Mahler Symphony No. 5, Part 2

Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast

Joshua Weilerstein

Clarinet, Timpani, Performing, Trombone, Cello, Trumpet, Bassoon, Classicalmusic, Performing Arts, Arts, Violin, Flute, Piano, Conductor, Music, Weilerstein

4.9 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 13 April 2023

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

I left you last week after Part 1 of Mahler’s 5th symphony, dazed and defeated. There seems to be no hope, and no way out. But as many of you know by now, Mahler reaches for the entire emotional spectrum in his music, and what Mahler builds out of the ashes of the first two movements is a complicated, difficult, and fascinating Part II, and a warm, sunny, and loving Part III. Part II is a single movement, a massive 17 minute scherzo that serves as a bridge to Part III and also is practically a full piece on its own. Part III of course contains the famous Adagietto, a love letter that leaves the listener full of questions that Mahler attempts to answer in the 5th movement, a sunny romp and the most unquestionably cheery movement that Mahler ever wrote. Why does Mahler build the symphony this way? How does a performer or an audience member deal with these hugely varied emotions? And how does Mahler build his complicated scherzo, his apparent love letter to Alma, and his both highly unusual and highly traditional Rondo 5th movement? Join us to find out!

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to Sticky Nuts, the classical music podcast.
0:11.8	My name is Joshua Weilersdine, my conductor, and I'm the music director of the Phoenix
0:15.2	Orchestra of Boston, and the chief conductor designate of the Alborg Symphony.
0:19.5	This podcast is for anyone who loves classical music, works in the field, or is just getting
0:24.0	ready to dive into this amazing world of incredible music.
0:27.6	Before we get started, I want to thank my new Patreon sponsors, Philip, L, Jack, Tim,
0:32.6	John, and all of my other Patreon sponsors for making season 9 possible.
0:38.1	If you'd like to support the show, please head over to patreon.com slash Sticky Nuts
0:42.0	podcast.
0:43.3	And if you are a fan of the show, please just take a moment to give us a rating or review
0:46.5	on Apple Podcasts.
0:48.2	It is greatly appreciated.
0:52.6	I am in Spain this weekend, Madrid with the RTV Symphony Orchestra, where we're doing
0:58.3	a really, really nice program with Mendelssohn, Scottish Symphony, Brahms' Violin Concert
1:03.1	with the extraordinary Maria Dwayneus, and Ligidy's Romanian Concerto, a piece that I actually
1:08.0	haven't done since before the pandemic, but one that earlier on in my career, I did all
1:13.3	the time.
1:14.3	So I looked in my score.
1:15.3	It's the 25th time that I am conducting this fantastic piece, an early piece of Ligidy,
1:21.4	which is very different from his more later, more difficult style.
1:26.8	Audiences always love it, and are always a bit surprised by it, knowing Ligidy's reputation.
1:31.2	Even though I do love Ligidy's later music, and I think, you know, this is just popped
	...

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