am thrice homeless, as a native of Bohemia in Austria, as an Austrian among Germans, and as a Jew throughout the world. Everywhere an intruder, never welcomed.”—Gustav Mahler

Although the public considered Gustav Mahler an eccentric though talented conductor with a penchant for writing long-winded symphonies, he considered himself a composer tied down to a life of conducting. His works were often thought of as too forward for the conservative ears of his time. The high-society audiences thought his works sounded detached and reflected the restlessness of the time.They didn’t want their music to make them feel uncomfortable. It’s unlikely that such a chilly reception will occur when the Utah Symphony performs Mahler’s Tragic Symphony on Nov. 21 and 22.

Mahler lived in a turbulent time and led a turbulent life. He was born in Kalischt, Bohemia, now the Czech Republic, while the Austro-Hungarian empire was rapidly declining due to the Czech independence movement. As a child he experienced family deaths, dealt with the suicide of a loved one and witnessed a brutal rape. He lost his oldest daughter to diphtheria and was also diagnosed with a critical heart condition. There is, however, a profound sense that he loved life and nature. It’s no wonder that Mahler’s music is known for its emotional depth and its duality.

Of Mahler’s 10 symphonies, one stands out as supremely unique—Symphony No. 6 in A Minor, more commonly known as the Tragic Symphony. And tragic it is. The Sixth Symphony was written in the summers of 1903 and 1904. Bruno Walter, a Mahler disciple, declared that this symphony “reeks of the bitter cup of life.” Mahler undoubtedly drew from the tragedies in his life to create a symphony that explored his ominous view of the fate of man.

The first movement introduces two major themes, the first of which contains an exuberant range of two-and-a-half octaves. In other words, a whole lotta notes.The second theme is known as the “Alma” theme, which presumably portrays Mahler's wife, Alma. This theme is joyful and passionate and uses the violins. The second movement delves into a darker world—the world of the macabre. It has a rather chilling effect. The third movement has a lyrical style and offers respite, if only briefly, from the nightmarish cacophony that occurred in the second.

Mahler’s idea that “a symphony should be like the world—it must embrace everything,” is certainly apparent in the finale of his Sixth Symphony. It is one of the most grandiose movements he ever wrote. It is full of ideas and emotion and the explorations thereof. It even has its own eerie funeral march. The end is sounded by three massive blows with a hammer, or what’s known as a Hammerschlag, which represented to Mahler “the crushing blows of Fate” and a sudden rush of minor chords that leave the listener with the symphony’s message of tragedy.
The concert starts at 8:00 p.m. and student tickets are a mere $8. The effect of the Hammerschlag is definitely worth the effort.
hayley@red-mag.com