One note about the tempo in this movement: some conductors appear to think of music played at a typical State funeral when interpreting “Wie ein Kondukt”. Klagend (lamenting) - Zurückhaltend (holding back) - Poco meno mosso - Streng im Tempo (holding tempo strictly) - Nicht zurückhalten (don’t hold back). Immer dasselbe Tempo (always the same tempo) - - . Unmerklich zu Tempo I zurückgehen (indiscernibly return to Tempo I) - Tempo I. Allmählich sich beruhigend (gradually calming down). Wild (suddenly faster, passionate, wildly) - . Wieder etwas gehaltener (holding back a bit again) - - . Wie zu Anfang (as in the beginning) - Nicht schleppen (don’t drag). Wie ein Kondukt (in measured pace, strict, like a funeral procession). The list below would be endless with all this! Part I - I. Beyond what is shown below, Mahler also gives extremely detailed instructions on articulation and playing modes (e.g., which part of the bow to use, where the bow should touch the string, whether wind instruments need to hold up the cone towards the audience, etc.), as well as specific instructions for the conductor. However, he does not specify metronome rates, so the closest source for the “authentic, absolute tempo” are interpretations by conductors such as Bruno Walter, who still knew the composer personally, well and closely. I have omitted small-scale rubato instructions, e.g., Pesante for 1 bar only, followed by a Tempo I.Īs the text below shows, Mahler is extremely detailed and specific about the agogics / rubato. (starting at in each movement) I’m first giving the annotations in German (or Italian), as found in the score, then I’m giving my free translations as well.
532) has bar numbers at the beginning of each page, plus Mahler’s section numbering, here indicated with, , etc. a rich set of percussion (4 timpani, big drums, triangle, tamtam, etc.)Īs mentioned, this symphony has five movements I’m not going to attempt an analysis, but I’m merely giving an outline if the movements, based on Mahler’s annotations.bassoons: 3 (1 alternating with contrabassoon).clarinets: 3 (1 alternating with bass clarinet).oboes: 3 (1 alternating with cor anglais).flutes: 4 (2 alternating with piccolos).The symphony uses a fairly big orchestra, featuring After four symphonies either with movements with vocal participation (2, 3, 4) or with strong ties to vocal music (1), Symphony No.5 is more of a “classical” symphony, at least in that it is “non-vocal” it has five, not four movements, though, which Mahler grouped in three parts certainly, the first two movements (Part I) can be seen as components of a single movement, which would then lead to a “standard” scheme, i.e., first movement/part - Scherzo - Adagietto - Rondo-Finale. Gustav Mahler (1860 – 1911) wrote his Symphony No.5 in C♯ minor around 1901 – 1903 it was premiered in Cologne in 1904, played by the Gürzenich Orchestra under the direction of the composer. Walter, Haitink, Solti, Abravanel, and Bernstein were also present in my LP collection, the Sinopoli CD is from my parent’s collection, the others were added more recently, in order to have more recent interpretations for comparison. In the sections below, the recordings are discussed in chronological order (by the year of the recording). This posting is about Gustav Mahler‘s Symphony No.5 in C♯ minor, of which I currently have 8 recordings, sorted by the conductor’s last name: David Zinman, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich (2007).Claudio Abbado, Berliner Philharmoniker (1993).Leonard Bernstein, Wiener Philharmoniker (1987).Giuseppe Sinopoli, Philharmonia Orchestra (1985).Maurice Abravanel, Utah Symphony Orchestra (1974).Georg Solti, Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1970).Bernard Haitink, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (1970).Bruno Walter, New York Philharmonic Orchestra (1947).Stürmisch bewegt, mit größter Vehemenz (576 bars, 2/2) Symphony No.5 in C♯ minor Media Review / Comparison