{"id":1044,"date":"2025-05-15T20:23:14","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T19:23:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/?p=1044"},"modified":"2025-06-21T20:58:17","modified_gmt":"2025-06-21T19:58:17","slug":"mahler-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/performances\/mahler-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Mahler 3"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BOZAR, Brussels, 4 May 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mahler 3<\/a> is one of the longest symphonies ever composed, with six movements running mostly uninterrupted for more than one hour and a half. It is conceived as a reflection on the place humans have in the universe, inspired by nature and Nietzsche’s philosophy. In its simplest form, the programme<\/a> consists of a title for each of the six movements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. “Pan Awakes, Summer Marches In”<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. “What the Flowers in the Meadow Tell Me”<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. “What the Animals in the Forest Tell Me”<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. “What Man Tells Me”<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. “What the Angels Tell Me”<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. “What Love Tells Me”<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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    All singers stand up, ready to sing the 5th movement.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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    Although most of the piece is instrumental, there is an important vocal part, like in many of Mahler’s symphonies, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For the children’s choir, the role comes late in the work, in the fifth movement, where the score calls for soft, distant voices singing of angels (\u201cEs sungen drei Engel<\/em>\u201d) over quiet orchestral textures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Compared to the rest of the symphony – a huge and at times chaotic musical landscape, this movement feels completely other.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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    Mahler 3 dress rehearsal, 3 May 2025 <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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    Part of La Monnaie Youth Choir, singing from the balconies at the dress rehearsal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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    Alain Altinoglou<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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    Nora Gubisch, mezzosoprano<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Singing this symphony was a strange experience, yet not one that I am not accustomed to. We stood still for long stretches, waiting to come in, and when the moment arrived, the demand was for restraint, clarity, and distance, not expression in the usual sense. The music doesn\u2019t aim to sound like real children singing, but instead like bells. The only lyrics to our part with few exceptions were \u201cbimm<\/em>\u201d and \u201cbamm<\/em>\u201d, and we were instructed to hold the “mmm<\/em>” decrescendo<\/em> to sound as much like bells as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I wouldn\u2019t say it was the most exciting or satisfying thing to perform – the weight of the piece rests elsewhere, in the orchestra and soloist, but it did leave an impression. There\u2019s something interesting about being asked to sound like something other than a voice, it was fun to explore that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Mahler\u2019s Third is a difficult work to wrap your head around – both as a listener and a performer. And being inside it, even briefly, made that complexity all the more clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The audience’s reaction was immediate and powerful, with a standing ovation. It was a clear sign that the concert had touched something profound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Gustav Mahler and nature<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Mahler’s works were often inspired by nature. He retired every summer to a cabin in the forest to compose his symphonies. It took him several summers to write his Third.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Read an interesting article about Mahler’s love of nature, and see a photo of his cabin at La Monnaie Magazine. <\/a> <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Broadcasts and Videos<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Our performance was recorded by the radio station Musiq’3, and will be broadcasted<\/a> on the 23rd of June 2025 at 20h. In the meantime, I am posting here some videos taken at the dress rehearsal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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