To me it's a clear tie between the posthorn solos in the 3rd Movement and the Finale in total. When I first heard those solos I thought time had stopped. Something you never forget again. It's like you are sitting at a lake during a summer evening and you hear this from the other side blown over to you by a warm breeze, snow-capped mountains in the distance, the lark singing above. It's like reminding you of something you weren't even aware you were missing and then you hear it and you heart hurts because of homesickness to a home you are not even sure where it is. But where this music is coming from, that is where it has to be.
Mahler: GOAT of the symphony. Mahler's symphonies to me are incredibly personal as if we're in his head living his memories. And I don't know of any other composer who can go through an entire range of emotions in just a few moments. He's incredibly detailed. Mahleer is my favorite composer, for sure!
Mahler programmed each of the movements to have a meaning. In his own words, he titled the movements as follows: I. "Pan Awakes, Summer Marches In" II. "What the Flowers in the Meadow Tell Me" III. "What the Animals in the Forest Tell Me" IV. "What Man Tells Me" V. "What the Angels Tell Me" And most importantly of all, VI. "What Love Tells Me"
However he withdrew that program, because he wanted people to not rely on it too much. I'm quite sure his 4th Symphony has a similarly clear program behind it but at that time he had moved away from giving away his inspirations publicly.
@@Quotenwagnerianer indeed; it took over two years of pressure before he finally released a program for his second symphony. He was incredibly reluctant to give the audience a preconceived meaning for his symphonies, believing that if one had to have the meaning explained to them, then the piece was worthless.
I remember 6 being titled “what god tells me”. Perhaps he’s referring to the love of god, of God the father. I always felt a strong wave of fatherly, divine love from this movement. Perhaps that was just my own interpretation.
You did better than me for this symphony's first listen, I almost fell asleep during the last movement the first time I heard it (sacrilegious I know, but I was on a train and this isn't exactly "train music" lmao) But now this is easily one of my top 10 symphonies, and that last movement... Mahler initially subtitled it "What love tells me" for a reason... one of the most beautiful movements ever written. Also CONGRATS ON 4K!!! WOOOO
It was Maestro Bernstein who brought Mahler back into the limelight. He went to Vienna and pounded the orchestra, who really did not want to play Mahler, into learning it; rehearsing it constantly; and finally performing it. And the rest is history. There will never be another Bernstein. One of the most brilliant, dedicated man to music we have ever had.
You can still hear that they are resisting in this performance. The 5th and the 3rd suffer the most from their attitude in the Vienna cycle. The others were recorded a few years later and by that time he had them.
I think it is very impressive that you have tackled mahler symphonies this early in listening to classical music as it is not the easiest music to comprehend in one sitting hahaha, but once you appreciate and understand everything it is all worth it.
Surely you mean that it is an intense PIECE? Like going over Niagara Falls in a paper barrel intense? (Though, of course, the second theme of the Adagio is the very definition of intense peace).
Just an observation: This symphony has six movements, not four. The 5th starts at 1:16:35 (the children's chorus) and the 6th at 1:20:43 (the beautiful slow last part).
After the first five movements depict all the different aspects of nature and man's place in it, when there is seemingly nothing left to describe, the final adagio sums up everything we feel which cannot be put into words.
I usually don't like filmed performances sound-wise (though it's cool to watch the musicians and the crazy conductor), but this one was REALLY GOOD. The sound was perfect, and the back-and-forth with the camera was just awesome. Lovely Leonard. I love to watch him speak about music as well. He was quite a genius.
7:32 This is one of the things I love the most about Mahler. Not only his sound is voluminous and full of character, but as a first-time listener there's not many usual, recognizable patterns to hold on to. You just know you're truly in for a ride.
I love Bernstein's recording with the New York Philharmonic. Mahler is hands down my favorite composer. I love his use of Nietzche's Midnight Song in the 4th movement. One of the greatest symphonies ever composed.
First time I heard this symphony, somewhere during the last movement, I couldn't stop myself from falling to the ground crying uncontrollably for about an hour. Definitely one of the most cathartic musical experiences ever.
Thank you for this video. I remember the first time I heard this symphony. It was Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic. I became obsessed. This opened a vast world for me.
2 great interpretations of this great work: James Levine with Chicago with Marilyn Horne (extremely slow) and Michael Gielen with "his" South Western German Radio Symphony Orchestra. Both unbelievable.
The James Levine recording is my favourite recording, ' Oh Mensch Gib Acht" sung by Marilyn Horne, is heavenly. My other favourite recording is Claudio Abbado's DG live BPO recording from the RFH in London. I was fortunate to attend two live performances with Abbado conducting the LSO with Jessye Norman singing the 4th Movt 1. Edinburgh International Festival 1979 and London RFH 1980.
Got to express my admiration that you're hanging on in there. I don't dislike Mahler but I can't maintain concentration for such a length of time. Kudos.
@@Dan474834 Well, unless you attend opera performances, you don't need to set aside 100 minutes or more. You can listen in manageable chunks. Besides, I seldom have 100 minutes spare in my day to set aside for focussed concentration on a piece of music. (And that's coming from someone with a Bachelor's in Music!)
@@Dan474834 Movies don't require focus. They're very lightweight in comparison to a Mahler symphony. But I appreciate that as a trained musician, my idea of focus might be different to some others.
It is hard to have *no* expectations when listening - we have different moods at different times and that will also influence our (probably unconscious) expectations and reception. Best we can do I guess is be conscious of that and - like you here - acknowledge it and not dismiss a piece if it doesn't vibe with our current state :) It's really fascinating to me, and satisfying, to watch how your attitude towards music evolves: not just that you're open to everything (bc you were open to begin with), but how you remain open throughout the more difficult listening experiences. That's proof to me, that classical music can appeal to anyone given the chance and you don't need years of education to appreciate it
I think that it is good to understand Mahler more to appreciate his symphonies. There are two great Documentaries by San Francisco Orchestra as well as some others documentaries by other channels. I recommend them all.
arguably the greatest 'resolution' of the work, in all of music, the final passage of this colossal work, it will interesting when you get to Bruckner, the young Mahler and his pals went to the premier of Bruckner 3, and when most of the audience were catcalling the great work as rubbish, he and his pals stormed so to speak back stage to say how much they admired it, Mahler later became a Conductor who 'championed' Bruckner symphonies after Anton's death.
I once went on a date to this symphony. My soon to be partner at that time said to me after the finale, where we noticed we were starting to breathe and exist in total harmony to the pulse of the music: "That was better than sex".
This music(mahler in general) is too complex and long to fully enjoy and understand In the first few listenings in my opinion, but if and when you get familiar with each of his symphonies,, when you really know it... than it's just great great music, like no other in my opinion.
Folk whose whole music experience is confined to three minute songs (most people it seems), should take the time and have the patience to listen to this. Yes it's a mountain to climb but, oh my, what views!
Man, you absolutely must react to Mahler's 6th symphony, and also to Verdi's Requiem! Of the latter there is literally not a single reaction on youtube, I'm counting on you 🙁 If you decide to react to the Requiem I would recommend choosing carefully, because the soloists are very important.
I really enjoy his first symphony and his second one as well. And all the other ones too but those are my favorite. For me I am surprised with the Harmonic decisions Mahler makes for the most part. IMO his sound has a lot of influence in it but goes its own direction. I always expect certain chords to be responded to a certain way and he always throws off my expectations. Plus I admire how he plays around with so many emotions and expectations in one movement. Where he is reluctant to settle on any one mood for too long.
I figured this is the Mahler symphony with the highest chance that you wouldn't find it engrossing. Mahler symphonies can typically be understood as narratives experienced from the perspective of a protagonist, but this one less so, I think, which might have something to do with why it feels less like a drama despite containing plenty of dramatic flourishes. There is a wild audacity to it that is unlike any other piece though, and I respect it for that. Going in without expectations will definitely serve you well with the 4th, but I think you will find the 4th easy to love.
It's also worth mentioning that the 4th is kind of like a direct sequel. The conception of the 3rd Symphony as being 6 Musical musings about the nature of things included a 7th movement. That 7th Movement then became the finale of the 4th Symphony and Mahler composed the other 3 movements of the 4th as a narrative that lead to it. Without having a specific program the 4th, I think, can be seen as a picture of heaven and paradise from the eyes of an impoverished child.
While such background information is interesting, it's also worth knowing that Mahler had completely abandoned the programmatic concept and use of movement titles by the time his 3rd was published in 1898. He came to prefer that listeners should find their own personal meanings in his music, without preconceived descriptions or explanations. In more than 50 years as a Mahler devotee, I have learned to follow his wishes.
It's crazy how Bernstein moves through the louder parts that involve the whole orchestral much faster than Abbado. There is almost no time to appreciate them. Like that ending of the 3rd movement. While he also manages to move through the last movement at such a slow pace that it feels like it's dragging. So yeah, I recommend Abbado with the Berliner for that one (1999). Bernstein is at his best in his 1960s recording of the 1st and 5th Symphony.
This is such an intimate symphony, one that you understand with time and with life. Very hard to fully appreciate it on a first listen, but a good attempt nonetheless.
I still maintain that this wasn't the best recording to being introduced to this symphony. Especially the Adagio. It needs getting used to the idea that you can end a symphony with a long slow movement on its own. But Bernstein makes it more difficult for the first listner because he takes it so slow at first that the phrases are at the brink of falling apart. That makes it difficult to concentrate on the music if you are not familiar with it. I'm not convinced that the public opinion who voted for this recording was very wise in doing so. There are a few very questionable moments in the playing. Especially the trumpet chorale in the Finale is remarkably badly played. That is why I voted for Abbado's performance. It is much more concise and that especially important moment is played to perfection, especially with the ingenious idea of having the bells be muffled with a cloth for a more soft sound.
@@Quotenwagnerianer Imo it is best recording of the piece, but you’re right that it may also be the hardest to appreciate for someone unfamiliar with the music.
@@Dan474834 It's far from the best. It's from the beginning of Bernstein's Vienna Mahler cycle when the Orchestra was still struggling with this music. And you can tell. The brass playing is atrocious in parts, the percussion (especially Cymbals, Tam-Tam and Bassdrum) sound like ass, Bernstein either rushes over parts or drags others out too much. It's not even Bernstein's best recording of the 3rd in total, so I don't understand what you are all praising it so much.
This is my first time commenting on this channel. The symphony was beautiful and charming. As a recommendation of a piece that is not well known I would recommend checking out Salieri’s Piano Concerto in C Major. I’m interested to see your opinion on the piece.
23:43 It annoys me when performances do this. Mahler asks all four flutists to play piccolo here, but one of these flutists has stayed on flute. I suppose the employment contract of the principal flutist said that they couldn't be required to play piccolo. If getting them on piccolo was indeed absolutely out of the question for some reason, I'd at least think that a budget that has room for a women's chorus and a children's chorus would also have room for a fifth flutist to play the piccolo passages from the first flute part.
I don't think cost of an extra piccolo would have been an issue for a Vienna Philharmonic/Bernstein concert. As the piccolo parts were perfectly audible, I don't think one extra would have made much difference anyway.
@@ftumschk I just think that for a composer as extremely particular about orchestration as Mahler, the least an orchestra can do if they're really trying to do his music justice is obey the aspects of the score that are not subjective.
@@sashakindel3600 Conductors often subtly change the scoring if they have sincere reasons for doing so. If any conductor was capable of making those calls when it comes to Mahler, it was Leonard Bernstein, who knew more about Mahler than most conductors, and certainly more than you or me. Anyway, in this specific instance, what material difference did it make to the overall sound picture? None, I'd say.
Incidentally, I'm assuming that this was a conscious decision by Bernstein, when it could simply have been a case of that flautist having left his piccolo in the dressing-room by accident.
after Beethoven, the symphony never was the same - there was no way a composer could get away with creating another symphony that sounded too similar to the previous one - even Tchaikovsky realized by symphony number 6 he needed to mix it up and so threw the traditional formula out the window when it came to the last movement - just like Mahler did here
For other Mahlers I suggest you try a non-Bernstein recording, Abbado, Heitnik, Nott, Dudamel, many better interpreters! Lenny goes slow most of the time
It's one of my favourite symphonies ❤ it was my favourite Mahler symphony for a long time. Now my favourite is no. 6 😁 (it's a totally different kind of piece).
I have some trouble with this symphony, mainly how it is structured…I feel that Mahler got MUCH better after this symphony in that respect…I like/love every single movement on its own…There are SO MANY great passages that I used to listen to over and over again, but as whole, I think this symphony feels a bit disjointed and incoherent…I think Mahler perceived it as well, since every following symphony (even 7 and 8) feels much more unified (again, in my opinion..) than this one. But the writing in some of these passages 🥹😱😍 Also congrats on the 4k 💪
You have to learn how to listen for what holds this together. The 1st Movement introduces a couple of motives that show up again and again throughout the rest of the symphony. The very first interval we hear for example opens the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th Movement. That's just one tiny example.
For what it's worth, Mahler agrees with you. The first 4 symphonies grew out of his so-called "Wunderhorn" period - a young man expressing young emotions violently. With his discovery of polyphony (mature composition), starting with the 5th, he essentially "grew up" as a composer, and began to create works whose emotional content grew out of a firm, "explainable" structure that prepared the listener for the emotion, rather than having the emotion just burst out of nowhere. Mahler said that, after the 4th, he felt the comfortable compositional style he had relied on leaving him, and that he was discovering that a new polyphony (again, a mature, disciplined musical structure) was replacing what he called the "orchestrophony" of his immature style. His music had had the heart, but it also needed the bones.
First, I admire your resolution to go into Mahler works with no preconceived notions - yet I feel that I need to give you some tips about the next three. Spoilers ahead, so stop reading here if you wish. --------- The Fourth is small, quiet, and will blow nobody away, though you may shed a tear. The Fifth is a glorious flaming dumpster fire, as Mahler was in the middle of switching compositional styles and hadn't quite got there yet - but you WILL be blown away. And then comes the Sixth - ah, the incomparable Sixth. You need to start Super Ironman training RIGHT NOW. Get the diet balanced; drink water; gym out; run up some hills with ever-increasing weights (including pianos); climb a few mountains; get lots of carbs, protein, and fresh vegetables; get plenty of quality sleep; gather some close support people around you; and mentally prepare yourself for the fact that you will still lose. The Sixth will give you a beatdown that you will never forget even after you are dead. Only question is: will you rise from the dead and try again? I have, many times. 😬😬😬🤕🤕🤧😵💫😭😭😱😩💀💀💀💀
A certain, more modern-era, English composer once said that he could no longer bear to listen to the Sixth, such is the descent into Hell. That was some years ago. I wonder if he has mellowed since. A gigantic mallet is used in the Sixth - the sort of mallet you sometimes want to take to a computer running Windows 10.
The last movement is wayyyy too slow in the hands of Bernstein... Please take various conductors for future Mahler symphonies. And is it me or the sound of the video is strangely compressed? Takes out a lot of amplitude.
Yes, Abbado's 3 with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra is better in so many ways. Better recording, hand picked soloists and Abbado's humour place it at a different level. th-cam.com/video/9Yr720ftjaA/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=EuroArtsChannel
Vous contribuez a faire du domaine de la culture un devoir. Merci Mr qui ressemble a un rappeur et qui est faite un grand amateur. Ne pas jugez un livre sur sa couverture. Je le fais tout le temps...
![เปิดบ้าน โคตรสวย ป๋องกพล รู้จักตั้งนาน เพิ่งรู้ว่ารวย!!! l [Nickynachat]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tmgCF_2HfYI/mqdefault.jpg)
The last movement of this piece changed my life the first time I heard it.
I don't understand, maestro. You composed it.
To me it's a clear tie between the posthorn solos in the 3rd Movement and the Finale in total. When I first heard those solos I thought time had stopped. Something you never forget again.
It's like you are sitting at a lake during a summer evening and you hear this from the other side blown over to you by a warm breeze, snow-capped mountains in the distance, the lark singing above.
It's like reminding you of something you weren't even aware you were missing and then you hear it and you heart hurts because of homesickness to a home you are not even sure where it is. But where this music is coming from, that is where it has to be.
It changed my life too... Wonderful experience to understand music and see life through Mahler's music, specially This amazing Adagio...
Mahler: GOAT of the symphony. Mahler's symphonies to me are incredibly personal as if we're in his head living his memories. And I don't know of any other composer who can go through an entire range of emotions in just a few moments. He's incredibly detailed. Mahleer is my favorite composer, for sure!
The adagio is painfully beautiful
Mahler programmed each of the movements to have a meaning. In his own words, he titled the movements as follows:
I. "Pan Awakes, Summer Marches In"
II. "What the Flowers in the Meadow Tell Me"
III. "What the Animals in the Forest Tell Me"
IV. "What Man Tells Me"
V. "What the Angels Tell Me"
And most importantly of all,
VI. "What Love Tells Me"
However he withdrew that program, because he wanted people to not rely on it too much. I'm quite sure his 4th Symphony has a similarly clear program behind it but at that time he had moved away from giving away his inspirations publicly.
@@Quotenwagnerianer indeed; it took over two years of pressure before he finally released a program for his second symphony. He was incredibly reluctant to give the audience a preconceived meaning for his symphonies, believing that if one had to have the meaning explained to them, then the piece was worthless.
I remember 6 being titled “what god tells me”. Perhaps he’s referring to the love of god, of God the father. I always felt a strong wave of fatherly, divine love from this movement. Perhaps that was just my own interpretation.
The last movement is the apotheosis of love.
The final movement is the perfection of "couldn't find an ending", only to come to one of the best endings ever
You did better than me for this symphony's first listen, I almost fell asleep during the last movement the first time I heard it (sacrilegious I know, but I was on a train and this isn't exactly "train music" lmao)
But now this is easily one of my top 10 symphonies, and that last movement... Mahler initially subtitled it "What love tells me" for a reason... one of the most beautiful movements ever written.
Also CONGRATS ON 4K!!! WOOOO
Mahler is my favorite composer, and this symphony is so good. each movement is an experience.
It was Maestro Bernstein who brought Mahler back into the limelight. He went to Vienna and pounded the orchestra, who really did not want to play Mahler, into learning it; rehearsing it constantly; and finally performing it. And the rest is history. There will never be another Bernstein. One of the most brilliant, dedicated man to music we have ever had.
You can still hear that they are resisting in this performance. The 5th and the 3rd suffer the most from their attitude in the Vienna cycle. The others were recorded a few years later and by that time he had them.
@@Quotenwagnerianer Bless him for being so tenacious.
Well he was one of them. Had a huge impact tho.
The final movement in my opinion is the single most beautiful piece of music ever written.
second most beautiful piece ever written, for me that accolade goes to the finale of Mahler 9
@@jameswiglesworth5004: For me it’s the 1st Movement of the Mahler 9th.
I totally agree
Per me e' il movimento finale della sinfonia n. 2 Resurrezione.
This is the kind of reaction channel I can get behind
Brilliant idea
I think it is very impressive that you have tackled mahler symphonies this early in listening to classical music as it is not the easiest music to comprehend in one sitting hahaha, but once you appreciate and understand everything it is all worth it.
Man, you gotta react to Mahler's 6th symphony somewhere in the future. THAT is intense peace
Surely you mean that it is an intense PIECE? Like going over Niagara Falls in a paper barrel intense? (Though, of course, the second theme of the Adagio is the very definition of intense peace).
@@nerowolfe5175you want intense? Listen to the arguments of the order of the middle movements! I’ve always preferred the Scherzo/Andante order.
Just an observation: This symphony has six movements, not four. The 5th starts at 1:16:35 (the children's chorus) and the 6th at 1:20:43 (the beautiful slow last part).
Fifth movement is named what the children tell me
And the sixth is called what love tells me
@@minasmigkosgymnastics8742i believe the 5th is called “what the angels tell me”
After the first five movements depict all the different aspects of nature and man's place in it, when there is seemingly nothing left to describe, the final adagio sums up everything we feel which cannot be put into words.
Yo props for taking on a Mahler Symphony! They are long commitments but sometimes they're a slow burn you'll never forget
I usually don't like filmed performances sound-wise (though it's cool to watch the musicians and the crazy conductor), but this one was REALLY GOOD. The sound was perfect, and the back-and-forth with the camera was just awesome. Lovely Leonard. I love to watch him speak about music as well. He was quite a genius.
7:32 This is one of the things I love the most about Mahler. Not only his sound is voluminous and full of character, but as a first-time listener there's not many usual, recognizable patterns to hold on to. You just know you're truly in for a ride.
I love this symphony especially the first movement
1:16:34
"Where did they come from"
Absolutely priceless reaction 😂
I love Bernstein's recording with the New York Philharmonic. Mahler is hands down my favorite composer. I love his use of Nietzche's Midnight Song in the 4th movement. One of the greatest symphonies ever composed.
I love this symphony. I could listen to it all day. Specifically the last movement ❤ keep up the good work gidi
First time I heard this symphony, somewhere during the last movement, I couldn't stop myself from falling to the ground crying uncontrollably for about an hour. Definitely one of the most cathartic musical experiences ever.
Thank you for this video.
I remember the first time I heard this symphony. It was Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic. I became obsessed. This opened a vast world for me.
I really like this channel. Thank you for these reactions, Gidi! I watched this whole video!
That duet between the horn and violin about halfway through the first movement is one of my favorite parts of this symphony. Such a beautiful moment.
20:48
2 great interpretations of this great work: James Levine with Chicago with Marilyn Horne (extremely slow) and Michael Gielen with "his" South Western German Radio Symphony Orchestra. Both unbelievable.
My fav is the Chicago recording because you get to hear more of the bass trombone play the low, low note in fast march section
The James Levine recording is my favourite recording, ' Oh Mensch Gib Acht" sung by Marilyn Horne, is heavenly. My other favourite recording is Claudio Abbado's DG live BPO recording from the RFH in London. I was fortunate to attend two live performances with Abbado conducting the LSO with Jessye Norman singing the 4th Movt 1. Edinburgh International Festival 1979 and London RFH 1980.
James Levine conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performing Mahler 3 on RCA.If you haven't got a copy? definitely worth considering!
Levine's was the M3 I trained on. Still a top 5, imo.
Mahler's rite of spring.
Got to express my admiration that you're hanging on in there. I don't dislike Mahler but I can't maintain concentration for such a length of time. Kudos.
Then you haven’t listened to much opera. 100 minutes is nothing.
@@Dan474834 Well, unless you attend opera performances, you don't need to set aside 100 minutes or more. You can listen in manageable chunks. Besides, I seldom have 100 minutes spare in my day to set aside for focussed concentration on a piece of music. (And that's coming from someone with a Bachelor's in Music!)
@@philipadams5386 Have you never watched a movie? Most are longer than this symphony.
@@Dan474834 Movies don't require focus. They're very lightweight in comparison to a Mahler symphony. But I appreciate that as a trained musician, my idea of focus might be different to some others.
@@philipadams5386 A trained musician that has never attended an opera and seems to dislike symphonies because they are unable to “focus”? Idk man…
Mahler's music is Heavenly
more reactors should do videos like this one. thank you:)
Ah my favourite of the Mahlers. For me this is Peak Mahler. Followed closely by 2 and 7.
It is hard to have *no* expectations when listening - we have different moods at different times and that will also influence our (probably unconscious) expectations and reception. Best we can do I guess is be conscious of that and - like you here - acknowledge it and not dismiss a piece if it doesn't vibe with our current state :)
It's really fascinating to me, and satisfying, to watch how your attitude towards music evolves: not just that you're open to everything (bc you were open to begin with), but how you remain open throughout the more difficult listening experiences. That's proof to me, that classical music can appeal to anyone given the chance and you don't need years of education to appreciate it
I think that it is good to understand Mahler more to appreciate his symphonies. There are two great Documentaries by San Francisco Orchestra as well as some others documentaries by other channels. I recommend them all.
arguably the greatest 'resolution' of the work, in all of music, the final passage of this colossal work, it will interesting when you get to Bruckner, the young Mahler and his pals went to the premier of Bruckner 3, and when most of the audience were catcalling the great work as rubbish, he and his pals stormed so to speak back stage to say how much they admired it, Mahler later became a Conductor who 'championed' Bruckner symphonies after Anton's death.
I once went on a date to this symphony. My soon to be partner at that time said to me after the finale, where we noticed we were starting to breathe and exist in total harmony to the pulse of the music: "That was better than sex".
You found the one, lol but good luck to y’all
@@GIDIREACTS Yeah. She was it. But that was 20 years ago and it didn't last. But that's a memory I treasure.
BERNSTEIN IS THE GREATEST CONDUCTOR OF MAHLERS MUSIC!!!! NO ONE COMES CLOSE TO HIS CONDUCTING!!!
Yeeeess !!!🎉🎉
EPIC!!
This music(mahler in general) is too complex and long to fully enjoy and understand In the first few listenings in my opinion, but if and when you get familiar with each of his symphonies,, when you really know it... than it's just great great music, like no other in my opinion.
Folk whose whole music experience is confined to three minute songs (most people it seems), should take the time and have the patience to listen to this. Yes it's a mountain to climb but, oh my, what views!
Man, you absolutely must react to Mahler's 6th symphony, and also to Verdi's Requiem! Of the latter there is literally not a single reaction on youtube, I'm counting on you 🙁
If you decide to react to the Requiem I would recommend choosing carefully, because the soloists are very important.
I really enjoy his first symphony and his second one as well. And all the other ones too but those are my favorite. For me I am surprised with the Harmonic decisions Mahler makes for the most part. IMO his sound has a lot of influence in it but goes its own direction. I always expect certain chords to be responded to a certain way and he always throws off my expectations. Plus I admire how he plays around with so many emotions and expectations in one movement. Where he is reluctant to settle on any one mood for too long.
14:36 : be our guest, be our guest, put our service to the test ! :p
I figured this is the Mahler symphony with the highest chance that you wouldn't find it engrossing. Mahler symphonies can typically be understood as narratives experienced from the perspective of a protagonist, but this one less so, I think, which might have something to do with why it feels less like a drama despite containing plenty of dramatic flourishes. There is a wild audacity to it that is unlike any other piece though, and I respect it for that.
Going in without expectations will definitely serve you well with the 4th, but I think you will find the 4th easy to love.
It's also worth mentioning that the 4th is kind of like a direct sequel.
The conception of the 3rd Symphony as being 6 Musical musings about the nature of things included a 7th movement. That 7th Movement then became the finale of the 4th Symphony and Mahler composed the other 3 movements of the 4th as a narrative that lead to it.
Without having a specific program the 4th, I think, can be seen as a picture of heaven and paradise from the eyes of an impoverished child.
While such background information is interesting, it's also worth knowing that Mahler had completely abandoned the programmatic concept and use of movement titles by the time his 3rd was published in 1898. He came to prefer that listeners should find their own personal meanings in his music, without preconceived descriptions or explanations. In more than 50 years as a Mahler devotee, I have learned to follow his wishes.
when you see how long the video is.. and prepare snacks and drinks for the night.
It's crazy how Bernstein moves through the louder parts that involve the whole orchestral much faster than Abbado. There is almost no time to appreciate them. Like that ending of the 3rd movement. While he also manages to move through the last movement at such a slow pace that it feels like it's dragging. So yeah, I recommend Abbado with the Berliner for that one (1999). Bernstein is at his best in his 1960s recording of the 1st and 5th Symphony.
This is such an intimate symphony, one that you understand with time and with life. Very hard to fully appreciate it on a first listen, but a good attempt nonetheless.
I still maintain that this wasn't the best recording to being introduced to this symphony. Especially the Adagio. It needs getting used to the idea that you can end a symphony with a long slow movement on its own. But Bernstein makes it more difficult for the first listner because he takes it so slow at first that the phrases are at the brink of falling apart. That makes it difficult to concentrate on the music if you are not familiar with it.
I'm not convinced that the public opinion who voted for this recording was very wise in doing so. There are a few very questionable moments in the playing. Especially the trumpet chorale in the Finale is remarkably badly played.
That is why I voted for Abbado's performance. It is much more concise and that especially important moment is played to perfection, especially with the ingenious idea of having the bells be muffled with a cloth for a more soft sound.
@@Quotenwagnerianer Imo it is best recording of the piece, but you’re right that it may also be the hardest to appreciate for someone unfamiliar with the music.
@@Dan474834 It's far from the best. It's from the beginning of Bernstein's Vienna Mahler cycle when the Orchestra was still struggling with this music. And you can tell. The brass playing is atrocious in parts, the percussion (especially Cymbals, Tam-Tam and Bassdrum) sound like ass, Bernstein either rushes over parts or drags others out too much.
It's not even Bernstein's best recording of the 3rd in total, so I don't understand what you are all praising it so much.
This is my first time commenting on this channel. The symphony was beautiful and charming. As a recommendation of a piece that is not well known I would recommend checking out Salieri’s Piano Concerto in C Major. I’m interested to see your opinion on the piece.
A performance of Mahler 3 takes about 90 minutes. Which makes it the longest symphony in standard repetoire.
holy fuck, this is all i wanted xd
At 1:37:44 Bernstein winces when the 2 timpanists are not exactly together
23:43 It annoys me when performances do this. Mahler asks all four flutists to play piccolo here, but one of these flutists has stayed on flute. I suppose the employment contract of the principal flutist said that they couldn't be required to play piccolo. If getting them on piccolo was indeed absolutely out of the question for some reason, I'd at least think that a budget that has room for a women's chorus and a children's chorus would also have room for a fifth flutist to play the piccolo passages from the first flute part.
I don't think cost of an extra piccolo would have been an issue for a Vienna Philharmonic/Bernstein concert. As the piccolo parts were perfectly audible, I don't think one extra would have made much difference anyway.
@@ftumschk I just think that for a composer as extremely particular about orchestration as Mahler, the least an orchestra can do if they're really trying to do his music justice is obey the aspects of the score that are not subjective.
@@sashakindel3600 Conductors often subtly change the scoring if they have sincere reasons for doing so. If any conductor was capable of making those calls when it comes to Mahler, it was Leonard Bernstein, who knew more about Mahler than most conductors, and certainly more than you or me. Anyway, in this specific instance, what material difference did it make to the overall sound picture? None, I'd say.
Incidentally, I'm assuming that this was a conscious decision by Bernstein, when it could simply have been a case of that flautist having left his piccolo in the dressing-room by accident.
after Beethoven, the symphony never was the same - there was no way a composer could get away with creating another symphony that sounded too similar to the previous one - even Tchaikovsky realized by symphony number 6 he needed to mix it up and so threw the traditional formula out the window when it came to the last movement - just like Mahler did here
The magic of Mahler 3 finally surpassed the Mahler 2 for me, when listening to a recording by Klaus Tennstedt (who also does a superb live recording).
1:38:15 1:43:31
For other Mahlers I suggest you try a non-Bernstein recording, Abbado, Heitnik, Nott, Dudamel, many better interpreters! Lenny goes slow most of the time
It's one of my favourite symphonies ❤ it was my favourite Mahler symphony for a long time. Now my favourite is no. 6 😁 (it's a totally different kind of piece).
❤
I have some trouble with this symphony, mainly how it is structured…I feel that Mahler got MUCH better after this symphony in that respect…I like/love every single movement on its own…There are SO MANY great passages that I used to listen to over and over again, but as whole, I think this symphony feels a bit disjointed and incoherent…I think Mahler perceived it as well, since every following symphony (even 7 and 8) feels much more unified (again, in my opinion..) than this one. But the writing in some of these passages 🥹😱😍 Also congrats on the 4k 💪
You have to learn how to listen for what holds this together. The 1st Movement introduces a couple of motives that show up again and again throughout the rest of the symphony.
The very first interval we hear for example opens the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th Movement.
That's just one tiny example.
For what it's worth, Mahler agrees with you. The first 4 symphonies grew out of his so-called "Wunderhorn" period - a young man expressing young emotions violently. With his discovery of polyphony (mature composition), starting with the 5th, he essentially "grew up" as a composer, and began to create works whose emotional content grew out of a firm, "explainable" structure that prepared the listener for the emotion, rather than having the emotion just burst out of nowhere. Mahler said that, after the 4th, he felt the comfortable compositional style he had relied on leaving him, and that he was discovering that a new polyphony (again, a mature, disciplined musical structure) was replacing what he called the "orchestrophony" of his immature style. His music had had the heart, but it also needed the bones.
Please do Mahler's 8th Symphony sometime soon: th-cam.com/video/nxf3xtH31jA/w-d-xo.html
You will like it, guaranteed!
He is doing the symphonies in order
First, I admire your resolution to go into Mahler works with no preconceived notions - yet I feel that I need to give you some tips about the next three. Spoilers ahead, so stop reading here if you wish. --------- The Fourth is small, quiet, and will blow nobody away, though you may shed a tear. The Fifth is a glorious flaming dumpster fire, as Mahler was in the middle of switching compositional styles and hadn't quite got there yet - but you WILL be blown away. And then comes the Sixth - ah, the incomparable Sixth. You need to start Super Ironman training RIGHT NOW. Get the diet balanced; drink water; gym out; run up some hills with ever-increasing weights (including pianos); climb a few mountains; get lots of carbs, protein, and fresh vegetables; get plenty of quality sleep; gather some close support people around you; and mentally prepare yourself for the fact that you will still lose. The Sixth will give you a beatdown that you will never forget even after you are dead. Only question is: will you rise from the dead and try again? I have, many times. 😬😬😬🤕🤕🤧😵💫😭😭😱😩💀💀💀💀
think you are overstating the sixth, for me it is behind all but the seventh, which I struggle with, but everyone to their own I guess
A certain, more modern-era, English composer once said that he could no longer bear to listen to the Sixth, such is the descent into Hell. That was some years ago. I wonder if he has mellowed since. A gigantic mallet is used in the Sixth - the sort of mallet you sometimes want to take to a computer running Windows 10.
The last movement is wayyyy too slow in the hands of Bernstein... Please take various conductors for future Mahler symphonies.
And is it me or the sound of the video is strangely compressed? Takes out a lot of amplitude.
The symphony has six movements, not four. The one with the choirs is the fifth, and the one succeeding it is the sixth.
First time listenings are usually difficult for this kind of music. You have to digest it first, I mean for Christ sake it's not a Katy Perry song
You have to listen to it often enough to delude yourself into enjoying it. Because the "music" is garbage
@@Whatismusic123 thats the most ignorant thing I have ever heard
@@Medtner26 doesn't coincide with your religious beliefs = ignorant 🤓
I totally agree.
If you want something more intense try the 6th.
Can't get more intense than that.
For me Bernstein's Mahler recordings of the nine symphonies are very uneven, I prefer the consistency of, Haitink, Barbirolli and Abbado
I agree. Bernstein was very inconsistent. The one that really stands out is his number seven with the New York Philharmonic.
Yes, Abbado's 3 with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra is better in so many ways. Better recording, hand picked soloists and Abbado's humour place it at a different level.
th-cam.com/video/9Yr720ftjaA/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=EuroArtsChannel
Vous contribuez a faire du domaine de la culture un devoir.
Merci Mr qui ressemble a un rappeur et qui est faite un grand amateur.
Ne pas jugez un livre sur sa couverture.
Je le fais tout le temps...