Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
began his Symphony No.9 in D in
1909 in Toblach, completing it in March 1910 in New York. It was first
performed posthumously in the spring of 1912 at the Music Festival in Vienna,
conducted by Bruno Walter.
Walter later recalled ‘Alma Mahler handed the score to me
for final revision before printing. In November 1911, six months after
(Mahler’s) death, I conducted the first performance of Das Lied in Munich, and
early in 1912, the Ninth in Vienna…it was a great responsibility to take my
great friend’s place and introduce his new work to the world.’
New from the Hallé’s own label www.Hallé.co.uk/products.aspx?FriendlyID=&view=page&pageno=1
is a release featuring Sir Mark Elder www.ingpen.co.uk/artist/mark-elder
and
the Hallé Orchestra www.Hallé.co.uk with Mahler’s
Ninth Symphony.
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| 2CD CD HLD 7541 |
Elder maintains the hesitancy of the opening bars of the Andante comodo into the succeeding
passages by holding a taut reign on the orchestra, with carefully shaped
phrases, making the anguished surges even more alarming in their intensity. He draws
some terrific string playing from the Hallé, pointing up details as well as rising
with tremendous impact to the climaxes. Indeed the sudden outbursts are quite
stunning, contrasting against moments of intense, hushed drama.
There are some fine instrumental contributions from brass
and woodwind with Elder throughout bringing moments of quiet tension making one
always wonder when the next crisis will occur. Eventually the conflict between
resignation and anguish gives way after a final huge climax as we are drawn
into an exquisite coda full of resignation.
There is a beautifully pointed up opening to the Im Tempo eines gemächlichen Ländlers. Etwas
täppisch und sehr derb with fine incisive Hallé strings and terrific
woodwind passages. The Hallé really are on
top form as they move through the dance rhythm of this movement, a terrific
stomping Ländler before a wistful waltz eventually returning to a Ländler, this
time more subdued. There is a terrific ebb and flow with Elder finding lovely
moments of repose, bringing a breadth and sweep as the music begins to drive
forward before a coda where he reveals a suitably sinister edge.
Elder sets off at a fine pace as we are thrust into the Rondo-Burleske. Allegro assai. Sehr trotzig
with such taut, incisive playing in this live performance. Elder allows the Hallé
to really letting rip as Mahler leads us through a wild journey with playing of
tremendous virtuosity. When, centrally, we hit the slow section it comes as a
kind of balm with playing of exquisite beauty. The music again rises in drama
only to fall quiet with dramatic echoes in the background before hurtling off
to the manic coda.
What can one say of the Adagio.
Sehr langsam und noch zurückhaltend often looked on as Mahler’s farewell to
life with the shadow of death looming over it. Elder brings a fine restraint
with the Hallé basses underscoring the texture beautifully. There are some fine
horn passages with Elder subtly adding tension to the string playing. Elder adds so much to the depth and mystery of
this work in the serenely hushed passages. He brings a feeling of intense
yearning, slowly edging up the tension and passion before the music peaks and
falls away with some exquisite playing, full of desperate longing. There is a woodwind
passage where a lovely melody appears before building again in richness and
passion. Elder develops the music so finely, pacing the music perfectly. The music falls to a heart-rending hushed
passage, beautifully controlled by Elder with a feeling of intense resignation as
we arrive at a wonderful coda.
What more can I say? Surely this is a Mahler 9 to rank with
the best.
This is very well recorded live at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester,
England with no applause and not the slightest audience noise. The audience were
obviously as transfixed as I was. There are excellent notes by David Matthews.
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