24-25 Program Book - Flipbook - Page 95
Symphony No. 1 in D major “The Titan” (1888)
GUSTAV MAHLER
(July 7, 1860-May 18, 1911)
Mahler conceived his first symphony as a tone poem with descriptive titles, including
its subtitle. It has been speculated that it was based on a novel, Titan (1800-1803), by
one of Mahler’s favorite authors, Jean Paul, but accounts of the composer’s struggle
to decide whether or not to include the subtitle, and the subsequent permanent
withdrawal of the program suggest that the subtitle (and underlying concept) may
be more generic, representing the journey from immaturity to fame, or achieving
“titanic” status.
Symphony No. 1 was premiered at the Hungarian Royal Opera House in Budapest in
November 1889. The initial reviews were mixed—his potential was recognized, but
his expressive range lacked refinement. Initially, the piece had five movements. The
original second movement, subtitled “Blumine” (“Flowers”), received harsh criticism
and was subsequently removed. By the time the work reached America in 1909, the
piece had assumed its current four-movement form. The symphony has musical
connections to earlier works, such as Songs of a Wayfarer, and is a clear example of
Mahler’s unique ability to combine intimate, song-like lyricism with more variety in
color and volume available in bigger orchestral forces. The original concept of the
work also grouped the movements into two larger sections, the first two movements
(or three, with “Blumine”) as a section subtitled “From the Days of Youth: Music of
Flowers, Fruit, and Thorn,” and the last two movements as a section subtitled “The
Human Comedy.” Individually, the four movements are subtitled “Spring and No
End (Awakening of Nature),” “In Full Sail,” “Stranded (A Funeral March),” and “From
Hell to Heaven.”
The first movement has an overall a pastoral feeling, creating an image of Spring
gradually appearing and coming into full bloom. The peaceful opening suggests a
walk in the woods with soft wind in the trees, trumpet fanfares from a nearby army
barracks, and a hunt that starts in the distance and eventually rides by. The second
movement is a rollicking dance, an Austrian ländler (a stately waltz). The confident
rhythm and depth of sound easily fit the image of a ship (or a life) under full sail.
The third movement is based on the folksong Frère Jacques (a.k.a. Bruder Martin),
presented in minor to create the ascribed Funeral March effect. There is a bit of irony,
however, in a contrasting section that creates an atmosphere that is quite dancelike (is it sentimental or celebratory?)—this movement was inspired by the image
of a “Hunter’s Funeral Procession” where animals happily carry a hunter’s coffin to
his burial. The fourth movement explodes, dramatically introducing Hell, and the
sequence of musical events that follows clearly represents the struggle to escape
and the eventual triumph of reaching Heaven. Toward the end, Mahler quotes the
first movement, bringing Nature back into focus, as if to remind us of its power and
that we should be grateful to be a part of it. Eventually, the humility of this quiet
section bursts into celebration as the feeling of joy overwhelms the situation, and
the triumphant music returns, leading to an amazingly dramatic ending, with loud
fanfares, horn players on their feet, and the full force of the orchestra in all its glory.
Whether viewed programmatically with images of Nature or as a metaphor for the
maturing process, the impact of this symphony is nothing less than titanic.
CLASSICAL SERIES MAHLER’S FIRST SYMPHONY 95
