Mahler’s 6th symphony.
- Conducted by Claudio Abbado.
This symphony is often referred to as Mahler’s ‘Tragic Symphony’ and much has been written about the significance of the hammer blows incorporated in the music – the blows of fate.
Several tragic events of Mahler’s life are associated with these hammer blows: The death of his young daughter, Putzi, the diagnosis of his own heart illness, plus the loss of his job at the Vienna Opera.
Caludio Abbado has the reputation of being one of the world’s finest Mahler conductors. This has been further reinforced by his many performances held at Lucerne, Switzerland with his hand-picked orchestra constituting the Lucerne Festival orchestra.
This very large orchestra, apart from containing musicians of outstanding individual abilities, also lays great stress upon their experience with the world of chamber music. Thus is achieved the unusual combination of orchestral size allied to individual performance capability.
Here is the Mahler Symphony No. 6 in A minor, ‘Tragic’ , with Claudio Abbado conducting the Lucerne Festival Orchestra: (Sorry: click “skip Ad” once the video opens)
http://youtu.be/Lqqk0cfaA8Y
Just for comparison, have a look at another great Mahler conductor: Mahler’s Symphony Number 6, as performed by Leonard Bernstein, with the Wiener Philharmoniker:
http://youtu.be/BAQBR2SMLrs
Tags: Gustav Mahler, Symphony #6, Abbado, Bernstein