Symphony No. 1

    "My symphony was greeted with unbounded enthusiasm on one
    side and furious opposition on the other. Opinions were aired in
    the streets and drawing-rooms in a most edifying manner. For
    'when the dogs begin to bark, we know we're on the way!' Of
    course I was the winner (in my own estimation, though scarcely in
    anyone else's)."

    Mahler, writing to Arnold Berliner, two days after the (1894)
    Weimar premiere of the second version of the symphony.

    One of must be crazy, and it isn't me!

    Eduard Hanslick, the opening of his review of the first Viennese
    performance, 18 December 1900.

    Is it a weasel, a cloud or a camel?

    Gustav Sch凩ich, review of first Vienna performance.

    "I marvelled at the singular courage of the unknown
    composer....and ardently desired to know the man responsible for
    so extravagant a work."

    Bruno Walter, recalling his first hearing of Mahler's first symphony,
    in June 1894, at the age of 18.

Mahler's first symphony is today considered to be an early work, which is
somewhat surprising considering that it was completed when he was 28, and
that the version with which we are familiar today is the third, a revision from
1896.

The earliest version, composed between 1884 and 1888, and premiered in
Budapest on November 20, 1889, was dubbed Symphonic Poem in two parts
by the composer. The score no longer appears to exist - Donald Mitchell, in
Gustav Mahler: The Wunderhorn Years suggests that while preparing the
1893 revision Mahler may actually have reused the original pages of the 1888
score - certainly there have been no recordings.

During 1893, Mahler revised the score. Little is known of the details of the
revision, except that the coda of the finale was expanded. (Again, Mitchell is
very useful here, and his analysis of the differing types and sizes of manuscript
paper most suggestive)

Henri-Louis de la Grange states that there were two 1893 versions, one dated
January omitting Blumine and one dated 16 December, including it. It was
presumably something very similar to the December version which was
performed in Hamburg on October 27 under the title Titan, symphonic poem
in the form of a symphony.

Although the orchestra which Mahler uses in this version is smaller than that
used in the familiar, 1896 revision, the second version is more remarkable for
its similarities to the final revision than for its differences. This second version
was first performed on June 3, 1894, at the prestigious Weimar summer
festival, thanks in part to Richard Strauss. It was the third performance of the
symphony, and the least badly received.

According to Mahler's biographer Paul, the work was now subtitled "Titan - A
Symphonic Poem" with the following outline:

Part I. From the Days of Youth.

1. Spring without End.

2. A Chapter of Flowers (Andante).

3. Under Full Sail (Scherzo).

Part II. Commedia umana.

4. The Hunter's Funeral Procession.

5. D'all Inferno al Paradiso (Allegro furioso).

The title page of Mahler's 1893 manuscript differs slightly from this, in that the
second movement is entitled Blumine rather than Bluminenkapitel and the
fourth movement Totenmarsch in Callots Manier ("Funeral March in the Style
of Callot") and not Des Jaegers Leichenbegaengnis, although Stefan says that
the latter was the title used at the Hamburg performance of 1892.

Mahler gave the subtitle Titan (note, there is no definite article) only to this
second version - after the Weimar performance he dropped the second
movement and all the programmatic descriptions of the remaining four
movements, presenting the work thereafter (beginning with the performance in
Berlin on March 16, 1896 - the same concert as the premiere of the Gesellen
lieder) as a "conventional" four movement symphony.

Thus there is no justification for any recording - other than the Morris
discussed below - to use this title. We all know Mahler's music is titanic, and
anyway the title came from a 3-volume novel of ideas by Jean-Paul (Richter) -
also the literary inspiration of Schumann - hardly what most people associate
with the word. (Sorry to belabour this point, but it is a pet peeve)

Blumine was not performed again in public until 1968 (at the Aldburgh Festival
in a performance conducted by Benjamin Britten, of which I once - but alas no
longer! - had a reel-to-reel tape recording), but it has seen its way into a few
recordings since then. This is not really fair, as the revision of 1898/9 changed
the orchestration significantly, and so a recording, like Ozawa's, Fischer's or
Mehta's, consisting of the final version plus Blumine doesn't represent any
stage of Mahler's development of this symphony at all. I have even seen a
Hungarian recording (I suspect it's the Fischer on Hungaroton) of this
combination describing itself as the 1888 version - this is absolutely untrue, as
the 1888 version has, to my knowledge, never been recorded. The newer
Mehta version also, rather disingenuously, describes itself as Symphony No. 1
(1888).

There has only been a single recording by a major orchestra of the 1893
version, that of the NPO under Wyn Morris. (The very first was, as far as I
know, made by a Canadian youth orchestra (sic) and has long since vanished.)
Morris's is a very good, if perhaps not ultimately great, performance and a
fascinating document of Mahler's earliest skill with the orchestra: the only
earlier example we have of Mahler's orchestration is the single movement
Totenfeier (see below); even the earlier works such as the Lieder eines
fahrenden Gesellen cycle and Das Klagende Lied only exist in later revisions.
Although Morris's recording was briefly available on CD on EMI's Phoenixa
label, it seems currently only to be found on HMV's in-store label (coupled
with a rather tame Gesellen cycle under Jeffrey Tate) and there is no indication
whatsoever that this is not the final revision of the symphony. I bought my
copy in England, and do not know whether it is available in HMV stores
outside the UK - if it isn't it should be; the continuing absence of this important
recording from the main catalogue is nothing less than a disgrace.

That apart, this symphony (in its final version) seems to be very lucky on
record and there are at least half a dozen recordings that can safely be
recommended. My absolute favourite, though,of the over 20 versions I
possess is also one of the cheapest: it's by the Bavarian Radio Symphony
Orchestra conducted by Rafael Kubelik (DG). Not only does it cost well under
$10 it also, unusually (actually this is becoming less unusual), comes with a
coupling, the Gesellen cycle sung by the great Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. This
is an entirely appropriate coupling, as the song-cycle provides thematic
material for the symphony.

This CD does not enjoy the very finest recording - it dates from 1968 - and the
orchestra doesn't quite rank with the very best (the trumpets, for example,
sound a little thin), but the performance makes up for all that. As an example,
listen to the way the strings in the final movement coda (about a minute before
the end) just bounce out of the speakers at you. This is an effect that once
heard spoils you for any other performance because you're always listening for
it - and in case this seems to be a superficial view, based on a transitory effect,
I would defend it by pointing out that by doing this Kubelik gives the coda a
relentlessly propulsive forward momentum without accelerating to an untenable
speed - something which disfigures many an otherwise fine performance, and
completely obscures those wonderful scurrying violin figures. An essential
recording.

For those who insist on a digital recording (shame on you!) then look no
further than the second Bernstein (DG) with the Royal Concertgebouw
Orchestra. The final chord has even more of an impact than usual thanks to the
extra thwack from the bass drum - not in the score but presumably sanctioned
by the conductor.

A live release from EMI brings the CBSO under Simon Rattle recorded live in
Symphony Hall, Birmingham. The hall has been widely acclaimed as one of the
finest built in recent years: some, if not all, of this comes across in this
recording. I feel this version ranks alongside the Bernstein, i.e. just a notch
below Kubelik. It is beautifully played - the CBSO are really a superb band
these days- and well recorded. The interpretation is searching, although some
of the rits and accels sound a little too calculated and not quite spontaneous
enough - cf. Kubelik who never sounds calculated. There are some
interestingly different balances, which - for me - reveal certain details never
before heard: there is, for example, a wonderful running passage for clarinets
during the opening turmoil of (iv); usually this is buried beneath the rest of the
orchestra, but not in this version. The filler - presented, I am happy to say,
separately at the beginning of the disk - is Blumine (see below).

Also at the top of my shortlist, and a real surprise, is the 1958 Everest
recording by the London Philharmonic under Sir Adrian Boult. For those who,
like me, were only used to Everest recordings in the appallingly bad LP
transfers of the 1960s and after, the astonishing realism of the recording may
come as a surprise (although perhaps less so in view of the highly successful
Mercury Living Presence and RCA Living Stereo reissue series of recent
years).

The real surprise though is that Boult, few people's idea of a Mahler
conductor, turns in a truly great performance, classical in feel, and rather faster
than we are used to, but not lacking in impact - and his scherzo dances like
few, if any, others on record.

The 1964 LSO/Solti (Decca/London) (most definitely NOT the later CSO
remake which seems to lack any magic), is now available at mid-price, the
recording is fine and the playing is superb, although here, as in his other
Mahler recordings, Solti tends to be long on (melo)drama and short on
subtlety.

The 1969 LSO/Horenstein (Unicorn-Kanchana) - we shall be discussing this
conductor in greater depth later - sounds wonderful in its CD reincarnation,
and ranks with the very finest . Horenstein's 1953 Vox recording (the first on
LP as far as I am aware) has been reisuued in a 2CD set coupled with the same
conductor's superlative recording of Bruckner's 9th. In some ways this is a
finer performance than his later version - and there is lots of lovely portamento,
which Horenstein tended to abandon in later years - although the playing in
places and certainly the recording are considerably less good. For the
budget-conscious, and those interested in what was going on before Lenny
discovered Mahler, this is highly recommended.

Neeme J绂vi's SNO recording (Chandos) is very disappointing, there is a
considerable amount of fairly dramatic rubato, but it all sounds too calculated
and unconvincing, and J绂vi is one of those who race away in the finale's
coda, although he doesn't have the courage of his convictions here, and pulls
back at the very close.

Demanding a reissue - perhaps on the new Vanguard series? - is the recording
by Sir John Barbirolli. His opening movement is fresh and affectionate and his
finale, although let down somewhat by the recording (or perhaps pressing) is
absolutely tremendous, with a coda which is only outclassed by - who else? -
Kubelik.

I cannot leave this symphony without mentioning the 1961 Columbia
Symphony recording conducted by Bruno Walter, Mahler's friend, confidant
and protege. Walter first heard this music, conducted by the composer, some
70 years before he made this record: a valuable document indeed (Sony),
although it must be admitted that his finale falls rather flat towards the end.

There is a very cheap version on LaserLight, with the Prague Festival
Orchestra under Pavel Urbanek. A decade ago this would have been of some
significance, now it's just another less than great run through. presumably this
will, in the fullness of time, be replaced by the version in Haenchen's
continuing cycle for this label.

There is a live recording by the NYPO under new director Kurt Masur on
Teldec. After decades of performing Mahler under Walter, Mitropolous,
Bernstein - and even Boulez and Mehta - the NYPO could probably play
Mahler 1 on autopilot. Which is exactly what this sounds like. The recording is
only fair too.