Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 “The Ressurrection”
The life of Gustav Mahler is one of a reclusive style, while yet still managing to capture the world’s attention with massive and beautiful soundscapes, and works that are uniquely some of the last works in the late Romantic Era.
The first of the five movements begins with the startling lower strings and a striking color from the higher woodwinds. Notes are E-flat, D, E-flat, F, G, E-flat, D, E-flat, F, G, G, C… It really is a great opener to a fantastic symphony that goes from that to several sections that seem to outline the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are so many smashing horn parts that hint whenever a point of dissonance or tragedy strikes. The part of the symphony to most focus on is the last three to five minutes of the piece—the section in question—the choral and orchestral finale. It has a text of peace, proclaiming that God has risen to take away the pain of the world and that by grace, we are free. Hence, the resurrection of Christ. Albeit highly operatic with the soloists chiming in on this text, the whole scene is what this writer believes would be the truest form of worship to God. It’s complete with the full orchestra, high winds, brass, thundering percussion, tubular bells, and cymbals. It has everything that God would want. The expression and emotion is also all there.
There is no slouching on the performance of this symphony. Everyone is giving200 percent of themselves. it is an hour and a half of music that is surely not lost. It is to be appreciated for years to come.
