Symphony No. 1 (Mahler)

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For other meanings, see Titan

The Symphony No. 1 in D major by Gustav Mahler, originally a tone poem called Titan (after a novel by Jean Paul), was written between 1884 and 1888.

The symphony is approximately 55 minutes long. The third measure of the third movement features a double bass soloist performing a variation on the theme of "Frère Jacques", distinguishing it as one of the few symphonic pieces to use the instrument in such a manner.

Contents 1 Orchestration 2 Structure 3 Versions 4 Premieres 5 Publication 6 External links

Orchestration

The symphony is written for an orchestra which typically consists of 104 instruments.

The woodwind section consists of four flutes (two alternating on two piccolos,) four oboes (one alternating on a cor anglais,) four clarinets (one alternating on a bass clarinet - "doubled at least" in last movement,) three bassoons, and a double bassoon (alternating on bassoon).

The brass section consists of seven French horns (with "reinforcement" in last movement), four trumpets (with added trumpet in last movement), three trombones, and a tuba.

The percussion section consists of four timpani (requiring two players), a bass drum, cymbals, a triangle, a tam-tam, and a harp.

There is the usual string section: typically sixteen first violins, sixteen second violins, twelve violas, twelve cellos and eight double basses.

Structure

In its final form, the symphony has four movements:

1. Langsam, Schleppend (Slowly, dragging) D major
2. Kräftig bewegt (Moving strongly) – a Ländler
3. Feierlich und gemessen (Solemnly and measured) – a funeral march based on the children's song "Frère Jacques" (or "Bruder Martin")
4. Stürmisch bewegt (Moving stormily)

For the first 3 performances, there was an additional movement, known as the Blumine, between the first and second movements of the piece as it now stands. This movement was originally written for Mahler's incidental music for Joseph Scheffel's play Der Trompeter von Säckingen (1884), which, the Blumine aside, has since been lost. The addition of this movement appears to have been an afterthought, and Mahler discarded it after the Weimar performance in 1894, and it was not discovered again until 1966 when Donald Mitchell unearthed it. The following year, Benjamin Britten conducted the first performance of it since Mahler's time at Aldeburgh. The symphony is almost never played with this movement included today, although it is sometimes heard separately. (Eugene Ormandy made a recording with the Blumine movement with the Philadelphia Orchestra under the RCA label. This recording appears to be out-of-print but other recordings with the Blumine movement have been made in recent years.)

Under this early five-movement scheme, the work was envisioned by Mahler as a large symphonic poem, and he wrote a programme to describe the piece, but without adding any further title for the 1889 Budapest premiere. It was divided into two parts, the first consisting of the first two movements of the symphony as it is now known plus the Blumine, and the second consisting of the funeral-march and finale. For the 1893 Hamburg and 1894 Weimar performances, Mahler gave the piece the title Titan after the novel by Jean Paul, although Mahler specified that the piece was not in any way "about" the book; the nickname is often used today, but properly only applies to those two versions and should not be used in connection with the definitive final version.

The work includes a number of themes from Mahler's song cycle Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (1883–1885), and the available evidence also seems to indicate that Mahler recycled music from his abandoned opera project Rübezahl.

Versions

There are several manuscripts which document the revisions to which Mahler subjected the work:

1. 1888, Leipzig - The original autograph score, in Mahler's handwriting (location unknown, may no longer exist)
2. 1889, Budapest - The base layer in a copyist's handwriting is probably identical to the original autograph score. Over this, there are many revisions in Mahler's hand, and some whole sections deleted with new replacements added, in preparation for the 1889 Budapest premiere on November 20. Bound into two volumes, vol. 1 containing the 1st movement and Scherzo, vol. 2 containing the last movement; the "Blumine" and funeral march movements are missing -- in fact, conflicting numbering of the Scherzo, and the smaller size of the paper on which "Blumine" is written, seems to indicate that the "Blumine" was not originally part of Mahler's conception, and that it was lifted whole from the 1884 Der Trompeter von Sakkingen score at some point between the symphony's completion in early 1888 and the Budapest premiere in late 1889. The entire symphony is scored for the standard symphonic orchestra of the time, with 2 each of all the woodwinds and 4 horns. In this version the piece was called "Symphonic-Poem in 2 Parts". (University of Western Ontario, Rose collection)
3. 1893, Hamburg - The base layer in Mahler's hand corresponds to the final version of the Budapest manuscript, and probably was the manuscript sent by Mahler to Schott as a Stichvorlage [enghraver's copy] in 1891 in hopes of publication, and for the first time given a title: Aus dem Leben eines Einsamen ['from the life of a lonely-one']. Over this base layer, there are many revisions and new sections (including to "Blumine") added in 1893, in preparation for the 2nd performance, in Hamburg on October 27. Contains all 5 movements; the funeral march was apparently lifted whole out of the 1889 manuscript. Orchestra has 3 each of the woodwinds. Just before the Hamburg performance, Mahler added the titles from Titan. (Yale University, Osborn collection)
4. 1894?, Hamburg - The base layer in a copyist's handwriting corresponds to the final version of the 1893 manuscript, with further revisions by Mahler. Probably prepared for the 3rd performance, in Weimar on June 3. Pages containing the "Blumine" have been folded over, indicating deletion. Orchestra has 4 each of the woodwinds, and 3 additional horns. Still includes the titles from Titan. (New York Public Library, Bruno Walter collection)
5. 1896?, Hamburg - The base layer in a copyist's handwriting, with revisions by Mahler. Probably prepared for 4th performance, in Berlin on March 16. Contains 4 movements ("Blumine" not included). Known from this point on as "Symphony No. 1". (Sold at auction by Sotheby's in 1984, presently inaccessible).
6. 1898?, Vienna - In a copyist's handwriting, based on the final version of the 1894? manuscript, this is the Stichvorlage [engraver's copy], used as a basis for the first score published by Weinberger in February 1899. Probably prepared for the 5th performance, in Prague.

In 1906 an arrangement by Bruno Walter for piano four hands (two players at one piano) was published.

Premieres

• World premiere: 1889 November 20, Budapest, conducted by the composer. The work was poorly received.
• German premieres:

1. 1893 October 27, Hamburg, conducted by the composer.
2. 1894 June 3, Weimar, conducted by the composer.
3. 1896 March 16, Berlin, conducted by the composer.
4. 1899 March, Frankfurt, conducted by the composer.

• Austrian premieres:

1. 1898 March, Prague, conducted by the composer. The first really successful performance.
2. 1900 November 18, Vienna, conducted by the composer.

• English premiere: 1903 October 21, London as part of a Proms concert, conducted by Henry Wood.
• American premiere: 1909 December 16, New York City, conducted by the composer.

Publication

• 1899 February, Vienna, Weinberger.
• 1906 May, Vienna, Universal Edition.

External links

• A Century of New Music in Viennada:1. symfoni (Mahler)

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