It's so cool to see someone listen to such a piece for the first time. It's by far my favorite symphony. My favorite movement is the first one. For me it's sounds like a sunrise... the birds wake up one after the other, the activity of the nature is starting slowly but it's more and more and more and it's all joy ans simplicity. It just makes me happy.
My one great sadness is that you didn't get to watch the drama of the end of the symphony! Mahler asks for the french horns (and as many auxiliary brass as possible) to STAND during the final phrases-it sends CHILLS down the spine when it happens. Its as if he cannot muster anymore noise, so decides to add the spectacle!
For future reference, Claudio Abbado is in the first rank of Mahler interpreters; you cannot go wrong with him. That said, Pierre Boulez does a superb 1st, as does Bruno Walter, who knew Mahler well as his pupil. P.S. - Your comment about the conductor being a "music bender" could not be more spot-on. Any professional orchestra can keep it together without one, and if it is a steady beat you want, a robot would do as well as an Abbado. But no two conductors' versions are idetical; each brings his own talent and point of view to the piece. A conductor does bend the music and the orchestra to his will. In case you didn't know, as his day job, Mahler was the most renowned conductor of his time in Europe and America; most people didn't understand or like his compositions until the 1960s when a dedicated group of conductors, lead by Leonard Bernstein, resurrected his music and made it popular. Today, Mahler is one of the most-often played of all the great composers. He was exactly right when he prophesized, "My time will come." It took 50 years after his death, but it did indeed come.
8:12 kinda funny how the flutes were too soft and how abbado gestured them to play louder and we immediately get this almost aggressive response by the flutes xD
No. You've misinterpreted Abbado's gesture here.. Those two flute ' cuckoo' notes are written to be played soft ( piano), then repeated loud ( forte)- as is marked clearly in the score ( bars 104- 105). Abbado is merely reflecting that in his gestural language, as conductors do.
I am so glad you posted this and am interested in maybe the greatest first symphony of all time ! This is my favorite work and the late Claudio Abbado was loved by millions of people all over the world and the standing ovation at the end of this work and his own curtain call after the orchestra leaves the stage by the remaining people is epic !!!!!
Great reaction to a much under-appreciated piece 🙂. You are showing a real appreciation of listening properly to so much great music! This is one of my group of Favourite First symphonies (including Tchaikovsky, Elgar, Nielsen, Elgar, Shostakovitch and Vaughan Williams). One reviewer of a performance of the Mahler described it perfectly and memorably as "trembling on the brink of the Twentieth Century (it was completed in its finished form in 1896).
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 14:24 🎶 Gidi finds the build-up in the first movement of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1 incredible, expressing his love for classical music. 19:25 🎻 Gidi admires Claudio Abbado's communication with the orchestra, praising the conductor's ability to convey meaning through hand movements. 29:14 🔄 Gidi appreciates the short yet intricate nature of the second movement, highlighting its interesting switch-ups. 43:31 🤔 Gidi reflects on the third movement, noting the numerous switch-ups and expressing that it didn't catch him as much. 01:05:45 🎭 The fourth movement surprises Gidi, becoming one of the most dramatic and emotionally resonant classical pieces he has encountered, with unexpected quality and goosebumps. Made with HARPA AI
You must know the slow movement of the fifth symphony, if not, listen to it. I've never heard anything like it. It was written as a song to his wife Alma, a love song, but like all Mahler, love was not the sick romantic love we get today, it's about life in it's reality and beauty and heartbreak, it's incredible and will leave you stunned. Its all strings and was used in the film Death in Venice, a brilliant film people wouldn't watch today with their two seconds of attention span. The Italian Visconti made it and used the slow movement brilliantly to open the film and the scene in Venice, again, no soppy beginning , just the reality of Venice at the time. Its probably one of the pieces of music that is so timeless and impossible to imagine where it came from, as if Mahler was somewhere else in the universe when he wrote it. The rest of the fifth is completely different and runs riot, amazing, sounds like total chaos and it is, but amazing like all his music.
Fun fact about the third movement: Gustav Mahler was Jewish, and the upbeat sections of the third movement led by the clarinets, violins, oboes, and drums were in the klezmer style, which is a traditional Jewish style of music
Although how Mahler treats and develop melodic ideas is amazing, what I also enjoy with this symphony is how he treats the transitions between the different parts, like at 48:50 for example it's a move from Stormy to absolute bliss. Doing it with just the right amount of tension while keeping things interesting is masterfully done.
If you’re after a little something extra, listen to Blumine. It was the original second movement of this symphony (Mahler’s original intention was for the work to have five movements) but was removed fairly early in the composition process. It’s simple to see why as it doesn’t really live up to the rest of the symphony but it’s a beautiful little piece regardless ☺️
Love your videos, my only comment to you is go and hear this symphony live, there is nothing like it and if you do please let me know how you got on. I have heard all Mahler symphonies live and he is the king. His music can be a little frustrating at times but other times you feel that your heart will burst with emotion and joy. I Could go on.
The third movement confused audiences in Mahler's day. It expresses the sense of absurdity created when banal everyday things interrupt a moment of tragedy. Symphonies historically hadn't attempted to express that kind of irony much before. Though people might express preferences for some Mahler symphonies over others, since you've already listened to the entire first symphony followed by the entire second, I'd recommend you just continue through them all in order, at your leisure. They're all compelling. If you enjoy watching conductors, nothing beats Carlos Kleiber. This performance of the overture to Die Fledermaus is my favorite example: th-cam.com/video/OqJK_s7I9EY/w-d-xo.html
Couldn’t agree more Carlos Kleiber was a genius!! You should definitely also check out his Beethoven 7 with Concertgebouw!! I also like Herbert von Karajan as a conductor a lot… I mean he has so many good recordings… Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Tchaikovsky… the list just goes on and on…
the structure of Mahler's symphonies can be challenging, they form the bridge between the romantic period and the contemporary. they are amazing but they demand a special attention, enjoy!
Try listening to this played by the Children's Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, conducted by Simon Rattle at the Saltzburg Festival. The kids are aged between 9 and 16. It will blow your mind!
In the third movement, a Bohemian-Jewish funeral march and Bohemian-Jewish wedding music compete with each other, and this means that death and life compete with each other.This gives the movement these somewhat scary blending effects.
Glad you got introduced to Mahler! Still waiting for gaspard de la nuit and Scriabin's 5th sonata😉, react to them when you can! And as always, thanks for the content!
@@traditumium3109 I think i would! You have to get introduced to that type of music at some point, and I think these 2 are some of the most approachable pieces from that.
Hey gidi very nice to see your interest in classical music, you should definitely check out some twoset violin videos as they have a lot about classical music it will greatly help you to understand more about classical music. 😀🎻😀
You're listening to the right version. Abbado conducting the LFO is, in my opinion, the definitive interpretation of this miraculous symphony. Still wish we could figure out what is causing the boomy bass in your videos though. I would watch the whole symphony all the way through on this video if it wasn't for the weird boomy bass in the audio. It doesn't exist in the original video, which I have watched many times.
Abbado and LFO is either my favorite option or one of several equally good options for almost every Mahler symphony they did. I only have reservations about the 6th symphony, but I can't find a version of that one that I don't have reservations about.
Kubelik with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra is my favorite Mahler First. The way he handles the klezmer music in the third movement, the clarity of the string rhythms during the fourth movement coda-and all beautifully played by the BRSO.
I think its the other way around - Every great movie music composer steals from Mahler - its why it can sound familiar and indeed could be a great disney soundtrack ;) On forums you can find dozens of examples people dig up - Always fun to find new ones
Given your appreciation of Dvorak, Tchaikovsky and Mahler, I've got to express my surprise that you don't seem to have reacted to Wagner yet. While it's true that finding satisfactory extracts from Wagner operas is very difficult, Wagner wrote various pieces such as overtures and preludes that are great short 'standalone' works.
Wagner is more legendary than almost any other composers. He has been an inspiration for Bruckner and Mahler, and his operas… But yeah you have to listen to his whole operas to really love it.
Agree. I would suggest Das Rheingold is a good place to start. Especially the 1978 version by Karajan that's on YT now, it's like a fantasy movie! And so easy to get into compared to other recordings.
It started off with the sunrise. The third movement is brilliant, listen again, it's a homage to nature and typical Mahler he tares into the stories of hell and damnation we've all been brainwashed with in the the part where the symphony explodes and ends with a giant celebration of life, living, no swimming pools, nature. Just the human heart in all it's glory. Of course the world is ruled by the worst of the worst but we always have Mahler, Beethoven, Stravinsky, it's in our head despite the bast**ds destroying our planet. But music like this, you won't hear it in Wallmart.
Dovresti ascoltare la seconda sinfonia di Mahler "resurrezione". Qui Mahler impiega nel movimento finale le voci soliste e il coro. Mahler temeva molto il confronto con la sinfonia n. 9 di Beethoven e solo in un secondo tempo si decise ad inserire le voci e il coro. Alla fine devo dire che gli riuscì alquanto bene, la sinfonia n. 2 e' degna erede della nona di Beethoven nonche' la mia sinfonia preferita.
It's so cool to see someone listen to such a piece for the first time. It's by far my favorite symphony. My favorite movement is the first one. For me it's sounds like a sunrise... the birds wake up one after the other, the activity of the nature is starting slowly but it's more and more and more and it's all joy ans simplicity. It just makes me happy.
I’ve always interpreted it the exact same way! I wonder if that’s what Mahler intended.
Yeah that first theme after the opening is incredibly beautiful. I imagine it like the start of spring when everything comes to life.
My one great sadness is that you didn't get to watch the drama of the end of the symphony! Mahler asks for the french horns (and as many auxiliary brass as possible) to STAND during the final phrases-it sends CHILLS down the spine when it happens. Its as if he cannot muster anymore noise, so decides to add the spectacle!
This is one of my favorite symphonies by one of my favorite composers!
You totally understand and appreciate Mahler's music, Abbado's conducting, and the orchestra's performance.
For future reference, Claudio Abbado is in the first rank of Mahler interpreters; you cannot go wrong with him. That said, Pierre Boulez does a superb 1st, as does Bruno Walter, who knew Mahler well as his pupil.
P.S. - Your comment about the conductor being a "music bender" could not be more spot-on. Any professional orchestra can keep it together without one, and if it is a steady beat you want, a robot would do as well as an Abbado. But no two conductors' versions are idetical; each brings his own talent and point of view to the piece. A conductor does bend the music and the orchestra to his will. In case you didn't know, as his day job, Mahler was the most renowned conductor of his time in Europe and America; most people didn't understand or like his compositions until the 1960s when a dedicated group of conductors, lead by Leonard Bernstein, resurrected his music and made it popular. Today, Mahler is one of the most-often played of all the great composers. He was exactly right when he prophesized, "My time will come." It took 50 years after his death, but it did
indeed come.
8:12 kinda funny how the flutes were too soft and how abbado gestured them to play louder and we immediately get this almost aggressive response by the flutes xD
Haha didn't notice that
Hahahaha i laughed so much watching this.
That's the conductor's assignment, and the musicians' responsibility. And yes, that was interesting, to be sure. Entertaining as well. 😊
isn't it supposed to simply be played louder the second time?
No. You've misinterpreted Abbado's gesture here.. Those two flute ' cuckoo' notes are written to be played soft ( piano), then repeated loud ( forte)- as is marked clearly in the score ( bars 104- 105). Abbado is merely reflecting that in his gestural language, as conductors do.
I am so glad you posted this and am interested in maybe the greatest first symphony of all time ! This is my favorite work and the late Claudio Abbado was loved by millions of people all over the world and the standing ovation at the end of this work and his own curtain call after the orchestra leaves the stage by the remaining people is epic !!!!!
This is the greatest "first"
Great reaction to a much under-appreciated piece 🙂. You are showing a real appreciation of listening properly to so much great music! This is one of my group of Favourite First symphonies (including Tchaikovsky, Elgar, Nielsen, Elgar, Shostakovitch and Vaughan Williams). One reviewer of a performance of the Mahler described it perfectly and memorably as "trembling on the brink of the Twentieth Century (it was completed in its finished form in 1896).
Much under-appreciated?! WTF? One of the most recorded symphonies?!
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
14:24 🎶 Gidi finds the build-up in the first movement of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1 incredible, expressing his love for classical music.
19:25 🎻 Gidi admires Claudio Abbado's communication with the orchestra, praising the conductor's ability to convey meaning through hand movements.
29:14 🔄 Gidi appreciates the short yet intricate nature of the second movement, highlighting its interesting switch-ups.
43:31 🤔 Gidi reflects on the third movement, noting the numerous switch-ups and expressing that it didn't catch him as much.
01:05:45 🎭 The fourth movement surprises Gidi, becoming one of the most dramatic and emotionally resonant classical pieces he has encountered, with unexpected quality and goosebumps.
Made with HARPA AI
The beginning of the third movement is based on the song Frère Jacques, but its minor instead of major.
Correct, although Mahler knew the tune as "Bruder Martin".
@@ftumschk Haha, Yes. i know it as vader Jacob, thats how we call it in Holland.
@@henkdevries2002 In Sweden its "Broder Jakob" hehe :)
@@felixbergman-composer626 In Germany it is also known as Bruder Jakob. So I don't quite know why Mahler knew it as "Bruder Martin".
That funeral March in itself is epic and mighty unusual!!!!!
You must know the slow movement of the fifth symphony, if not, listen to it. I've never heard anything like it. It was written as a song to his wife Alma, a love song, but like all Mahler, love was not the sick romantic love we get today, it's about life in it's reality and beauty and heartbreak, it's incredible and will leave you stunned. Its all strings and was used in the film Death in Venice, a brilliant film people wouldn't watch today with their two seconds of attention span. The Italian Visconti made it and used the slow movement brilliantly to open the film and the scene in Venice, again, no soppy beginning , just the reality of Venice at the time. Its probably one of the pieces of music that is so timeless and impossible to imagine where it came from, as if Mahler was somewhere else in the universe when he wrote it. The rest of the fifth is completely different and runs riot, amazing, sounds like total chaos and it is, but amazing like all his music.
Fun fact about the third movement:
Gustav Mahler was Jewish, and the upbeat sections of the third movement led by the clarinets, violins, oboes, and drums were in the klezmer style, which is a traditional Jewish style of music
Although how Mahler treats and develop melodic ideas is amazing, what I also enjoy with this symphony is how he treats the transitions between the different parts, like at 48:50 for example it's a move from Stormy to absolute bliss. Doing it with just the right amount of tension while keeping things interesting is masterfully done.
If you’re after a little something extra, listen to Blumine. It was the original second movement of this symphony (Mahler’s original intention was for the work to have five movements) but was removed fairly early in the composition process. It’s simple to see why as it doesn’t really live up to the rest of the symphony but it’s a beautiful little piece regardless ☺️
Love your videos, my only comment to you is go and hear this symphony live, there is nothing like it and if you do please let me know how you got on. I have heard all Mahler symphonies live and he is the king. His music can be a little frustrating at times but other times you feel that your heart will burst with emotion and joy. I Could go on.
Yes was waiting for the reupload 😌
The third movement confused audiences in Mahler's day. It expresses the sense of absurdity created when banal everyday things interrupt a moment of tragedy. Symphonies historically hadn't attempted to express that kind of irony much before.
Though people might express preferences for some Mahler symphonies over others, since you've already listened to the entire first symphony followed by the entire second, I'd recommend you just continue through them all in order, at your leisure. They're all compelling.
If you enjoy watching conductors, nothing beats Carlos Kleiber. This performance of the overture to Die Fledermaus is my favorite example: th-cam.com/video/OqJK_s7I9EY/w-d-xo.html
Couldn’t agree more Carlos Kleiber was a genius!! You should definitely also check out his Beethoven 7 with Concertgebouw!!
I also like Herbert von Karajan as a conductor a lot… I mean he has so many good recordings… Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Tchaikovsky… the list just goes on and on…
the structure of Mahler's symphonies can be challenging, they form the bridge between the romantic period and the contemporary. they are amazing but they demand a special attention, enjoy!
35:40 People had just remembered that was funeral but not dancing, and returned to the march.
One of the greatest performances of this epic symphony of all time!!!!!
Mahler is the greatest symphonist of all time IMO
This symphony you have to listen to all at once not every movement separated.
Try listening to this played by the Children's Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, conducted by Simon Rattle at the Saltzburg Festival. The kids are aged between 9 and 16. It will blow your mind!
Luzerne Festival... Nice choice!
In the third movement, a Bohemian-Jewish funeral march and Bohemian-Jewish wedding music compete with each other, and this means that death and life compete with each other.This gives the movement these somewhat scary blending effects.
Glad you got introduced to Mahler! Still waiting for gaspard de la nuit and Scriabin's 5th sonata😉, react to them when you can! And as always, thanks for the content!
I would not recommend gaspard and scriabin 5 just yet for him
@@traditumium3109 I think i would! You have to get introduced to that type of music at some point, and I think these 2 are some of the most approachable pieces from that.
@@ICanPickLocks yeah i completely understand, but he did start his classical music journey only 8 months ago
Hey gidi very nice to see your interest in classical music, you should definitely check out some twoset violin videos as they have a lot about classical music it will greatly help you to understand more about classical music. 😀🎻😀
23:03 i remember the first week i played this with my youth orchestra… never again
You're listening to the right version. Abbado conducting the LFO is, in my opinion, the definitive interpretation of this miraculous symphony.
Still wish we could figure out what is causing the boomy bass in your videos though. I would watch the whole symphony all the way through on this video if it wasn't for the weird boomy bass in the audio. It doesn't exist in the original video, which I have watched many times.
Bernstein with concertgebouw is also pretty good
Abbado and LFO is either my favorite option or one of several equally good options for almost every Mahler symphony they did. I only have reservations about the 6th symphony, but I can't find a version of that one that I don't have reservations about.
Also the Minnesota Orchestra has a Mahler cycle in the works
Abbado is always too fast with Mahler.
Kubelik with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra is my favorite Mahler First. The way he handles the klezmer music in the third movement, the clarity of the string rhythms during the fourth movement coda-and all beautifully played by the BRSO.
I think its the other way around - Every great movie music composer steals from Mahler - its why it can sound familiar and indeed could be a great disney soundtrack ;)
On forums you can find dozens of examples people dig up - Always fun to find new ones
I put a suggestion here :
Tchaikovsky 5th symphony conducted by Manfred Honeck with hr-sinfonieorchester
Tchaikovsky 5 for sure but please the recording with Karajan and Berlin Philharmonic (I believe recorded in 1973)
@@BlaBla-vm5yu ooh thank you. I listened to one with karajan but I found brass section too weak, but your version is very very good 👍
@@BlaBla-vm5yu yes!!!
I hope you can get to listen to some live, it doesn't really compare to listening at home.
You gotta do something form the Vienna philharmonic orchestra next :)
Yep for sure!! Karajan Bruckner 9 with Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra!!
th-cam.com/video/AeoStkvjEFU/w-d-xo.html
Mahler 6 with Leonard Bernstein
@@detectivehome3318 i was thinking alpine symphony
Given your appreciation of Dvorak, Tchaikovsky and Mahler, I've got to express my surprise that you don't seem to have reacted to Wagner yet. While it's true that finding satisfactory extracts from Wagner operas is very difficult, Wagner wrote various pieces such as overtures and preludes that are great short 'standalone' works.
Wagner is more legendary than almost any other composers. He has been an inspiration for Bruckner and Mahler, and his operas… But yeah you have to listen to his whole operas to really love it.
Agree. I would suggest Das Rheingold is a good place to start. Especially the 1978 version by Karajan that's on YT now, it's like a fantasy movie! And so easy to get into compared to other recordings.
I suggest Rienzi overture as a good place to start with Wagner, then go from there
It started off with the sunrise. The third movement is brilliant, listen again, it's a homage to nature and typical Mahler he tares into the stories of hell and damnation we've all been brainwashed with in the the part where the symphony explodes and ends with a giant celebration of life, living, no swimming pools, nature. Just the human heart in all it's glory. Of course the world is ruled by the worst of the worst but we always have Mahler, Beethoven, Stravinsky, it's in our head despite the bast**ds destroying our planet. But music like this, you won't hear it in Wallmart.
you should hire a good musical history/ theory teacher and make a video with them answering your questions and teaching you some basics, would be fun
Hey gidi ...i really think about Mahler 6 🤔
One might say you were symping for Mahler.
I see what you did there 😉
Dovresti ascoltare la seconda sinfonia di Mahler "resurrezione". Qui Mahler impiega nel movimento finale le voci soliste e il coro. Mahler temeva molto il confronto con la sinfonia n. 9 di Beethoven e solo in un secondo tempo si decise ad inserire le voci e il coro. Alla fine devo dire che gli riuscì alquanto bene, la sinfonia n. 2 e' degna erede della nona di Beethoven nonche' la mia sinfonia preferita.
Meiner Meinung nach zu langsam, vor allem der Schluß