Gustav Mahler's Eighth Symphony
The Universal and the Particular, Two Sides to Mahler
Mahler's Eighth Symphony is marked by tragedy and triumph, a dualistic depiction of the soul of man.
Bohemian-Austrian composer Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) believed that "what one makes music about is the whole (i.e. feeling, thinking, breathing, suffering) man." And certainly Mahler's own life experiences come through in his passionate music.
Though born to Jewish parents residing in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Mahler converted to Catholicism while working in Hamburg, Germany (1891-1897). Though one could argue that his conversion was a practical move due to the anti-Semitic climate of the time, Mahler seems to have been sincerely attracted to Christian doctrines regarding suffering and redemption. He also read heavily through the works of Nietzsche, Jean Paul, and Dostoevsky during this time. Mahler experienced suffering and sacrifice in his personal life: not particularly understanding of his wife’s compositional aspirations, his marriage suffered. While Mahler worked in Vienna (1897-1907), his wife had an affair, his eldest daughter died of scarlet fever or diphtheria, and Mahler discovered he had a serious heart condition that limited his physical activity.
The Symphony of a Thousand
Like Beethoven, Mahler completed nine symphonies. He was somewhat superstitious regarding the number nine and for a while delayed writing a ninth symphony. He started a tenth, but only finished two full movements before his death. His symphonies are colorful and call for rather large ensembles: the Eighth Symphony in E-flat major is often called the “Symphony of a Thousand” because of the number of performers required.
Like Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Mahler’s Eighth Symphony blends a full chorus with the orchestra. But whereas in Beethoven’s symphony the chorus comes to full fruition only in the final movement, Mahler’s symphony front-ends the work by starting immediately with the entire chorus. Departing from conventional symphonic form, the Eighth Symphony is simply two rather lengthy parts.
The first half is based on the text from a plainsong hymn Veni creator spiritus and features the chorus prominently. As if to give the other side of this spiritual prayer, the second half depicts the final scene of Part 2 in Goethe’s Faust and features much lengthier instrumental sections. The first half is confident and triumphant, the organ and trumpet parts suggesting heavenly glory, while the voices steadily push the rhythmic pulse forward. The second half is darker, more melancholy and hesitant. The first half might be compared to the transcendent immutability of the Church, while the second half paints the portrait of the weak individual. This individual is one who must choose alone and in doing so, risks choosing wrongly (as Faust did). Perhaps in keeping with this emphasis on individuality, the textural timbre is lighter, and several solos or upper voice ensembles replace the full-bodied chorus that dominated the first half.
