Mahler Symphony #1 "Titan"

This symphony made me a "Mahlerite", when i somhow managed to get pass listening the dark intro of the first movement, i was a Mahler convert forever, this symphony is so great in so many ways, yet it was still regarded as an early work, since I am already expert at Mahler and his symphonies, I would like to hear your guy's thoughts, even if you are not a "Mahlerite" or u haven't yet heard any of his symphonies, please have a listen at his first symphony, I appreciate your comments!

P.S PLEASE, LISTEN UNTIL THE PIECE IS FINISHED, DO NOT STOP JUST AFTER 2 MINUTES, IF U WOULD BE SO KIND TO CLICK ON THE FIRST MOVEMENT, PLEASE FINISH THE ENTIRE MOVEMENT FIRST, I APPRECIATE THAT! THANK YOU

It looks like the forum only has enough capacity for me to upload three movement, well, too bad!

I've heard this symphony performed twice live, and I like it. Oddly enough, the introduction to the first movement is the best part of the whole symphony, along with the first part of the funeral march.

The Titan is an odd creature. Technically, it should be the 2nd and the 2nd the first (according to what I've read). Both symphonies are very different from his later music, which embraces serialism to a greater degree than his early works. Symphonies 1 and 2 are clearly Beethoven-influenced in my opinion, yet both are amazing. The fact that they are more tonal than his later music is evidenced by their (especially the 1st) popularity in concert halls.

Overall, I enjoy his 1st Symphony, but think it is too long (as with all of his music). I find that he rambles at times, as with most of his music. Personally, I much perfer the 9th symphony, however the 1st does stand as a model of symphonic brillance, one that very clearly reflects his upcoming later style. Personally I believe that his 9th symphony is his greatest piece, with emphasis on the last movement.

Nothing more to say about this. To Mahler newcomers, I recommend:

Symphony No. 2, Mvt 4 - His most beautiful music.

Symphony No. 5, Mvt 4 - A wonderful, beautiful piece that reflects his gentler and more romantic side.

Symphony No. 9, Mvt 4 - His deepest and most profound music.

Mahler's 6th and 2nd is definitely my favourites.

I really want to hear his 8th, which I hear is pretty "odd"

The 4th is serene, yet can get boring. Though now, I want to listen to it...

The Fourth, i was at one time addicted to fourth symphony, then I got over it pretty quick, it was a nice "neo-classical" piece, I liked the classical opening and the end which also sort of concluded the third symphony, I would only suggest fourth to people who likes light music, it's not very dark as the other symphonies Mahler wrote.

The Mahler symphony that I heard most often is defintely the first symphony first movement, then the second my favorite of all time symphonic movement is from Mahler's symhony 7 second movement "Nautmusik I", I have heard that single movement at least 400 times, everytime i hear it it's just so magical..

I love the beginning of the fourth movement of his first symphony, just the running down of the violins is great!

The third movement is great as well using that single, simple theme and just repeating it over and over (like Grieg's in the Hall of Mountain King)

Mahler's 5th is perhaps better than Beethoven's, I'm telling ya

Well, in many ways Beethoven's fifth has been detroyed by people's lack of knowledge of classical music, most people only know the famous opening, and some albums only has the abriged version of the first movement, this is insane, I actually admire the symphony as whole, not just the opening bit, that said.

Mahler's fifth is great also, perhaps lesser known, but that's one aspect that intrigued me the most about Mahler, how can this sublime music be so less known, and underrated?

I never really enjoyed his 5th, unless your talking about the movement I believe 4th with the strings and harp. That is a gorgeous number, though everything before it and after that in the symphony really didn't excite me like most of Mahler's works.

Titan: eh...the recording I have heard didn't really interest me, but I found a segment of a proffesional orchestra playing his 1st and I was overwhelmed by it.

I liked the fourth movement of the fifth symphony, though my favorite movement has to be the second third and last movment, especially the Rondo Finale, I just love it

I just got the scores of the first two symphonies - and there's some mad stuff in there, absolutely. Still love the third movement (1st symphony) think it's great. His orchestration is mad, almost on par to Stravinsky (have a score of his Firebird and Petruska - now they're mad!)

Well, in many ways Beethoven's fifth has been detroyed by people's lack of knowledge of classical music, most people only know the famous opening, and some albums only has the abriged version of the first movement, this is insane, I actually admire the symphony as whole, not just the opening bit, that said.

Has anyone seen that episode of the Simpsons when they get the concert hall, everyone shows up and they start playing Beethoven's fifth, but then after the "dun dun dun dun", they all get up? Anyway, I thought it was funny, and in a lot of ways true.

So, I've basically only listened to the 3rd all of the way through and bits and pieces of the others. I gotta say though, the third movement of the 10th - Purgatorio (Allegro Moderato), and I absolutely love that one, and I think I'll go listen to Mahler right now!

I remember that episode, that was a hard day for fanatics of beehtoven everywhere.

Though good at exposing the "truth" :)

I remember the simpson episode too, it's sad really, it depresses me, because there is so much beauty in classical music, well, it's their loss!

My thoughts on mahler's 10th

I have only heard two recordings of Mahler's tenth, and I am absolutely amazed by it, first of all, it's the least played Mahler's symphonies, because it was not finished, and I believe numerous musiologists have attempted to finish it, and they did, to an extend a fairly decent job, I guess this is the only blemish to this symphony, that it is not all mahler's music we are hearing, it's cook or whoever. The music is fantastically Mahler, he completed most of the symphony before his death anyways, the main ideas were his, the first movement is 99% original, and I'd say it is quite a movement, you can see the progression of Mahler going from very late romantic to modern there, a milestone for western music certainly. THe second movement, which is called a scherzo, but from this scherzo I heard melodies, rythmes he used in his previous symphonies, i dont know why, the melodies are all different, but somehow it reminds me of his previous works. THe third symphony is the most "scary" of all the music I have ever heard, do you know that he just found out that his wife was cheating on him, and wrote down words of anger on the margins, when i was listening to this movement, i swear that i felt that anger, it is especially strange when the music shifts to a very happy and vivacious melody, exquiste movement, the last two, I did not like as much, because I believe that most of those two movements were in short score, and probably not very original.

In case any of you wonder what "death" sounds like, listen to his tenth

This was the first of Mahler's symphonies that really got my attention, at a time where my other two favorites were Bruckner's 8th and 9th symphonies. I still love the piece but not as much as I used to.

The first movement - I love the thematic material in this, and the way it opens up. But there's something about the pacing that leaves me a little unsatisfied. I like the whole movement but it isn't until after the repeat of the exposition that things start to really grab my attention. The end of the movement is something spectacular, and I always find myself rewinding so that I can hear the last three or four minutes again.

I don't have a lot to say about the scherzo, other than that I absolutely love it when it's played well. A good string orchestra and a conductor that doesn't drag things here are a must IMO for this to have the energy that it should.

I'm not a fan of the third movement, in fact the only times I ever listen to this are when I listen to the entire symphony back to back.

I love the last movement, although it's a little too episodic for me to consider it one of Mahler's truly great movements.

Mahler's 1st is a masterpiece.

First of all, find a good performance. There are many misguided interpretations of this piece, which completely destroy the nail-bitingly delicate sections. There are very unique, dreamy, sustained sections that hang by a thread. Other conductors screw up the tempos, or botch the finale.

The finale is difficult to conduct, because of the "pulling" rhythms and tempos. These types of passages are extremely rare in music, and the finale exploits them quite extremely.

This piece is also misunderstood by many. If you listen to the piece carefully over a period of time, Mahler's superhuman motivic integration will unfold, in fact nearly every theme and most of the accompaniment figures are tied together in inspired ways.

The piece is not patchwork. This impression comes from a superficial "surface" listen, and poor conducting. The piece is in fact flawless regarding form and integration. That Mahler manages to deliver such colorful and varied stylistic bits while holding onto a complex interconnection is no mean feat.

Another aspect of the piece is raw inspiration... the kind that just comes from that other place we can't define. Take the "development" of the first movement, with the extended floating anticipation slide figure, which finally, almost painfully, states the entire theme. The wind bits, the bass drum thump with the cuckoos answering, the chord changes, and finally the quiet fanfare peeks out. This is music you have to get lost in to appreciate.

Or the second movement... after the exposition comes a sort of short development... this powerful bit alone is more than most composers manage in their entire careers. The descending chords at the end of the section are incredible.

The famous third movement needs no introduction. However, I will point out that hearing this movement on speakers is a sad substitute for hearing it live.

Now... the finale... one of the greatest finales in all of music. So many conductors butcher this, but in the right hands, Mahler's genius is jaw-dropping. First of all, the theme itself is timeless and thrilling, the psychotic figurations in the violins are just way to donkey kicking for their own good. After a breathless ride, electrifying (and spine-chilling) "big chord" comes after the first three notes of the main theme call... then Mahler one-ups this later by jerking to another chord.

You know those moments in great music when your stomach goes out? Where tears can burst out? These two bits of this finale are certainly among those. The fanfare that ends the piece continues on this sublime course. So many "big finishes" of symphonies sound hollow... not this one, this is inspired, soul-stirring stuff.

A couple of structural notes that people often miss:

The entire piece is built on the "cuckoo" call. The symphony begins and ends with them, and several of the themes begin with the interval, or feature it.

The awesome descending brass fanfare near the end of the finale is also the introduction theme of the entire piece, which is a series of descending cuckoos. Amazingly, most listeners never realize this seemingly obvious fact. Many Mahler pieces rely on "thematic intensification" for their effect (for example, the schrezo of the 5th). To ignore these is to miss out on a good percentage of Mahlers "meat". Other composers have used these types of structers, but Mahler does it in a more concealed, ingenious fashion.

The "cuckoo" also makes makes an obviously intentional cameo in the first movement of Mahler's second. It comes with massive effect after the repeated dissonant chords. Most heavy listeners of Mahler have found that in fact Mahler obsessively shares motivic ideas between all of his works, to the point where it is almost like he really composed one big symphony.

Overall, the first is an extremely original, inspired piece. It's a shame so few people really get to appreciate and embrace it.

My brother and I have a special place in our hearts for this piece. We used to listen to a favorite recording cranked up in the dark. I hope anyone reading this will give it a chance to find a place in their hearts as well.