Mahler - Symphony No.5 - Abbado - Lucerne Festival Orchestra 2004

One of my compositions. Like that !

2024, anyone here?

I had the pleasure of playing viola in the Chicago Civic Orchestra in the 1980s, basically a very good student orchestra whose players all took lessons from members of the Chicago Symphony or in the Chicago area. Occasionally, the guest conductor of the Chicago symphony would agree to lead the orchestra and one Saturday morning, it happened to be Claudio Abbado. He asked us what we wanted to play, someone suggested Schumann 4, and the librarians passed out the music. Abbado did not need a score. We realized we were going to sight read Schuman four with of the greatest conductors ever. It was electrifying. He knew every note. And was a personable, gentle soul. Never yelled at anyone. Just encouragement. After it was over, He thanked us and we stood up and gave him our heartfelt applause. Such a wonderful man.

🟦 1st Movement : Trauermarsch 🔸Five part structure: Main section (A) - Trio I (B) - Main Section (A') - Trio II (B') - Coda (A'') ◾Main Section (A) in C-sharp minor 1:01 First part beginning with trumpet solo 2:10 Second part, elegiac character 3:10 First part again (altered) 4:02 Second part again (altered) 5:14 Third part beginning in A-flat major and closing in D-flat major / D-flat minor ◾Trio I (B) in B-flat minor 6:26 First Part 6:48 Second part beginning in E-flat minor 7:13 Third part (linked to the first) in B-flat minor ◾Main Section (A') in C-sharp minor 8:00 First part (altered) 8:53 Second part (altered) 10:00 Third part (altered) in D-flat major 10:48 Transition ◾Trio II (B') in A minor 11:00 First part 11:27 Second part beginning in D minor 11:59 Third part in A minor with collapselike climax ◾12:30 Coda (A'') in C-sharp minor 🟦 2nd Movement : Sturmisch bewegt! Turbulently Rough! 🔸Sonata Form, thematically linked to first movement ◾Exposition 13:37 Main section in A minor, part 1 14:10 Main section, part 2 (trumpet motif prominent) 14:48 Transition (tritone motif in trumpets and inferno figures in woodwinds) 14:57 Secondary section in F minor (new setting of Trio II, 11:00) ◾Development 17:06 Diminished 7th chord with inferno figures 17:10 Development and combination of the motifs from the main section 17:40 Tritone motifs (trumpets, later trombones); inferno figures (woodwinds); sighing in strings 17:54 Monody of the 'lamenting' cellos in E-flat minor 19:00 New setting of secondary section in E-flat minor; contrapuntal combination with motifs from the main section 20:10 Motifs from the main section 20:22 Return to the 'main section' of the first movement (10:00), now in B major 21:08 March-like section beginning in A-flat major, growing in intensity 21:43 Pesante: anticipation of the chorale (in A major) ◾Recapitulation 21:52 Main section beginning in A minor and leading to E minor 22:25 Secondary section beginning in E minor and leading to E-flat minor 24:25 Wuchtig/Weighty : contrapuntal combination of motifs from the secondary sections 25:13 Pesante: Chorale in D major (Vision of Paradise) ◾Coda 26:30 Diminished 7th chord over a nonchord B-flat, main motif of the movement, inferno figures, sighing motifs 26:37 First part of the main section in D minor (a surge of intensificiation leads up to a collapselike climax) 27:23 Area of resolution in A minor 🟦 3rd Movement : Scherzo ◾Main section 28:29 First period (main theme) 28:45 Second period (main theme with modified contrapuntal restatement) 28:56 Third period (variation of the main theme) 29:10 Fourth period (with a new eighth-note theme and a concise rhythmic counter theme beginning in B minor and leading into the substance of the main theme) 29:44 Fifth period 29:54 Sixth period (beginning with the eighth-note theme and leading into the substance of the main theme) 30:34 Seventh period ◾Trio I (in B-flat Major) 30:51 Period 1 31:15 Period 2 ◾Main section (shortened recapitulation) 31:45 Period 1 31:59 Period 2 32:12 Fugato on the eighth note theme ◾Trio II 32:33 First section (of preparatory character) 32:53 Second section (beginning slow and with growing intensity) 33:31 Third section: four line episode in G minor 34:56 Fourth section: New version of the theme, reminiscent of Trio I 35:32 Fifth section: imitative treatment of the theme 36:39 Sixth section: new version of the theme with added reminisces of Trio I and the main theme) ◾Development 37:50 Development and contrasting of the motifs of Trio I and the main theme ◾Recapitulation (greatly modified) Main Section, Period 1 (38:53), 2 (39:08), 3 (39:20), 4 (39:31) 40:07 Trio I 40:23 Trio II combined with the eighth-note theme 41:23 Strongly, motifs of Trio I and of the main theme developed in two large waves of intensification 42:33 New version of the episode from Trio II ◾Coda 44:21 Stretta 🟦 4th Movement : Adagietto 45:25 ◾Popularized in Luchino Visconti’s film Death in Venice, https://youtu.be/iHB_YWIWkE8 ◾Its mood and certain melodic turns are related to the Ruckert song Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen. https://youtu.be/TzJyIWxjX9o ◾Mahler’s declaration of love for Alma! ◾Middle section: quotes the “gaze motif” from Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde. https://youtu.be/hcYjKs_9ov8 @ 3'10" 🟦 5th Movement : Rondo-Finale ◾Introduction 53:51 Presentation of several motifs that play a role in the fugal passages [note bassoon 54:05 = clarinet in Lob des hohen Verstandes from Das Knaben Wunderhorn @0:06 https://youtu.be/qrAUpv3e2I4] ◾Exposition 54:33 Main section, arranged in bar form = Rondo theme in D major: allegro giocoso. Fresh 55:10 Fugal Part I (D Major) [note 55:27 is a transformation of 25:58] 56:38 Main section : Rondo theme in D major 57:15 Fugal Part II (B-flat major, D major, f-sharp major) 57:41 Secondary section (grazioso) in B major [a metamorphosis of 49:39 from IV] 58:36 Epilogue in B major ◾Development 58:45 Introductory section (flowing) 59:18 Fugal Part III 59:54 Section beginning in C major 1:00:26 Section beginning in B major and modulating to D major 1:01:02 Secondary section in D major, partly treated imitatively and partly provided with countermelodies 1:01:59 Epilogue 1:02:08 Fugal Part IV ◾Recapitulation 1:03:24 Main section varied : Rondo theme in D major 1:04:09 Fugal Part V 1:05:08 Development of the main section in A-flat and A major 1:05:59 Secondary section in G major 1:07:10 Transition [gradually and constantly faster] 1:07:34 Chorale in D major ◾Coda 1:08:20 Stretta 1:08:41 Interesting form of the chorale melody in the horns "the mood is at times reminiscent of the second Wayfarer song https://youtu.be/6VCpbMPhmWY and its wholesome world, as well as the first movement of the 4th with which the Rondo-Finale share some childlike figures", eg. flute @ 55:35 similar to @1:27 https://youtu.be/YnfhInZLmUQ ◾notes based on Constantin Floros : Gustav Mahler The Symphonies, Amadeus Press

When I started listening Mahler I just thought it was boring, but now I am discovering a whole new universe of great music, Mahler composed differently from other romantic composers, his music is quite odd but the more I listen to his music the more I realize how great it is. Mahler is an acquired taste.

I want to apologise to myself for not discovering Mahler any sooner💔 but I'm celebrating my 20th birthday with this breathtaking piece of music. This is insanely beautiful

As an enthusiast of great classical music I came here not only because of Cate Blanchett's exceptional performance in Tár (in her maestro role) but also because I could not get rid of this mesmerizing piece of music. What a gift it is being able to watch and listen to Claudio Abbado! Surprised how I only came to discover him and Mahler this year, for sure I will not forget them so soon.

If you want to sound smart, just say you love Mahler.

We miss you Abbado !

twoset reccomended them, therefore here i am

Must confess, I came here from the movie “Tar”, glad to discover Mahler.

abbado's lucerne mahler cycle is incredible

At the very start, the camera picked out Maestro Abbado's lifelong friend, pianist Maurizio Pollini (the one wearing glasses and blue tie). They tried to never miss each other's concerts and Abbado conducted Pollini on piano on occasion.

A Mahler's 5th for the ages. People will be listening to this performance hundreds of years from now. There probably has never been an orchestra so totally suited to play Mahler's music as this version of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, seen and heard at its peak here. The clarity of all the contrapuntal lines in the finale is amazing. No other performance I've heard (there have been many) has achieved this.

I. 0:55 - Trauermarsch. In gemessenem Schritt. Streng. Wie ein Kondukt II. 13:36 - Stürmisch bewegt. Mit grösster Vehemenz III. 28:20 - Scherzo (Kräftig, Nicht zu schnell) IV. 45:17 - Adagietto (Sehr langsam) V. 53:49 - Rondo-Finale (Allegro)

Great shot from 22:32 seeing all the musicians swaying around like a sea, putting everything into it.

This is THE MOST BELOVED conductor of his generation!  May he rest in ETERNAL PEACE and JOY!

Genius is a small word to describe Maestro Abbado. What kind of brain made him able to memorize the nine big and complicated Mahler's symphonies and conduct them (without score) with such brilliancy ? I think Mahler himself couldn’t do it.  RIP Great Maestro Abbado.

Who came here to receive true enjoyment for our ears and souls?

Mahlers genius. Abbados one of the greatest. But my comment is for video director. He knows and feels the music and gives us a look on who’s instrument is soloing. Thank you