One of the things I love about Mahler’s 9th Symphony
is that, as he didn’t live to hear the piece and thus make post-première changes, what we have are his first thoughts, pure and simple, undiluted
by the experience of rehearsal and performance. It’s as finished
a piece as any of his symphonies with the obvious exception of
the 10th! There’s more despair, more world-weariness,
more tragedy in the Ninth, but no matter how you look at it, this
isn’t, a farewell – Mahler did that quite magnificently in the
Abschied of Das Lied von der Erde. Even for a composer
as visionary as Mahler he could never repeat that astonishing
experience. Let’s not forget that Mahler never heard Das Lied
either. Perhaps it’s this lack of second thoughts that make these
final two works so special.
The Ninth has had many superb recordings over the years, since the
live performance by the Vienna Philharmonic under Bruno Walter
in 1938. This, although imperfect, is an important historical
document for it was Walter who conducted the première
shortly after the composer’s death. When this performance was
given, the work was only 27 years old, so it was still quite
a modern piece and the approach of the players was towards an
almost contemporary composition. Playing the work today, in
our post-holocaust, post-atomic, age, our perceptions of the
music are quite different. So what does a conductor, born to
Austrian parents in the USA, after the bomb, make of this music?
Schwarz
starts very well indeed, slow and mysterious, the mere flecks
of music slipping into our consciousness as the various strands
come together. He creates a fine first climax with the piccolo
screaming at the top of the texture. The only flaw in the whole
movement is that after creating the atmosphere, at the critical
moment of tension there is insufficient power for the music
to make its full, and devastating, impact. It’s a hair-raising
instant at 19:00 where there’s a mad downward rush on the strings
culminating in the opening idea played loudly on trombones and
timpani, followed by distant fanfares in the brass. On the violins
there’s a mad downward rush on the strings culminating in the
opening idea played loudly on trombones and timpani, followed
by distant fanfares in the brass.
The
middle movements more or less play themselves, and very enjoyable
they are except that at the start of the second movement there
is a distinct lack of power and bite in the violins’ first entry;
it’s polite where it needs to be rough. The long finale is finely
handled, the build up to the repeat of the trumpet motif from
the first movement is well controlled and the climax is glorious.
This
is a very good Mahler Ninth. I’ve listened to it four times
today and enjoyed every hearing, but there lies the problem.
It’s a good performance, but the interpretation is lightweight
- too lightweight. Mahler’s Ninth is not, unless you are the
most ardent Mahler fan, which I am not, the kind of work which
can be listened to four times in a day! The experience should
be one of overwhelming power and tragedy which is an emotional
experience and wears you out. I am afraid that Schwarz fails
to deliver that necessary emotional dagger to the chest.
His
performance of the 1st Symphony is an entirely
different matter. The nature music of the first movement is
very evocative. The “wayfarer” theme is beautifully paced. The
coda, where he rather naughtily, and unnecessarily, speeds up,
is thrilling. The dance of the second movement is a touch on
the light side but it works within the context of the interpretation.
The grotesque third movement funeral march seemed too fast on
first hearing but I got used to it and found it to be well thought
out. The finale, the weakest movement without a doubt, goes
over the top a bit too much. It’s good, but there’s not much
you can do with a piece which is either loud or quiet, romantic
or shouting. The triumphant coda is superb. This is young man’s
music and Schwarz has every bar at his fingertips. Despite my
few reservations, he delivers a powerhouse of a performance!
Throughout
the Liverpool Philharmonic plays magnificently – what a great
orchestra it is!. However they can’t, and don’t, make a real Mahler
(Viennese) sound; it is very English. The orchestra cannot be
faulted in what it gives for Mahler. Ultimately my dissatisfaction
comes from the fact that the interpretation of the 9th
Symphony is lacking the grit and feeling of universality which
is so important to Mahler. Oddly, if you don’t know Mahler’s music
this could be a good introduction to it, as it won’t scare you
off by being too serious and gut-wrenching. Ultimately though
you’ll want to be wrenched and for that you need Bruno Walter,
or the great Barbirolli recording with the Berlin Philharmonic.
Bob Briggs
