Klemperer the Sceptic.

[Bryn]

And the order of movements in the Sixth, and the inclusion or not of the "Blumine" movement in the First or "Waldmärchen" in Das klagende Lied...

A pedant writes: Blumine was never part of the First Symphony. It was part of two 'titanic' earlier works, the basic music of which, re-orchestrated, was worked up into what became the First Symphony. As an aside, the oft applied sobriquet "Titan" has no rightful application to the First Symphony. That monica belongs only to the earlier incidental music of Der Trompeter von Säckingen and Symphonic Poem (the latter itself in at least two versions).

[Petrushka]

And I'd love to hear the version of the Fifth Symphony with the original percussion parts restored.

Is this based on a story from Alma that had Mahler deleting the percussion after she supposedly complained that there was too much of it? Like so many of Alma's memories this story isn't necessarily to be relied upon. The Fifth, in any case, is pretty well endowed with percussion and, if the story is true, it's as likely that Mahler restored much of it himself. Perhaps Alma had the 6th in mind?

A pity that Klemperer, returning to topic, never conducted or recorded the Mahler 5 or 6 as I think he would have been just right for them.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Cheapskate hat on, I have made do with a used copy of the Frequenz triple CD box (£3.21 including p&p) of 4 (5.4.1954), 7 (3.9.1958) and 8 (7.6.1957). Klemperer very fine indeed in this performance of the 8th, to my ears.

Thanks for the steer Bryn. I've ordered a Marketplace copy which if it arrives in time, will be fully evaluated at this week's meeting of our local Bruckner Society...

...membership, ahem, 2

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Is this based on a story from Alma that had Mahler deleting the percussion after she supposedly complained that there was too much of it? Like so many of Alma's memories this story isn't necessarily to be relied upon.

I did wonder about the veracity of the story, given the source - with all the scholastic investigation of Mahler's scores, it does seem probable that any crossed-out and/or restored percussion parts might have been commented upon? (But if they did once exist, I'd love to hear them )

The Fifth, in any case, is pretty well endowed with percussion and, if the story is true, it's as likely that Mahler restored much of it himself. Perhaps Alma had the 6th in mind?

It's been years - possibly even decades! - since I last read Alma; but I think she was pretty sure it was rehearsals of the Fifth (the first of his works that she ever heard in rehearsal before its premiere). She had other "memories" for the Sixth.

A pity that Klemperer, returning to topic, never conducted or recorded the Mahler 5 or 6 as I think he would have been just right for them.

Klemps on the Fifth: [shortly after 1904] "Nikisch gave a performance of the Fifth Symphony and I heard it. But I was very disappointed. [...] In the Fifth, I very much like the first movement, the Funeral March. But the scherzo is for me too long. And then the adagietto - the little piece for harp and strings - that's very nice, but it comes too close to salon music. The last movement is also too long. And so I've never conducted the symphony."

And on the Sixth: "I played the celesta at a performance conducted by Oskar Fried in Berlin, and I think Mahler was present; yes, he was. It's a great work. The last movement is really a cosmos in itself; it's a tragic synthesis of life and death. But I must honestly say that I don't understand it. And I think that the second theme of the first movement is highly questionable."


And, with apologies for moving even further OT, a quick reference to Alma's book, she is very certain that the work she describes is the Fifth - and supports her memory of the date with references to weaning her youngest child, and her subsequent illness "through the sudden drying up of my milk."

"Earlier in the year" she writes, "there had been a reading-rehearsal with the Philharmonic, ... I could not hear [the work's themes] at all. Mahler had overscored the percussion instruments and kettle-drums so madly and persistently that little beyond the rhythm was recognizable. ... He ... then produced the score, and crossed out all the kettle-drums in red chalk and half the percussion instruments too. He had felt the same thing himself, but my passionate protest turned the scale. The completely altered score is still in my possession."