming familiar with it is the key. Prepare a month or two in advance and really expose yourself to the music.
> 
> Repetition is your friend.
> 
> Ignore the snorers and program rustlers if you can and stake out the armrest early.


Good advice. Of course, if the concert featured Cage instead of Mahler, it would be different. In a performance of Cage's 4'33", the snorers and program rustlers ARE the music.


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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

violadude said:


> The beginning of the third movement has a double bass solo, which is a rare occurrence. Might be interesting to watch out for that.
> 
> Also, listen to the theme that begins the symphony (quiet in the woodwind section) compared to the theme that ends the symphony (loud in the brass), they are very much related.
> 
> I don't know how well you can hear and identify melodic intervals, but if you are good at that sort of thing listen out for 4ths. Melodically, 4ths are probably the most important interval in this symphony, at least for the outer movements. In fact, the two themes I mentioned previously that begin and end the symphony are made of a series of descending 4ths.


Thanks, I like this. I'll be paying special attention to those parts. 
Don't know really how good I am at melodic 4ths, I suppose I hear that without being conscious of it being 4ths. I'll try to discern what you mean.


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## motoboy (May 19, 2008)

See if you can find Michael Tilson Thomas' video, "Keeping Score." Like him or not he goes into _great_ detail regarding M1. It is a real joy to watch.


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## Guest (Nov 13, 2016)

Robert Greenberg has a great course on Mahler available at www.audible.com 
He discusses many of the details of the first symphony.

Also the recent recording by Yannick Nezet Seguin and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra is great:


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Bettina said:


> Good advice. Of course, if the concert featured Cage instead of Mahler, it would be different. In a performance of Cage's 4'33", the snorers and program rustlers ARE the music.


You know, I have stopped going to concerts because of the usual collective lack of enthusiasm of the majority of the audience.
It is palpable.


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## Bruckner Anton (Mar 10, 2016)

Just enjoy listening to the music if you are not familiar with the work. Generally speaking, as Mahler put so many notes on the scores to aid the conductor, his works require more from the orchestra than from the conductor.


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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

hpowders said:


> You know, I have stopped going to concerts because of the usual collective lack of enthusiasm of the majority of the audience.
> It is palpable.


Not my experience at all. Maybe the tickets are sold in the wrong way and don't end up with music lovers? (Through marketing companies, sponsors etc.)


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Casebearer said:


> Thanks, I like this. I'll be paying special attention to those parts.
> Don't know really how good I am at melodic 4ths, I suppose I hear that without being conscious of it being 4ths. I'll try to discern what you mean.


When in doubt, just think about the opening of Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik  Those first 4 notes are two repeated 4ths (descending).


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

Listen out for the misquoting of a cuckoo near the beginning of the work. The 'cuckoo' here sings a perfect fourth; real cuckoos sing a major third. I have no idea whether this was deliberate on Mahler's part or not, but the falling fourth is an important interval throughout this symphony and so perhaps Mahler 'adapted' his cuckoo to fit the great scheme of things.


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## wzg (Jun 17, 2013)

Don't be disrupted if the horns stand up in the end... Well, the guy downstairs likes it


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Those Glorious Horns...


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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

Know what you mean, they give you the chills!!!


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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

Delicious Manager said:


> Listen out for the misquoting of a cuckoo near the beginning of the work. The 'cuckoo' here sings a perfect fourth; real cuckoos sing a major third. I have no idea whether this was deliberate on Mahler's part or not, but the falling fourth is an important interval throughout this symphony and so perhaps Mahler 'adapted' his cuckoo to fit the great scheme of things.


Nice to know. I like a real cuckoo. I can even imitate one by hand whistling. Although I use a different way of hand folding than this guy which seems to be the American way.


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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

But serious: anymore suggestions? I'll be going in just over one day.


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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

Well I must say I totally love Mahler's First now I've come to know it much better. The orchestra did a very good and tight job. Conductor Daniele Rustioni had a big, broad, genuine smile on his face after the last notes and was unable to wipe it off for ten minutes during the applause. And rightly so. 

Thanks for the helpful comments by all of you. There also was an interesting 'small lecture' before the concert that helped me out further.


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