Until
a few months ago, I was a Mahler virgin. I had heard some of
Mahler's symphonies, but I had never listened to them. With
a budget set of his works courtesy of Brilliant Classics I decided
that it was time to look more closely at this music which was
new to me.
I've
long focused on early and baroque music, though I do like much
music in later periods: from Schubert to Ives, from Britten
to Reich, my tastes are varied. Yet the symphonic genre is something
I had never really paid attention to; I usually prefer more
intimate works.
Armed
with my set of Mahler, I started listening. And, at first, I
didn't get it. I didn't get what Mahler was saying with his
music, but, above all, I didn't get how he was saying it, how
his intricate orchestration expressed his complex music. Fortunately,
Dave Hurwitz's The Mahler Symphonies: An Owner's Manual was
recently released, and I looked to this book for the enlightenment
that I needed to understand this music. (Hurwitz is well-known
in Mahler circles as an opinionated reviewer and executive editor
of Classics Today (www.classicstoday.com).
The
approach that Hurwitz takes in this book is interesting: rather
than analyze why Mahler does what he does, Hurwitz tells what
happens in the symphonies. This might seem to be a bit simplistic
at first glance, but when you begin reading the book as you
listen to one of the symphonies, and you start noticing the
motives, the different permutations of melodic material, the
unique orchestrations, you realize that this is probably the
best way to discover this composer whose orchestral work is
quite different than most. Hurwitz points out that this is neither
a "Mahler for Dummies", nor is it a "Mahler for
Mahlerites"; in fact, it's a "Mahler for Beginners",
for people in just the situation that I was in when I started
reading the book.
I
was totally surprised to find that a book that simply tells
me what to listen to, and when, could have such an effect on
my appreciation of a composer's music. I consider myself knowledgeable
about music in general, but David Hurwitz overwhelming familiarity
with Mahler's symphonies, and his no-nonsense tone and approach,
have allowed me to explore this relatively unique composer easily.
This book has also prompted a much greater appreciation than
I would probably have had if I had simply listened to the symphonies.
The
book also comes with a CD of four movements from different symphonies;
it is both a sampler of Michael Gielen's recordings of the works
for Haenssler Classics, and serves as a pedagogical support
for some sections of the book, where Hurwitz's descriptions
are tied to the specific timings of these movements.
The
only regret is that the book ignores the tenth symphony; not
that I disagree with Hurwitz's choice of not discussing the
completions, but he should have discussed the Adagio, which
Mahler did finish, and which is a mighty deep piece of
music. But all in all, this is the ideal book for a would-be
Mahlerite, or for evangelical Mahlerites to give to others who
they would like to convert. I’m looking forward to other volumes
in the series; two other titles are currently available, about
Mozart and Wagner, and I hope the publisher will continue exploring
other composers.
Kirk McElhearn
