Mahler wrote three great hammerblows of destiny into his Sixth Symphony – then deleted one out of superstition. An impassioned portrait of the composer and his musical vision.
Mahler’s Sixth Symphony begins with a sinister march – its pounding steps set the stage for a tragic and intensely moving creation. This is music by a composer obsessed with fate, and it spills over with passion and fierce emotions – every feeling coming directly from the heart.
In his finale, Mahler wrote three great hammerblows to symbolise the blows of destiny – then deleted one in morbid fear that the symphony would turn out to be prophetic. If you’re getting to know Mahler, this symphony is an impassioned portrait of the man and his musical vision.
According to his son Daniel, Liszt’s Second Piano Concerto was a portrait too – the music veers between extremes, sometimes suggesting the young Liszt as an ardent lover, sometimes the religious contemplation of the composer as an old man. More than a virtuoso showpiece, this is a concerto that’s full of poetry and brilliant contrasts.
LISZT Piano Concerto No.2
MAHLER Symphony No.6
Vladimir Ashkenazy conductor
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet piano
Pre-concert talk by David Garrett in the Northern Foyer, 45 minutes before each performance.
Hear Jean-Efflam Bavouzet in recital on 7 March.
AUDIO PLAYER LISTINGTrack 1 – MAHLER Symphony No.6: Allegro energico
Track 2 – MAHLER Symphony No.6: Andante moderato
Track 3 – MAHLER Symphony No.6: Finale (Allegro moderato)
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Rafael Kubelik (1969)
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 463 738-2
Track 4 – Track 4 – LISZT Piano Concerto No.2: Finale
Claudio Abbado (piano) with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Colin Davis
DECCA ELOQUENCE 478 0236
Audio kindly supplied by Universal Music. Mahler available for purchase
here.
Video of MAHLER Symphony No.4 performed by the Sydney Symphony at the Sydney Opera House in 2010.