Portions of this post come from a previous post published on April 16, 2022 on Mahler’s Symphony no. 5.
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Building a Collection #12
Symphony no. 5
By Gustav Mahler
“Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.”
-Gustav Mahler
We have arrived at #12 on our Building a Collection journey. For this entry, we encounter the first work on our list by composer Gustav Mahler, namely his Symphony no. 5. Perhaps best known for its heavenly Adagietto, the entire symphony spans a wide spectrum of emotions and is one of the greatest symphonies of the 20th century.
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler (1860 – 1911) was certainly one of the greatest composers of his time, and perhaps of all-time. Born in Bohemia (then part of the Austrian empire) to Jewish parents of humble means, Mahler first rose to fame as one of the leading conductors of his time. He became known later, and is known today, primarily for his compositions. The reason his music did not become more well-known sooner may be attributed to the fierce anti-Semitism present in late 19th and early 20th century Vienna, the musical capital of the world at the time. Another reason may be the reputation that Mahler’s compositions gained for being too long (indeed, most of Mahler’s symphonies are rather long!).
As a composer, Mahler occupies a space between the Austro-German romantic tradition prevalent in the late 19th century, and the modernism that emerged in the early 20th century. He entered the Vienna Conservatory in 1875 and studied piano, harmony, and composition. At the time he became an advocate for the music of both Wagner and Bruckner, two of the most well-known German composers of the day. He would later conduct both of their works frequently, despite Wagner’s notorious anti-Semitism. Mahler was a big part of the transition from the Romantic period to the Modern period in classical music, and he greatly influenced composers of the so-called “Second Viennese School” including Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton Webern. Other famous composers very much influenced by Mahler’s music include Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, Dmitri Shostakovich, Kurt Weill, and Benjamin Britten.
Mahler’s conducting career began in about 1880, and around the same time he composed his first notable work, Das Klagende Lied (Song of Lamentation). His conducting career advanced quickly, and he took up posts in Kassel, Prague, Leipzig, and Budapest respectively. His conducting style was characterized by a dictatorial manner and perfectionistic demands, and even though he achieved a lot of critical acclaim, he was also despised by many musicians that played under him.
In 1897 Mahler took the helm of the Vienna Court Opera and then later the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. For a conductor, this was reaching the top of your field. Because of his responsibilities in Vienna, he had little time for composition, and generally only composed in the summers. Mahler built a series of “huts” out in the country, in places that inspired him, and he used the huts for composing. Soon he began presenting his compositions to the public, but the Viennese had a difficult time comprehending his first symphony and his large-scale song-symphony Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth). However, Mahler seemed to take the lack of acceptance in stride, believing that his time would eventually come.
In 1901, adversity arrived for Mahler. On February 24, 1901 he conducted a matinee of Bruckner’s Fifth Symphony, and then that evening he conducted Mozart’s The Magic Flute, a grueling day of work. Later that evening he suffered an intestinal hemorrhage and needed emergency surgery and nearly died. Shortly thereafter, he resigned from his post at the Vienna Philharmonic. Despite the hardships, Mahler returned to continue conducting at the Vienna Court Opera, and built a holiday home in Carinthia. The summer of 1901 was particularly productive for composition, and this included work on his Symphony no. 5 as well as Kindertotenlieder (Songs on the Death of Children) and Das Knaben Wunderhorn (The Young Boy’s Magic Horn). In the fall of 1901, he met Alma Schindler. They would marry in 1902 and soon had two daughters. In general this was a happy time for Mahler.
In 1907, Mahler resigned from the Vienna Court Opera because he was away so often, and was beginning to gain more traction as a composer. He also wanted a break from the conservative Viennese music press, which had been consistently brutal in its treatment of Mahler. He accepted the post of principal conductor of New York’s Metropolitan Opera. However, shortly after accepting the post his four year-old daughter died from scarlet fever and diphtheria, and he himself discovered he had some heart problems.
In New York, Mahler quickly gained audience approval and in 1909 he accepted the post of conductor of the New York Philharmonic, which he found agreeable to playing his own compositions. Despite career success such as the triumphant premiere of his Symphony no. 8 “Symphony of a Thousand” in Munich, his personal life suffered and his marriage with Alma began having problems. Even so, they stayed together and when Mahler became quite ill, Alma took him back to Vienna where he died on May 18, 1911 at the age of 50.
Symphony no. 5
Mahler continued revising the orchestration of this symphony until his death. The first performance of the symphony was given in 1904 in Cologne, Germany. Although originally planned for only four movements, he ended up with five movements that fit neatly into three parts. The symphony is broken down as follows:
Part I:
1. Trauermarsch. In gemessenem Schritt. Streng. Wie ein Kondukt (Funeral March. At a measured pace. Like a funeral procession.)
2. Sturmisch bewegt. Mit grosster Vehemenz (Stormily. With greatest vehemence.)
Part II:
3. Scherzo. Kraftig, nicht zu schnell. (Vigorously. Not too fast.)
Part III:
4. Adagietto. Sehr langsam. (Very slowly.)
5. Rondo-Finale. Allegro – Allegro giocoso. Frisch. (Playful. Lively.)
Mahler began the symphony in 1901, and during that summer while he was recovering from nearly dying, he immersed himself in the work of Johann Sebastian Bach. Mahler integrated into his new symphony some of his new appreciation for counterpoint gained from Bach (counterpoint is when one or more layers of independent melodies are added above or below the main melody in a piece of music). You can hear Mahler’s use of counterpoint well in this symphony. However, it is clear since Mahler continued revising the score for many years that he had not yet mastered how to incorporate a great deal of counterpoint into an already complex score.
One reason for the enduring significance of Mahler as a composer was his fundamental view that his music was a way of looking for and expressing solutions to his own personal and spiritual problems. There is a depth and seriousness in his music that is apparent in all his works. Mahler is working out existential problems in his work, and as such this music is about life and death. Nearly all of Mahler’s symphonies show a similar emotional and spiritual progression. Generally there is angst and struggle giving way to resignation or redemption. Mahler uses “progressive tonality” where movements or entire works begin in minor keys and move to major keys. In the fifth symphony, it begins in C sharp minor and ends in D major in the third and fifth movements. This is not arbitrary on Mahler’s part.
The beginning march has a primitive feeling, almost austere and trudging. The second movement is related, continuing with vehemence and sharing the same mood as the first. The third movement is a scherzo, and is the longest movement. It moves joyously, but almost maniacally, and develops several additional themes. Although there is conflict heard, it is still overwhelmingly positive.
The fourth movement Adagietto is perhaps the most famous music ever composed by Mahler. It is heartbreakingly beautiful, a true yearning for spiritual comfort. What an amazing creation this is by Mahler, it is really something beyond words. It reaches an emotional climax and a sort of cathartic release. It gives permission for the soul to overcome the trials heard in the earlier movements, and to move to a happier place. It is also a sort of introduction to the fifth movement, which is playful and relatively light. Although Mahler uses different themes here too, the overall feeling is one of triumph and joy and the ending is appropriately uplifting.
After the premiere, Mahler is reported to have said, “Nobody understood it. I wish I could conduct the first performance fifty years after my death." Mahler turned out to be prophetic, for indeed his Fifth Symphony was to become one of his most beloved works. As for where the Fifth ranks among Mahler’s symphonies, that is difficult to pinpoint. In our current survey of the top 250 classical works of all-time, the Fifth is the highest ranked work by Mahler. However, other listeners will cite Mahler’s Symphony no. 2 “Resurrection” or his epic Symphony no. 9 as his best. Still others turn to his Symphony no. 3 or the massive Symphony no. 8 “Symphony of a Thousand”. Symphony no. 1 is a personal favorite of mine. The point is, it really depends on your tastes and your mood.
The Adagietto from Mahler’s Fifth became even more well-known because of its use in the 1971 Luchino Visconti film Death in Venice, an adaptation of German author Thomas Mann’s novella Der Tod in Venedig (Death in Venice). In fact, many listeners will associate the film with the music and vice versa. Mahler’s Fifth is also used as one of the background themes for the critically acclaimed 2022 film Tár, the psychological thriller about fictional conductor Lydia Tár, and starring Cate Blanchett. The snippets of the symphony used in the film are juxtaposed with the drama in the conductor’s life. However, the film only uses small portions of the symphony at the service of the story, thus the focus is not really on the music itself.
Recommended recordings
Sixty years ago you would have had relatively few choices for Mahler recordings. Today, Mahler has been increasingly thought of as standard fare and is now often played in the concert hall. Recordings of all his works have multiplied many times over, and now nearly every conductor that comes along seemingly must record Mahler.
However, Mahler is hard to get right. As the French conductor Francois-Xavier Roth says in a recent Gramophone Magazine interview, “The most difficult aspect of performing Mahler is trying to understand what he meant…Mahler leaves us lost when it comes to many things…The metronome is something so practical for a composer, but Mahler just doesn’t do it. He doesn’t want to give us a number; he tries to inspire our creative imagination.”
This can lead to wildly varying interpretations, where on the more extrovert and emotional end you have conductors such as Bernstein, Tennstedt, and Levine, and at the other end of the spectrum you have more analytical and “cool” conductors such as Boulez, Chailly, and Gielen. When you read my recommendations below, you will know where my preferences lie. But others will feel differently, and as always I understand and respect the opinions and views of other listeners.
Top Overall Recording
Leonard Bernstein had a particular affinity for Mahler, and they were kindred spirits in a sense. Both of them wore their hearts on their sleeves, so to speak. The years from Mahler’s death in 1911 until about 1950 were years of relative neglect for Mahler’s music. There were exceptions of course, but British and American critics were not particularly fond of Mahler’s music. Although Mahler’s music was certainly known and played in concert halls in Europe, and Mahler himself introduced his music to New York audiences with his time at the Philharmonic, Bernstein’s advocacy for Mahler took his music to a much wider audience. Bruno Walter and Dmitri Mitropoulos, both of whom conducted the New York Philharmonic, also championed Mahler’s music. But it is Bernstein that is mostly credited with “rediscovering” Mahler, and he became particularly renowned for his performances and recordings of Mahler during his time as director of the New York Philharmonic.
Bernstein recorded all the Mahler symphonies in the 1960s for Columbia (now Sony), and those recordings are mandatory listening for anyone interested in Mahler. But importantly, Bernstein brought Mahler back to audiences in Vienna and was almost single-handedly responsible for emphasizing to Austrians how Mahler was truly one of them and deserves to be in the Austro-German musical tradition every bit as much as Beethoven, Brahms, and Mozart. As Bernstein is quoted, “Mahler is German music multiplied by N”.
Bernstein shared certain emotional and histrionic qualities with Mahler, both in their conducting and their composing. Both Bernstein and Mahler were influenced by musical genres other than classical music; Mahler was influenced by eastern music of Asian (especially Chinese folk music), Slavic, and Jewish origin, and Bernstein was influenced by American jazz and popular music.
Mahler certainly brought many traditional Romantic elements into his compositions, but was also beginning a new type of musical language that is very personal and original. When Mahler’s revival began in the 1950s, it may have been the introduction of the long-playing LP that made the most difference in Mahler’s growing popularity, as it meant that music lovers could now listen to Mahler’s often long symphonies in their entirety at home. Bernstein certainly capitalized on this with his many recordings in the 1960s.
Bernstein recorded all of Mahler’s works again in the 1980s for the Deutsche Grammophon label in Vienna, Amsterdam, New York, and Berlin. Remember, Mahler’s music was not well received in Vienna at its inception, and for many years the Vienna press held on to its overly critical view of Mahler. Whether it was for anti-Semitic reasons or for musical reasons, the fact remained that for decades Vienna audiences never warmed to Mahler. Bernstein developed a good working relationship with the Vienna Philharmonic beginning in the 1960s, and put it on himself to make the Viennese see Mahler’s greatness and that he was truly one of them.
Leonard Bernstein led the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in this recording of Mahler’s Symphony no. 5 in September 1987, and it was recorded live at the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, Germany. You can feel the frisson of a live event, and indeed many of Bernstein’s recordings over the last several years of his life were made live.
Let’s just say Bernstein is not one to play things safe, and that is certainly the case here. From the opening Funeral March, you can sense this will be something special. With the famed Vienna strings at his disposal, Bernstein squeezes every last bit of emotion out of the symphony, and the famed Adagietto has perhaps never been as moving. The Vienna brass do some outstanding playing, especially in the finale’s climax. Power and eloquence are present here in equal measure, and there is an edge of the seat quality you may sense along the way. There are breathtaking moments where you feel the wheels may come off the bus, especially in the first movement. It all holds together, and the approach pays off. This recording has become definitive for many, or at least the primary benchmark.
The sound quality is good, and although there is no lack of detail, you will notice that the intended overall goal seems to be to display the “big picture” sound in terms of depth. The recording is well-balanced, and consistent with what you might hear live in the concert hall. I tend to like the “larger-than-life” perspective created here with the sound, which feels more fitting for the music. For those that would like a more intimate sound, there are other more recent recordings that may serve the purpose. I love Bernstein’s way with Mahler, but that is not to say Bernstein’s way with Mahler is the only valid approach. See below for some other recommendations.
If you prefer video to audio, you can find Bernstein conducting Mahler’s Fifth with the Vienna Philharmonic online or for purchase. You can easily find clips of Bernstein conducting Mahler online, which is interesting to check out.
Historic Choice Recording
While Bruno Walter and Rafael Kubelik may each have a claim for greatest historical account of Mahler’s Fifth, my preference is for Rudolf Schwarz’s 1958 recording with the London Symphony Orchestra on Everest Records. Rudolf Schwarz was unknown to me before listening to this recording, and at the time this recording was made Mahler was far from a household name. Born into a Jewish-Austrian family, Schwarz had a career in Germany before being sacked by the Nazis. He became a British citizen, and made his mark in the UK, particularly with the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, the BBC, and the Northern Sinfonia. Schwarz brings a sense of presence and dignity to the work, choosing to highlight the more lyrical and dramatic elements rather than becoming frantic and speedy like some other Mahler conductors. Schwarz shows he is a master of control when it comes to contrasting speeds and dynamics, which brings out the emotional gradients superbly. There is some darkness and fear conveyed, but also a measured sense of balance. Extremes are avoided. When the lighter moments and more carefree sections arrive, Schwarz lifts our spirits with a delightful sense of joy and charm. The colors and moods are portrayed so well. When it comes to the famed Adagietto, Schwarz refuses to make it a drawn-out, schmaltzy affair. Here it is presented as a heartfelt, lyrical song with beauty and sentiment, but without the long pauses for effect and lack of impetus found in some other recordings. Schwarz’s timing here is quite close to what is thought to be Mahler’s intentions, although we don’t know for sure.
The sound is up close and personal, and even though it has some limitations compared to modern recordings, it is remarkably good for its time. Mahler was not standard fare for the London Symphony Orchestra at the time, so you may detect some sketchy playing in certain parts due to unfamiliarity with the score. Nevertheless, this is a valuable recording for its many assets.
Other Recommended Recordings
The German conductor Klaus Tennstedt recorded Mahler’s Fifth twice commercially for EMI/Warner, both times with the London Philharmonic Orchestra (other recordings of Tennstedt conducting Mahler’s Fifth exist with other orchestras, though none as compelling). It is this live recording from Royal Albert Hall, London in 1988, one of Tennstedt’s final appearances with the orchestra, that remains a top recommendation. His studio effort from 1979 is very fine too, but this live version has extra heat and electricity. Tennstedt, for me, was one of the greatest Mahler conductors we have ever had. In particular, his live recordings with the LPO are all among my favorites. On this occasion, Tennstedt is able to bring forth a natural sound from the orchestra, with all the rough edges left intact, full of expressiveness but not always “pretty”. The first movement builds in power and vibrancy, with perceptible forward thrust. Tennstedt’s overall vision of the work is to emphasize the drama, and hence the second movement is taken at a pretty fast clip. He knows how to organize the details to ensure the listener is engaged throughout, but without being overly analytical or fussy. Tennstedt seems more attuned to the darker and stormier elements in the symphony, and with the heartbreaking Adagietto clocking in relatively slow at over 11 minutes, there is more darkness than light. Then again, the triumphant finale is played with energy and brio, the conclusion bringing down the house.
The vastly underappreciated Russian conductor Rudolf Barshai directed the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie (German Youth Philharmonia) in an outstanding reading of Mahler’s Fifth, recorded live in Berlin’s Philharmonie in 1999 and currently available on Brilliant Classics. Put out of your mind any concerns about this recording being from a youth orchestra. Make no mistake, these young musicians are talented and at least on this occasion are every bit up to the task of this daunting symphony. The sound they produce is large, and even though the recording is somewhat cavernous and over-resonant, it is more than adequate. Barshai displays a keen understanding for the structure of the symphony, holding back in the first movement nicely while respecting that it is actually in two parts. This gives the second movement more impact, and surely this was Mahler’s intent. In this integrated vision, Barshai proves that keeping in mind the structure of the whole pays great dividends along the way. When the shattering emotional climax arrives in the second movement, it is delivered with great authority and excitement. The third movement brings a positive change in mood, and this is handled skillfully by Barshai and his young musicians. The music flows forward naturally, in an unforced way, and this carefree and spirited movement is conveyed in a beautiful and elegiac manner. The last two movements form Part III, and again Barshai shows a profound understanding of how the movements should fit together. The Adagietto is played in just over eight minutes, quicker than has become customary, but again closer to what we believe Mahler intended. There is just the right amount of nostalgia and depth of feeling here, especially when immediately followed by the more upbeat finale. Barshai doesn’t allow the tension to dip in what is certainly one of the most interesting and satisfying accounts.
The late Claudio Abbado recorded Mahler’s Fifth with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1980, but it is his 1993 live recording with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra that is the most recommendable. Part of an acclaimed complete Mahler symphony cycle, Abbado shows that when he was inspired he was one of the best conductors of his time. The recorded sound is clear and well-defined. The playing of the BPO is beyond reproach, and Abbado is sensitive to the many mood changes and underlying currents. Every movement is characterized in a memorable way, especially the Adagietto. In fact, this is probably my favorite Adagietto on record, delivered with the utmost care and tenderness, and while Abbado doesn’t wallow in the sap too long, there is a rare depth of feeling. At almost nine minutes, it is paced nearly perfectly to my ears. Abbado is better than most in the more fantasy-like passages, namely in the third and final movements we are reminded of his years in the opera pit. Abbado made some very fine Mahler recordings, this one being a prime example.
It is a pity that the later part of James Levine’s career was overshadowed by sexual assault allegations, because he was one of the great Mahlerians of his time. He recorded a nearly complete set of the Mahler symphonies for RCA with various orchestras in the 1970s and early 1980s, and this set contains some really wonderful Mahler. The Fifth was recorded with The Philadelphia Orchestra in 1978, and it is full of tension and excitement. Similar to Bernstein, Levine pushes the first movement pretty hard, but we hear some fabulous playing, detailed rhythmic points, and sensitive phrasing. Richness and drama are consistent throughout, but unlike Bernstein, Levine does not become overly sentimental (Levine’s later Mahler would slow down a lot and become more sappy). Only 35 at the time of this recording, Levine focuses more on rhythm, texture, and detail than expressiveness. Here he follows in the footsteps of his mentor, George Szell, but unlike Szell’s lifeless and strict Mahler, Levine brings out red-blooded and dramatic playing from the Philadelphians. At the time this was still very much Eugene Ormandy’s band, and we can hear that in the rich tone of the strings. But Levine instills exuberance and heartfelt intensity, and this is simply more exciting than almost anything Ormandy was producing. The only possible thing missing is some sense of nuance and mystery, but those qualities are more than compensated by the inspired vision and performance.
Other recordings to check out
There are many other fine recordings of Mahler’s Fifth you may want to sample. These recordings didn’t make my short list, but your tastes may differ from mine. Each of the recordings below have been either critically acclaimed or have achieved some level of popularity with listeners.
New York Philharmonic/Bruno Walter (Sony, 1947)
New Philharmonia/Sir John Barbirolli (Warner, 1969)
Berlin Philharmonic/Herbert von Karajan (DG, 1973)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Claudio Abbado (DG, 1980)
Berlin Philharmonic/Sir Simon Rattle (Warner, 1987)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Sir Georg Solti (Decca, 1991)
Vienna Philharmonic/Pierre Boulez (DG, 1996)
Philharmonia Orchestra/Giuseppe Sinopoli (DG, 1999)
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra/Rafael Kubelik (Audite, 1981)
Gurzenich Koln/Francois-Xavier Roth (Harmonia Mundi, 2017)
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Daniel Harding (Harmonia Mundi, 2017)
Minnesota Orchestra/Osmo Vanska (BIS, 2016)
Budapest Festival Orchestra/Ivan Fischer (Channel Classics, 2013)
London Symphony Orchestra/Valery Gergiev (LSO Live, 2011)
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra/Mariss Jansons (BR Klassik, 2008)
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra/Michael Tilson Thomas (SFS, 2006)
SWR Symphony Orchestra/Michael Gielen (SWR, 2003)
Tune in next time when we will discuss the epic Requiem from Giuseppe Verdi, number 13 on our Building a Collection list.
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Notes:
Bernstein, Leonard. Young People’s Concert, February 1960. Who is Gustav Mahler? Original text from CBS Television Broadcast.
Brennan, Gerald. Schrott, Allen. Woodstra, Chris. All Music Guide to Classical Music, The Definitive Guide. All Media Guide. P. 786. Backbeat Books, San Francisco. 2005.
Dettmer, Roger. Gustav Mahler, Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor (1901-1902). All Music Guide to Classical Music, The Definitive Guide. All Media Guide. P. 788. Backbeat Books, San Francisco. 2005.
Duggan, Tony. The Mahler Symphonies. A Synoptic Survey. Symphony no. 5. Musicweb-International. August 2006. Online at https://www.musicweb-international.com/Mahler/Mahler5.htm
Morgan, Tom. Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. Gustav Mahler Symphonie No. 5. Wiener Philharmoniker and Leonard Bernstein. 1988. Deutsche Grammophon Liner Notes. Pp. 3-6.
Shirley, Hugo. Mahler from a New Perspective. Gramophone Magazine. August 2022. Pg. 21.