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mahler and the fourth symphony |
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admittedly taken from: "Willem Mengelberg Dirigent Conductor", Haags Gemeente Museum, 1995. Frits Zwart SECOND AND FOURTH SYMPHONY Mahler was delighted with Mengelberg's invitation to conduct again in Amsterdam in November 1904. It would also provide an opportunity for the two to 'reconfirm and fortify' their still young friendship, as he later wrote. However, he wished to come in October instead since he was planning to conduct his Fifth Symphony in Cologne in the middle of that month and he was not pleased with the prospect of making the long journey twice in such a short period of time. Mengelberg agreed and reserved three dates for the composer: 23, 26 and 27 October. |
Since Mahler had written that he was to conduct the Fifth Symphony in
Cologne, Mengelberg may have considered adding this work to the
programme in Amsterdam. As July drew to a close, Mahler wrote listing
the approximate durations of the three symphonies: he estimated the
Fourth to be forty-five minutes, the Fifth approximately an hour and
fifteen minutes, and the Second, an hour and a half. As late as the end
of September or beginning of October, Mengelberg informed Mahler that he
had decided to programme the Second and Fourth Symphonies, the works
that all along had been specifically referred to. In the middle of
October, Mahler sent Mengelberg a score of the Fourth with corrections
entered in red ink or pencil that were to be copied into the orchestral
parts."Before his arrival I would practice his works with the orchestra, and after, attend as many of his rehearsals as possible, making note of his comments and explanations, which often penetrated to the deepest core of the music", Mengelberg recounted in 1921. His personal copy of the Fourth (and Fifth) Symphony is a more than adequate testament to his diligence in making note of Mahler's ideas. |
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Mahler's concerts in Amsterdam were a huge success: the musicians
were well-prepared, the composer himself considered it "a
perfectly exemplary performance", and the reviews of his music
were very positive. They were "days wonderfully passed" in
Amsterdam, as he later wrote Mengelberg. The city had "become a
second musical Heimath", repeating the phrase he used after his
first visit. And perhaps most importantly, he was deeply impressed by
Mengelberg's ability to become wholly one with his music. |
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(p) 2001 Dutch Divas |
Mahler
let it be known that he wished to conduct only his own music, as he
had done in 1903. The rest of the concert was to be led by Mengelberg,
who should choose works the orchestra was very familiar with so that
Mahler need not give up rehearsal time and could devote each rehearsal
to his own compositions. In a letter to Alma, the composer gave an
account of the preparations in the days preceding the concerts: "Life
here goes on whirlwind of rehearsals. Everything is splendidly
prepared and as time passes I believe that I have become here
something of a musical island kingdom." So thorough was
Mengelberg in his preparation of the orchestra that Mahler even
permitted himself to cancel one rehearsal so that he could visit the
Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem. Mahler conducted the Fourth Symphony on
23 October. It was the only composition on the programme that evening
and was repeated in its entirety once again under his baton, after the
intermission. He wrote Alma: "Behold Sunday's programme: 1.
Fourth Symphony by G. Mahler, intermission, 2. Fourth Symphony by G.
Mahler. What do you think of that?! They simply placed my piece twice
on the programme. After the intermission it starts all over again from
the very beginning! I am very curious whether the audience will be
warmer to it the second time. This, I think, is the very thing for a
new composition. -The orchestra plays the Fourth, which I rehearsed
today, with delightful purity." Looking back on it, Mengelberg
referred to the double performance as a "daring experiment".
As Mahler had requested that Mengelberg conduct the second half of the
programme, it must certainly have been on Mengelberg's initiative that
the Fourth Symphony was performed twice in the same concert.
In
the summer of 1905, Mengelberg visited a music festival in Dresden and
spent considerable time there in the company of conductor and composer
Max Schillings (1868-1933). They went together to Graz, where, at
another music festival (attended by Strauss and Mahler as well), a
composition by Schillings was to be performed. They then travelled to
Vienna, where Mengelberg introduced Schillings to Mahler. In Vienna,
Mengelberg passed several days in the company of Mahler. "Opera
each evening, superb, heavenly dined yesterday at Mahler's with
Schillings, also heavenly", Mengelberg wrote his wife. Mahler
gallantly added to a postcard Mengelberg sent her: "with the
sincerest sorrow that I may not greet you together with your husband".
Two days later Mengelberg wrote: "I am writing from Mahler's
office. He's been wonderfully kind and gracious with me. We go out
together each day - he always invites me. His wife is with the
children in Tirol, his house has been closed for the time being, and
he is staying with his parents-in-law. Yesterday I dined there with
Schillings." Mahler, in turn, wrote Alma: