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The three
symphonies of Mahler’s
middle period, the Fifth,
Sixth and Seventh, form a
closely related group.
In contrast to the romantic
and poetic imagination which
so strongly marks the
earlier works, the
symphonies in this group are
realistic in concept and are
founded on purely
musical impulses,
irrespective of the fact
that in many cases these
impulses had their origin in
analogies with events of
the composer’s own life,
either experienced or
visualized as occurring in
the future.
To a greater extent than the
earlier works, these three
symphonies are of interest
in connection with problems
of musical material and
textures. Historically they
stand
just before the revolution
which was to shatter the
very foundations of the
traditional musical system,
and to call tonality in
question. If Mahler consciously
experimented in
this direction - it seems
unlikely that he did, but
not
impossible - he did so in
these three works. They are
the
most advanced, harmonically
and stylistically, of all
his
compositions, and they
foreshadow many features
which have been hailed as
recent innovations.
In this respect the Sixth
Symphony, sombre and tragic,
is the most advanced. While
the composer seemed in the
preceding work to be
summoning up the energy
needed to
plunge into the grim
adventure of the Sixth
Symphony,
in the Seventh which
followed it we find him
safely returned from that
perilous expedition.
Experiencing the idea of
tragedy so deeply and
passionately that it
penetrated to the very
depths of his being, he
managed to overcome the
personal significance of the
idea and to rise
to a higher, freer concept
of life. Strangely enough
this opening up of new and
brighter horizons took him
to a
point not too far distant
from the romantic region of
the
earlier symphonies. The
Seventh marks the return to
his
native soil.
In many respects the Seventh
Symphony is complementary
to the Fifth. The earlier
work might be described as a
parade of forces in
preparation for a bold
venture. Here in the Seventh
the composer seems to
reflect on those forces
contentedly, happy in the
knowledge that they have
withstood their trial, as
though passing through fire
and
flood without coming to
grief. Thus, while Mahler’s
Sixth
Symphony bore down on his
spirits as a heavy burden,
he was able to recommend his
Seventh to a friend as the
happiest music he had ever
written.
The first movement is an
Allegro con fuoco, alla
breve. It is preceded by an
extremely interesting
Introduction,
and from the first moment
onwards the musical events
are as gripping as they are
attractive. The low strings
and woodwind establish
harmonically and
rhythmically
the music’s atmosphere and
character. The jagged
figures
of the introductory motif
played by the tenor trumpet
are as well suited to it as
the highly personal and
diffuse tone
colouring. The main themes
are extremely clear and
comprehensible. The first, a
genuine and resolute Mahler
theme introduced by the
horns, opens with a bold,
proud
gesture in E minor, arriving
by means of wide detours in
the dominant key of B major,
then at once giving way to
the second main theme in C
major. This new arrival
establishes its cantabile
character most impressively,
so
that the two thematic forces
occupy the stage in an ideal
sonata form relationship,
supplementing and
challenging one
another, created for each
other, and representing two
principles which they have
to bring to a successful
conclusion.
The Symphony’s formal layout
is simple and easily
grasped. The first movement,
which grows powerfully but
does not by any means strive
to attain colossal
proportions, is balanced by
the corresponding final
movement.
They are separated by three
inner movements which
reveal the most lovable and
amiable side of Mahler’s
invention. They are among
the most delectable pieces
he
ever wrote. He himself
described two of them as
“night music”, and the third
movement, which occurs
between
them, could also be so
described, as this is also a
night
piece.
At is not known whether
Mahler had any special
intention
in using the expression
“night music”. This term is
in itself sufficiently
evocative to point the
listener’s imagination in a
particular direction, And
when the horns open the
first
night piece with call and
answering call we know that
they are not conjuring up
the dark and nocturnal side
of
consciousness, but that we
can surrender ourselves to
agreeable contemplation of
the poetry and romantic
enchantment of night.
Although the third movement
is not described as night
music, it bears the
performing direction “Schattenhaft”
(shadowy). It is a spectral
Scherzo. Fantastic shapes
flit by,
elves and goblins, good and
malevolent spirits. The Trio
is a charming interlude. A
melody like a folk
tune, based on natural
intervals, is played by the
oboes,
and a fairytale character
appears. We seem to be back
in the romantic atmosphere
and poetic, woodland realm
of the Third Symphony.
The second night piece also
bears a performing direction
which points to its poetic
content: Andante amoroso.
The orchestra used,
virtually only a chamber
ensemble,
includes two additional
instruments, guitar and
mandoline, whose presence
makes the function of the
movement clear: this Andante
amoroso is a serenade played
by people in love, whose
contributions to the music
are tender and discreet,
made with feeling but not
without humour. It is a
fantasy piece, rich in
agreeable, sweet and piquant
ideas. One of them is to be
played
“graziosissimo”.
The last movement, entitled
Rondo Finale, begins with a
timpani solo which
etablishes its festive
rhythm. Mahler
made the specific demand
that the timpanist should
play
with “bravour”. This is also
true of the horns which take
over the timpani rhythm, and
of the trumpets, which
cheerfully blare out their
joyous main theme.
In accordance with Mahler’s
concept of rondo form he
followed each of the
repetitions of the principal
theme
demanded by the form by ever
new, colourful and
unexpected episodes. They
are all organically inter-
related, but each makes its
appearance as an individual.
And all, the main theme and
its subsidiary themes or
their
variations, serve one
single purpose: to bring out
to full
effect that joyfulness which
Mahler described as the
principal criterion of this
work.
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