Jaren Hinckley

NOTE: These are not intended to be “program notes.” I have done little or no research about the piece beyond what I already knew coming into the listening experience. These are simply my responses to the music.

TITLE: Symphony No. 1 “Titan”

DESCRIPTION OF THE PIECE: A multi-movement work for orchestra—and, as is usual with Mahler, the orchestra is expanded: double the winds, double the brass, expanded string and percussion sections.
I never know if I should refer to Mahler’s music as “program music” or not because it doesn’t necessarily tell a story in the manner of, say, Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique. Instead, Mahler tells any number of stories depending on your own perceptions and emotions. Mahler’s music is very personal and filled with dichotomies. For instance, the famous 3rd movement features a funeral march to the tune of Frere Jacques (in minor mode). Listen to some darling children singing Frere Jacques followed immediately by the beginning of the 3rd movement, second statement of the tune in a round between solo cello and solo bassoon.

Mahler 1 – Frere Jacques

 Is it about the deaths of numerous of his siblings to childhood diseases?  Is it about the “death” of childhood itself (since his was filled with turmoil)?  And then a few minutes into the funeral march, Jewish folk dances begin, interrupting the dirge.  Happy revelry in the midst of death? Many textbooks point to a particular drawing-The Huntsman’s Funeral-to provide a program for this movement. The animals are having a funeral for the huntsman, crying crocodile tears, but unavoidably, they forget that they’re pretending to be sad and start dancing in celebration (because everyone knows that forest animals are Jewish 🙂  Side note: it seems quite clear that certain melodies used in Fiddler on the Roof were either borrowed from Mahler, or that Mahler and Fiddler borrowed from the same folk source). Have a listen to the comparison (first Mahler, then Fiddler):

Mahler 1 – Fiddler on the Roof

Mahler’s father ran a pub attached to their home; often, when a dead sibling was being taken out the back door, the revelry from the bar provided a unique counterpoint to the sadness in the home.

One of my frustrations with this piece is that the 3^rd movement gets so much attention in Music Appreciation textbooks and Music History classes that the other movements are neglected.  My personal favorite is the first movement; it evokes nature in remarkable and glorious ways starting with wonderful evocations of nature. The programmatic depiction of forest animals (including the cuckoo by the e-flat clarinet) and the offstage trumpet choir are my favorite elements.  One of my good friends pointed out that the opening of the 1^st movement owes a lot to the first movement of Beethoven’s Symphony #9—check out the comparison (first Mahler, then Beethoven, then Mahler again):

Mahler 1 – Beethoven 9 – Mahler 1

HIGHLIGHT:  For me, I guess the first movement, but listen to the entire symphony–there are lots of great recordings of the complete symphony available on YouTube–it is lengthy, but worth it.

In fact, the first time I heard this symphony live, I was weeping through much of the final movement.  Something about Mahler’s music touches me to the very core. I like to think it is because he and I are kindred spirits.

WHAT’S LEFT TO LISTEN TO BY MAHLER?:  A lot.  But I’ll do it.