Continuing my “symphonies I have played with good horn parts” today I link Mahler. I think every horn player would agree that they are good parts – if a bit scary at times 😱😱
I prefer not to link to excerpts – rather hear the whole piece in context – but I will make an exception today for two reasons. The first is that for those who have no idea about Mahler Symphonies this is a good little “taster” and the second is that I am also giving a further link…..
There are a lot of good online performances/resources appearing during this lockdown and this week the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra are having a “Mahler Festival Online” – each night a different symphony. Also, especially for those new to Mahler there is a short documentary, narrated by Mahler’s granddaughter, each night giving some background to the music. Would definitely recommend.
For now – here is the end of his first symphony – Mahler originally called for “reinforcements” to the horn section for the final section. He said :
“it is recommended that from here onwards up to the end, the horns be reinforced sufficiently so that the hymn-like, all-dominating chorale attains the necessary sonority. All the horns stand, in order to achieve the greatest possible strength of sound.
The horns drown everything, even the trumpets.”
(and yes – I did at least once play in a section that did just that!!)
In this relatively modern recording – there are no reinforcements, but the Berlin Philharmonic section do a pretty good job of dominating the sound 😁😁
Gustav Mahler : Symphony No.1 – 1st Movt
Comments :
Stuart Bulmer
George, I went to a performance of this at the Royal Festival Hall given by the London Phil. As you know the symphony starts with off two stage trumpets one of whom was a young Philip Cobb. After his flourish, he came into the hall and sat by the horns along with a young trombone player (assume student) for the entire symphony until they augmented the horns in the last part of the work. The additional goodie was that the Blumine was used as the second movement (5 movements in all)
George McConnell
I believe that Mahler suggested the extra trumpet and trombone in case there were an insufficient number of horns 😁 – I have played it in a number of differently sized sections (and on a number of different parts) – the biggest was 13 – the seven horn parts with 1st and 2nd having bumpers and a further four of us doubling the 1st to 4th parts in the finale. That made quite a sound!