On Thursday 24th March, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra gave themselves the challenge of performing Mahler's 4th Symphony at the Glasgow City Halls with Ji Young Yang as Soprano soloist.
Gustav Mahler (pictured below) was born in the Moravian village of Kaliste into a Jewish family on 7 July 1860. He birth closely followed the death of his older brother, Isador, which according to Stuart Feder (2004) 'cast a long shadow in Mahler's life.' He wrote his 4th symphony between 1899 and 1901 just before he met his wife Alma. It is supposed to be 'a child's vision of heaven.' However, it has moments in it which show how children can suffer. This contrast is particularly prevelant in the last movement where the feast of heaven is depicted but at the expense of a slaughtered lamb. Herod's massacre of babies is also in the 4th movement. Maybe this has a connection to the shadow which Feder mentions.
The symphony orchestra did a wonderful job of creating the right kind of atmosphere. In particular, they had great dynamics. They showed a huge range which swept the audience along and took them on a journey of the emotions of the piece. As they swelled and grew in volume, my heart began to sing. The percussion section were particularly effective. For example, there is a section near the end of the finale in which the full orchestra plays and the cymbals and timps become particularly prominant. At this point, the music coursed through me and left me feeling satisfied and full as it then faded out again. The soloist at the end sung with real passion and joy. She wore a white dress and looked almost ethereal. It seemed to fit with heavenly themes. She was a great performer as she acted out the words using her voice, her face and her posture.
The Glasgow City Halls is a lovely venue. The entrance lobby is bright and modern looking. The sweeping red-carpeted stairs are beautiful. This initial good welcome helps a member of the audience to feel relaxed and looking forward to the performance. However, my one slight criticism is that their was not enough room between the seats and I found that I was feeling very cramped and unable to stretch my legs out. In some ways, this detracts from the music. It can be known as noise, or a distraction from what the orchestra, singer, conductor and the composer are trying to communicate.
Some people see music as expressing beauty and harmony and is only for our pleasure (McLaughlin, 1970). Pythagoras, for example, felt that music expressed the way that the universe was in harmony; others believed that it expressed part of God's voice. However, I am in agreement with McLaughlin (1970) that music often expresses a message from the composer and the performers, whether a subconscious or conscious message. In this way, it is really important to society. It can draw people together and share a message with them, one which goes a lot deeper than oral communication. It also helps you to get in contact with your own emotions and to touch your spirit. Socrates said that music imparts grace to the inward parts of the soul and found it a necessary part of education.
I believe that Mahler was sharing some of the abstractness of heaven and religion with us. He was brought up a Jew and converted to Christianity. In his music he communicates the conflicting elements of Christianity and I believe that he expresses some of his struggles with religion. A good example of this communication is the way that Mahler has the violin tuned a tone higher to imitate 'death in disguise' (Stephen Johnson, 2010). He wants to communicate this strain that I was talking about above. Tuning the violin higher makes it sound very coarse and out of tune. He takes his audience and performers on this journey and prepares them, through the first 3 movement by themes, colour and tones, for the ending with the sublime nature of Heaven. The ending finishes in a major key, indicating happiness and the way it fades out suggests the unending nature of the happiness. However, it leaves a slight suggestion that the story is unfinished and I was left with the feeling of not being quite sure if it will be happy forever.
All in all, the concert was brilliant and the orchestra communicated the message so well. The ambience was great, although there was not enough leg room. I love the way I was shown so much emotional complexity and strain between the child-likeness, the heavenly sounds and the turbulent emotions. I left feeling satisfied and light while also thinking about heaven and life beyond death. Music within society and education is so important to bring depth and abstract thought, to feed the spirit not just the mind.
References
Feder. S (2004) Gustav Mahler, New York, Yale University
Johnson. S (2010) Programme for the City Halls Concert, Thursday 25th March 2010, BBC Symphony Orchestra
McLaughlin. T (1970) Music and Communication, Plymouth, Faber and Faber
http://amazingdiscoveries.org/socrates-and-plato-talk-music.html
Some people see music as expressing beauty and harmony and is only for our pleasure (McLaughlin, 1970). Pythagoras, for example, felt that music expressed the way that the universe was in harmony; others believed that it expressed part of God's voice. However, I am in agreement with McLaughlin (1970) that music often expresses a message from the composer and the performers, whether a subconscious or conscious message. In this way, it is really important to society. It can draw people together and share a message with them, one which goes a lot deeper than oral communication. It also helps you to get in contact with your own emotions and to touch your spirit. Socrates said that music imparts grace to the inward parts of the soul and found it a necessary part of education.
I believe that Mahler was sharing some of the abstractness of heaven and religion with us. He was brought up a Jew and converted to Christianity. In his music he communicates the conflicting elements of Christianity and I believe that he expresses some of his struggles with religion. A good example of this communication is the way that Mahler has the violin tuned a tone higher to imitate 'death in disguise' (Stephen Johnson, 2010). He wants to communicate this strain that I was talking about above. Tuning the violin higher makes it sound very coarse and out of tune. He takes his audience and performers on this journey and prepares them, through the first 3 movement by themes, colour and tones, for the ending with the sublime nature of Heaven. The ending finishes in a major key, indicating happiness and the way it fades out suggests the unending nature of the happiness. However, it leaves a slight suggestion that the story is unfinished and I was left with the feeling of not being quite sure if it will be happy forever.
All in all, the concert was brilliant and the orchestra communicated the message so well. The ambience was great, although there was not enough leg room. I love the way I was shown so much emotional complexity and strain between the child-likeness, the heavenly sounds and the turbulent emotions. I left feeling satisfied and light while also thinking about heaven and life beyond death. Music within society and education is so important to bring depth and abstract thought, to feed the spirit not just the mind.
References
Feder. S (2004) Gustav Mahler, New York, Yale University
Johnson. S (2010) Programme for the City Halls Concert, Thursday 25th March 2010, BBC Symphony Orchestra
McLaughlin. T (1970) Music and Communication, Plymouth, Faber and Faber
http://amazingdiscoveries.org/socrates-and-plato-talk-music.html
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