by Brian Hathaway
Yes, Mahler is in the middle, book-ended by two Requiems. The first is Maurice Durufle’s Requiem, a flowing piece of music based upon Gregorian chant. The Master Chorale just completed a series of concerts with The Florida Orchestra featuring this French gem, an intimate work of about 40 minutes’ duration.
The second bookend is Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem, a work of considerable scope and drama written by Verdi primarily as a concert piece to honor his friend, poet Alessandro Manzoni on the first anniversary of his death. It is dramatic and grand in scope with a performance duration of about 85 minutes. The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay will perform this work on April 23rd in Sarasota with Gloria Musicae and the Sarasota Orchestra.
In the middle, we have Mahler in a work of no small proportion. I have three recordings of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 ("Resurrection"), and they all have performance durations of about 90 minutes. The choral portion comprises about 16 minutes at the end of movement 5, but heavens, what music it is! We will perform Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with The Florida Orchestra in only three weeks, on March 17-19.
The second bookend is Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem, a work of considerable scope and drama written by Verdi primarily as a concert piece to honor his friend, poet Alessandro Manzoni on the first anniversary of his death. It is dramatic and grand in scope with a performance duration of about 85 minutes. The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay will perform this work on April 23rd in Sarasota with Gloria Musicae and the Sarasota Orchestra.
In the middle, we have Mahler in a work of no small proportion. I have three recordings of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 ("Resurrection"), and they all have performance durations of about 90 minutes. The choral portion comprises about 16 minutes at the end of movement 5, but heavens, what music it is! We will perform Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with The Florida Orchestra in only three weeks, on March 17-19.
| I first encountered Gustav Mahler back in my college days. My vinyl LP collection consisted largely of orchestral works by Beethoven, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky, and on one of my record store visits, I was at a loss regarding what to buy. I came upon a recording of Mahler’s Symphony No. 4. I had not been familiar with his music, but there was a big sale on and I did not want to walk out empty-handed, so I took a leap of faith. I can’t say that I fell in love with it at my first hearing, but I was struck to hear a Soprano Soloist singing “Das himmlesche Leben” from Mahler’s “Das Knaben Wunderhorn” in the final movement. I was fascinated to find that another composer had added the human voice to a symphonic work. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 was a favorite of mine with its choral ending and I wanted to explore more symphonic works that included the human voice. | Video highlight of Sir Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker performing Mahler's Symphony No. 2. Recorded at the Berlin Philharmonie, on January 31, 2015: |
It was several years later that I got a copy of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2. The experience literally blew me away and quickly became one of my favorite symphonic works. The lyrics, first encountered in “Urlicht”, another song taken from “Das Knaben Wunderhorn” in movement 4 pulled at my emotions: “O red Rose! Man lies in direst need! Man lies in deepest pain! I would rather be in heaven!” The Alto solo was in stark contrast to the power of the orchestra and caused a sense of peace to wash over me.
However, it was the fifth movement that held me transfixed, with a quiet choral entrance that builds to a final powerful climax. As I read the lyrics from Friedrich Klopstock’s poem while I listened I found they spoke to my soul. “What has come into being must perish! What perished must rise again!” I was so profoundly affected by these lyrics with their message of hope that I read them as part of the eulogy at my father’s funeral when he passed away in 2006.
It was in August 2007, only 14 months after my father died, that I auditioned and was accepted into The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. My father would have been proud of me, as he was a singer in his church choir and we shared a love of choral music. It was at the end of that first year that I learned we would be singing Mahler’s Symphony No. 2. I was ecstatic! I will admit that it was difficult getting some of the lyrics out because of my emotional connection to this work, but I knew Dad was listening.
Now eight years after my first experience singing Mahler’s Second, I can approach it with the special joy that comes from combining with The Florida Orchestra and my colleagues in The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay to create a truly unforgettable musical experience.
