Shipskeel (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Understood.

uranrising (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

This movement is where my Mahler journey began, so it's a favourite one. What I remembered after playing my brother's LP (Scherchen), was the marvellous brass tune at its opening. And I play the coda again and again - wonderful to conduct in my living-room. Incidentally, the small crescendo Bernstein tacks onto the decrescendo over the penultimate chord doesn't seem to be in the score. Incidentally, where does one come across videos like this to upload? (My first YouTube post).

pawdaw (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

That's right. I have never been a fan of Solti in Mahler. Yes, his recordings feature incredible playing but his conducting sells the music short. In this symphony Bernstein, Kubelik and Gielen, for example, have so much more to say about the music.

MahlerTitan (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

yeah, i read it too. Which is really a pointless thing to say. Since, Mahler was obviously hardcore for Wagner. Everyone knew that. A lot of people criticize this movement, saying that it destroys the structure of the symphony, really? I don't think so. I don't think a symphony should be "coherent" in the classical sense. Plus, this is a very atypical symphony of Mahler's. But, ultimately it is up to the listener to figure out whether they like it or not.

telephilia (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I read somewhere that Mahler was inspired here by the Prelude to Die Meistersinger. Certainly it has that somewhat that same brassy, festive air where many themes jostle against each other.

Shipskeel (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Your syntax actually reads that it is Solti who has the harsh beat, unyielding and unrelenting.

LSOHornist (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Mahler's music is music that flows rapidly from within him..it is not subject to the 'laws' of normal structure, it is him...and it is truly inspiring music..and very demanding for the symphony orchestra to play

richardz117 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

you guys should hear the 2nd mov. in my opinion is the most beautiful. Gustav Mahler and felix Mendelsohn Bartoldy were both fro different times.

lovelymess (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

God the emotions on the man's face! That is real conducting. I am sick to death of the clock watching that passes for conducting these days!

pawdaw (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Lennie's is the most imaginative reading of this movement I know of. Solti was a bandmaster. His beat is harsh, unyielding and unrelenting. As I said- NOT Mahler.