Mahler: Symphony No. 4 - Zemlinsky Chamber Orchestra

Live registratie van Mahler's Symphony No. 4, door Zemlinsky Chamber Orchestra.

Flute: Ema Bajc
Oboe: Peter Lackovic
Clarinet: Bram Hospers
Bassoon: Lily Simpson
Horn: Christian Fisalli
Percussion: Ambro Golachowski & Béa Picard
Piano: Johannes Asfaw
Accordion: Robbrecht van Cauwenberghe
Violin 1: Phoebe Tarleton
Violin 2: Karina Sosnowska
Viola: Sara De Carvalho Farinha
Cello: Daniele Lorefice
Bass: Ebony Lim

Video by Green Eye Videography
Video: Mateusz Pusiewicz
Audio: Andrea Friggi

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Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 4 in G Major (1899-1900), arr. Klaus Simon (2007)

I. Bedächtig. Nicht Eilen
II. Im gemächlicher Bewegung
III. Ruhevoll (Poco Adagio)
IV. Das Himmlische Leben

Mahler’s 4th Symphony is widely regarded by musicians and audiences alike for being the composer’s most “Neoclassical” symphony - looking backwards toward a more traditional style, rather than looking to the future by exploring into a new compositional style. Although this is true in many regards, what makes this piece stand out from the rest of his symphonies is the ideas of humanity, the afterlife (as described in the text of the 4th movement) and the theme of parody that resonates through the work. Mahler described a symphony as (paraphrasing) “..like the world, it must embrace everything!”, and this piece, instead of being an almighty monument like the 2nd or 3rd symphonies that came before, takes this same ideal but on a much more down-to-earth, basic human level. For this reason, the 4th can be seen as Mahler’s most profound work.

TRANSLATION:
Das himmlische Leben ('Heavenly life' - from 'Des Knaben Wunderhorn')

We enjoy heavenly delights,
therefore do we shun the earthly.
No worldly tumult is heard in heaven!
All live in balmiest peace!
We lead an angelic life!
But we are quite merry at the same time!
We dance and skip, we frisk and sing!
Saint Peter in heaven looks on!
John lets out the little lamb,
The butcher Herod lies in wait for it!
We lead a patient, innocent, patient,
darling little lamb to its death!
St Luke slaughters the ox
without any hesitation or concern,
the wine costs not a penny in the heavenly cellar,
the angels bake the bread.
Good vegetables of every kind
grow in the heavenly garden!
Good asparagus, beans and whatever we may desire!
Whole tureens-full are prepared for us!
Good apples, good pears and good grapes!
The gardeners make room for everything!
If you want deer or hare, they come running to you
along the open road! Should a fast day perchance arrive,
all the fish swim by at once gladly!
There runs Saint Peter already with net and with bait
into the heavenly fishpond.
Saint Martha must be the cook!
There is truly no music on earth
with which ours can be compared.
Eleven thousand maidens venture to dance!
Saint Ursula herself laughs to see it!
There is truly no music on earth
with which ours can be compared.
Cecilia and her relatives
are excellent court musicians!
The angel voices enliven the senses,
So that everyone awakes for joy.