Mahler: Symphony No. 7 (with Score)

Gustav Mahler:
Symphony No. 7 "Song of the Night" (with Score)
Composed: 1904–06
Orchestra: SWR Symphonieorchester
Conductor: Michael Gielen

00:00 1. Langsam (B minor – E minor)
22:03 2. Nachtmusik. Allegro moderato (C major – C minor)
38:49 3. Scherzo. Schattenhaft (D minor)
48:36 4. Nachtmusik. Andante amoroso (F major)
1:01:38 5. Rondo - Finale. Tempo I (Allegro ordinario) (C major)

The Symphony No. 7 by Gustav Mahler was written in 1904–05, with repeated revisions to the scoring. It is sometimes referred to by the title Song of the Night (German: Lied der Nacht), which Mahler never knew. Although the symphony is often described as being in the key of E minor, its tonal scheme is more complicated. The symphony's first movement moves from B minor (introduction) to E minor, and the work ends with a rondo finale in C major. Thus, as Dika Newlin has pointed out, "in this symphony Mahler returns to the ideal of 'progressive tonality' which he had abandoned in the Sixth". The complexity of the work's tonal scheme was analysed in terms of "interlocking structures" by Graham George.

In 1904, Mahler was enjoying great international success as a conductor, but he was also, at last, beginning to enjoy international success as a composer. His second daughter was born that June, and during his customary summer break away from Vienna in his lakeside retreat at Maiernigg in the Carinthian mountains, he finished his Symphony No. 6 and sketched the second and fourth movements (the two Nachtmusik movements) for Symphony No. 7 while mapping out much of the rest of the work. He then worked on the Seventh intensively the following summer, claiming to take just four weeks to complete the first, third and fifth movements.

The completed score was dated 15 August 1905, and the orchestration was finished in 1906; he laid the Seventh aside to make small changes to the orchestration of Symphony No. 6, while rehearsing for its premiere in May 1906. The Seventh had its premiere on 19 September 1908, in Prague with the Czech Philharmonic, at the festival marking the Diamond Jubilee of Emperor Franz Joseph.

The three years which elapsed between the completion of the score and the symphony's premiere witnessed dramatic changes in Mahler's life and career. In March 1907 he had resigned his conductorship of the Vienna State Opera, as the musical community in Vienna turned against him (which was why he chose Prague for the work's debut); on 12 July his first daughter died of scarlet fever; and, even as she lay on her deathbed, Mahler learned that he was suffering from an incurable heart condition. Musicologists surmise that this is why the optimism and cheerfulness of the symphony was subsequently tempered by the small but significant revisions Mahler made in the years leading up to its premiere.

Wikipedia article:

[RohanJoshi]

My favorite Mahler symphony. So scurrying, triumphant, and vigorous. At the height of his developmental powers.

[VincentGiza-Composer]

Despite this being one of his best symphonies, it’s also probably his most underrated. Especially the Scherzo. Which is unfortunate cause this is really some of his best writing!
In the Scherzo, I just can’t get enough of the clarinet gliss at 39:20 and the snap pizz at 46:18
It’s just so much fun to listen to this piece!

[AD]

It always happens in the history of music that someone, at some point, gives an opinion about a piece and many others do nothing more than replicate it. In this case I am referring to the alluded "low popularity" of the seventh symphony. I can only love it.
Especially the first movement drives me crazy. I love how somber and twisted this man can be.
And what about that climax with the most piercing high notes I've ever heard. A kind of giant industrial steam engine collapsing. A preview of this is noticed at minute 18:00, and from 20:50 on I turn the volume to maximum to hear the piccolos, flutes, violins and brass. It's only 7 bars, but what a lot of bars! Then the trumpet leads a military march. What a painful ending, it's like a war that inevitably must continue to spread, sweeping everything away, as if the sixth symphony had not ended.

[CamaradaPedro]

The scherzo is one of the most peculiar and strange movements in Mahler's astonishing symphonic career. This captivating melody and this clarinet glissando at the beginning take me to another planet. I love him ❤

[Cephalopoda]

So much energy in this performance. Love it!
And one of my favourite symphonies. Was delighted to hear it live a year or so ago at the Edinburgh International Festival with the Czech Philharmonic.

[coryjorgensen]

00:00 1. Langsam (B minor – E minor)
22:03 2. Nachtmusik. Allegro moderato (C major – C minor)
38:49 3. Scherzo. Schattenhaft (D minor)
42:00 3. Trio. (D major)
48:36 4. Nachtmusik. Andante amoroso (F major)
1:01:38 5. Rondo - Finale. Tempo I (Allegro ordinario) (C major)

[ultradmann]

Between this recording and the Bernstein/New York Phil recording are among the best. That descending clarinet glissando at the beginning of the Scherzo is one of the best I've heard it played too, sounds gnarly and I love it!

[nerowolfe]

It's creepy and it's kooky
Mysterious and spooky
It's altogether ooky
The Seventh Sym-phony!!!

` and that's why it's so great.

[fredvacher]

Je trouve cette interpretation tres reussie, fluide, le solo du debut est fameux vraiment. Mahler etait vraiment original. Ses symphonies donnent l'impression qu'il avait absolument tout organise dans sa tete et qu'il n'avait qu'a transcrire ce qu'il avait concu : la fluidite et l'originalite des idees, des modulations en sont le temoignage, emouvantes de surcroit, si vivantes et pleines d'espoir dans les detresses. Malgre l'incomprehension du public qui peut-etre n'y voyait ni queue ni tete, il a bravement continue a composer.

[coasterdragon]

Love this symphony to death. It was the first of Mahler I was introduced to. The first movement is divine, and the last movement is insane. I got the chance to listen to this with Yannick Nezet-Seguin conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra earlier this year with a study score, and it is still one of my favorite experiences to date.

[richardwilliams]

At 1:01:39 we hear that iconic timpani solo. Well played by American born timpanist of this Orchestra, I believe

[martaveproubert]

2:23 - 10:36 - 12:12 - 14:00 - 19:49

22:03 - 23:28

38:49 - 43:42 - 46:19

51:50 - 54:08

1:01:38 - 1:01:51 - 1:04:38 - 1:09:40 - 1:17:49

[ob]

58:45 reminds me of the climax of the Adagietto from the Fifth.

[ilirllukaci]

Gielen one of my favorite Mahlerians. And most especially in this harmonically most 2nd Viennese School of all Mahler symphonies.

[kambiztaghavi]

@11:32 Star Trek theme. OMG page by page of this genius soldier is used in Hollywood !

[martinianotanoni]

The tremolo in the beginning is not supposed to be measured!..

[shawnwilliamson]

1:15:10 ah vous dirais-je maman mozart quote

[Uhor]

Why Mahler? Why did you have to write such a shitshow finale!? The rest of the symphony is so delcious.

[duncanfisher]

I dunno. It's growing on me. But I hear him plagiarising #2 and #5, and he collapses into too many Dambusters marches.

[stooge]

Bro just put the string section at the TOP of the score. They're the closest to the conductor.