Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.2 (Motion III)
Motion III
Additionally composed in the summertime of 1893, the third motion was initially labelled because the second motion, because it bears many similarities to Todtenfeier. This motion is the primary of the symphony to take musical and literary inspiration from Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn assortment. For the Scherzo, Mahler makes use of the music ‘Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt’ from ‘The Humoresken’ assortment of songs. Equally to the funeral march primarily based on the nursery rhyme Bruder Martin, the satire Mahler instils on this motion is of the same type.
Though modified over thrice, the message of this motion presents a merciless nightmare that leads for the individual in query (probably the well-loved individual) to cry of disgust on the finish. This motion makes an attempt to reply Mahler’s questions: Does this life and this loss of life have which means? And Is that this all an unlimited terrifying joke? The unique programme observe for this motion stated:
“The spirit of unbelief, of presumption, has taken possession of him, he beholds the tumult of look and along with the kid’s pure understanding he loses the agency footing that love alone affords; he despairs of himself and of God. The world and life develop into for him a disorderly apparition; disgust for all being and changing into lays maintain of him with an iron grip and drives him to cry out in desperation.”
Mahler pushes on from the idyllic second motion and presents how the world truly is for the one that is persistently referred to within the programme. This bittersweet motion was described in way more depth in one in every of Mahler’s diary entries:
“Within the Fischpredigt… the prevailing temper is one in every of quite bittersweet humour. St. Anthony preaches to the fishes; his phrases are instantly translated into their completely tipsy-sounding language (the clarinet), and so they all come swimming as much as him – a glittering shoal of them: eels and carp, and the pike with their pointed heads. I swear, whereas I used to be composing, I actually saved imagining that I noticed them sticking their stiff immovable necks out from the water, and gazing up at St. Anthony with their silly faces – I needed to snort out loud! And have a look at the congregation swimming away as quickly because the sermon’s over: “Die Predigt hat g’fallen/ Sie beiben wie alle (‘They preferred the sermon/ However remained unchanged’). Not one in every of them is one iota wiser for it, despite the fact that the Saint has carried out it for them! However just a few folks will perceive my satire on mankind.”
The precision in Mahler’s pictorial imagery throughout the above description helps the concept he was recreating a scene painted only a 12 months earlier by Swiss painter, Arnold Böcklin (1827-1901). It’s identified that Mahler was a supporter of Böcklin’s work, and he hung his portray Der Heilige Antonius Predigt den Fischen in his Hamburg studio (See Instance 1). The picture reveals the fish that Mahler mentions within the poem, and subsequently reveals Mahler’s two essential sources of inspiration for the premise of the Scherzo motion.
Instance I: Arnold Böcklin’s Der Heilige Antonius Predigt den Fischen
The programme that Mahler wrote for this motion could be very fascinating, and has been the centre of quite a lot of opinions from audiences, critics and students alike. Throughout the programme Mahler describes an individual trying right into a dance scene from the skin:
“The expertise behind the Scherzo I can solely describe by way of the next picture: if, at a distance, you watch a dance by a window, with out with the ability to hear the music, then the turning and the twisting motion of the {couples} appears mindless, as a result of you aren’t catching the rhythm that’s the key to all of it. You should think about that to 1 who has misplaced his identification and his happiness, the world appears like this – distorted and loopy as if in a concave mirror. The Scherzo ends with the appalling shriek of this tortured soul.”
One other hyperlink is constructed right here with the First Symphony, the place we see our hero watching his personal funeral. Within the Second, nonetheless, he’s now observing a celebration of kinds, however both manner they’re completely ostracised from the world.
The Scherzo begins with explosive timpani hits which are quickly developed right into a leaping rhythm that’s primarily based across the interval of a fourth. This reliance on the fourth hyperlinks all three actions to date, one thing that Mahler preferred to do in quite a lot of his symphonies. Above this rhythmic basis, there are staggered entries from the decrease woodwind that each one have various rhythms, which emphasises the off-beats. When the strings enter they start the perpetuum cellular theme which is quickly handed across the ensemble.
Mahler’s use of each fugal and perpetual movement writing, there may be the potential to create completely different voices throughout the music, and it’s right here we see a cut up within the acutely aware and unconscious personalities of the programme. In typical Mahlerian type, there’s a topic (the programme) and a counter-subject (making an attempt to get away from the programme), and that is emphasised all through this motion.
The principle feelings explored within the Third Motion are:
- The Humorous
- The Sinister
- The Solemn
The humorous and sinister feelings are essentially the most prevalent, with them unravelling Mahler’s query: Is that this all only a terrifying joke? The bittersweet humour that Mahler makes use of all through is sinister in nature, which retains the listener on edge all through. The solemn emotion is heard in small doses all through, one in every of which straight factors to the ultimate motion.
Mahler depends closely on the woodwind on this motion, specifically the clarinets and specifically the shrill Eb clarinets. Their counter-sound to the woodier voice-like tones of the opposite sections creates an uncomfortable conflict at instances, which feeds into the darkish humour that Mahler finds so amusing.
The Scherzo involves a robust climax because the orchestra quickly develop into turbulent, which ends up in a dissonant outcry. This chord emphasises the sentiments of desperation and disgust for this tortured soul. There’s extra connections with the thematic materials and moods used to painting the programme, and these foreshadow the music within the Finale. All actions up to now have ended quietly and the Scherzo concludes with only a few devices enjoying, with a gentle strike of the tam-tam making a menacing ambiance on the finish of this turbulent motion.
Ⓒ Alex Burns 2023
I gratefully acknowledge the monetary assist offered by the Gustav Mahler Society UK for this Mahler 2 weblog sequence.
To study extra concerning the fascinating life and music of Gustav Mahler and to take pleasure in examine days, social occasions and recitals that are held all year long, enquire about membership at: information@mahlersociety.org or go to the Gustav Mahler Society UK web site.
You may expertise this epic symphony for your self this March in Sheffield when over 300 native musicians unite to carry out this unbelievable work.
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