The third movement of the Symphony #5 by Gustav Mahler has the power to transport me to another place.
In this third movement of the symphony, Mahler tells the conductor three times and in two languages that he wants it “very slow.” If any single movement can convey the essence of Mahler’s heartache, the Adagietto is it.
The orchestra is reduced to strings with harp, and one could go on learning forever from the uncanny sense of detail with which Mahler moves those few strands of sound. If the harp part were lost and one had to reconstruct it, figuring out the right harmonies would be easy, but nobody could ever guess Mahler’s hesitating rhythm or his sensitive spacing of those chords.
Words are inadequate. Prepare your brain for a peaceful journey and actively listen:
