Gerard Schwarz, the conductor on this album, is an American conductor internationally recognized for his performances and extensive recording history, with over 260 releases.
Compositional Technique
In the second movement of Mahler's Symphony No. 4, the first violin is instructed to play on an instrument tuned a whole tone higher than normal, a technique known as scordatura, to create a harsher sound.
Composition History
Mahler composed his Symphony No. 4 between 1899 and 1901, primarily during breaks from his duties as conductor of the Vienna Opera.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Gustav Mahler was a great admirer of Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Youth's Magic Horn), a popular book of German folk poems, and set many of its poems to music throughout his life.
Composition History
Mahler's Symphony No. 4 grew from a song called 'Das himmlische Leben' (The Heavenly Life), which he originally intended for his Symphony No. 3.
Critical Reception
Mahler's Symphony No. 4 was not well-received at its 1901 premiere in Munich, with audiences booing and critics dismissing its 'naïve tone' as artificial.
