The Mahler Symphonies: An Owner's Manual (includes 1 CD)
by David Hurwitz
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Book Summary Information
Author: David HurwitzBrand: Amadeus Press
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-11-01
ISBN: 1574670999
Number of pages: 224
Publisher: Amadeus Press
Product features:
- Published by Amadeus Press 224 Pages
- Book/2 CD Pack by David Hurwitz Includes 2 Music CDs Unlocking the Masters Series, No. 2
- Composer: Gustav Mahler Author: David Hurwitz
Book Reviews of The Mahler Symphonies: An Owner's Manual (includes 1 CD)
Book Review: An Excellent Listener's Guide
Summary: 5 Stars
David Hurwitz has written a marvelous guide for the classical music listener who wants to get more out of Mahler's symphonies but: a) lacks the ability to follow the music him/herself, or make sense of it; and b) finds that CD and program notes do not provide sufficiently detailed description, or are too technical to be understandable. The author provides lengthy but non-technical descriptions of the music as it progresses, keeping the listener on track and ready for what comes next. Major melodies or tunes are identified by ad hoc names (the "kletzmer," the "Alma," etc.). Major rhythms are identified for the reader-listener in the most basic terms (i.e. "dum dum dadum dum"), but it works! Hurwitz eschews biographical background in favor of discussion of the form and content of the music itself. Even if the author fails to convert you to a Mahlerian (and he certainly seems to be one himself), his book will deepen your appreciation for this formerly "much abused" composer.
My complaints are few. In his enthusiasm the author has a tendency to confuse the words "literal" and "figurative" such that, at one point in the book he describes the orchestra as "literally falling over a cliff" or words to that effect; which, for the sake of the musicians' health and casualty insurance premiums I hope did not happen. I wish that discussions of form and interpretations of meaning had been reserved for the front of each chapter, directly following the introduction, so the chronological description of the music had not been interrupted. Strangely, the author, who is not bashful about expressing his opinions, seems surprisingly hesitant to divulge his extra-musical interpretations of the music. Finally, Hurwitz is a most uncritical critic, defending Mahler from every criticism, even those that, to my ears, are justifiable.
In addition to the book the purchaser receives a CD with one-movement excerpts from four Mahler symphonies (#'s 1, 2, 5 and 7). The guides to these four movements contain exact time references to these CD performances for greater ease in following along.
Buyer beware: you'll find you'll want to acquire CD's of Mahler symphonies you don't presently own (I bought #'s 6 and 7), or purchase other versions if yours don't reveal all the twitters, birdcalls, or cowbells itemized in the book.
Highly recommended.
Summary of The Mahler Symphonies: An Owner's Manual (includes 1 CD)
Since Gustav Mahler was rediscovered in the early 1960s, his symphonies have become arguably the most popular works in the modern orchestral repertoire. Mahler's Symphonies: An Owner's Manual is the first discussion of the ten completed symphonies (No. 1-9 plus "The Song of the Earth") to offer music lovers and record collectors a comprehensive overview of the music itself, what it sounds like, how it is organized, its form, content, and meaning, as it strikes today's listeners. The book caters to the novice as David Hurwitz describes what the listener will hear, section by section, using simple cues such as important instrumental solos, recognizable tunes, climaxes, and other easily audible musical facts. He explains how each work is arranged, how the various parts relate to each other, and how one work leads to the next. It describes the emotional extravagance that lies at the root of Mahler's popularity, the consistency of his symphonic thinking, the relationship of each work to its companions, and his dazzling and revolutionary use of orchestral instruments to create an expressive musical language that is varied in content and immediate in impact. The accompanying CD contains recordings from Symphony No. 1, Third Movement; Symphony No. 2, First Movement; Symphony No. 5, Third Movement; and Symphony No. 7, Second Movement: "Nachtmusik I."Anyone fascinated but daunted by Mahler's monumental, complex orchestral works will find this book a welcome guide. Focusing on the nine completed symphonies and The Song of the Earth, David Hurwitz addresses his readers directly in an informal, conversational tone. Aided by a CD of four selected movements, he tells them what to listen for, what to pay special attention to, and, pointing out some recurring characteristics, what to remember for future reference. He explains Mahler's concept of form and structure, from the smallest motives to the over-life-size finished edifice. He discusses Mahler's manifold use of his songs, his love for quoting from himself and for recalling and anticipating thematic material--always in a new guise--and his penchant for aborted climaxes and deceptive endings: part of his reluctance (or inability) to conclude a composition. Despite his originality, Mahler stood on the shoulders of other giants, notably Wagner and Verdi, whose works he conducted at the Vienna Opera. Hurwitz devotes much attention--and an entire appendix--to Mahler's unsurpassed mastery of orchestration, his skill in exploiting every instrument's resources, even using them for thematic purposes. Hurwitz admits that describing music in words has limitations; he falls back instead on describing Mahler's complex mixture of elements from the most sublime to the raw (for example, we find the music characterized as pretty," "cute," "sleazy," "sexy," "vulgar," "flatulent," or "squealing" like a barmaid "after being pinched on the behind" and the like). On the other hand, he rejects the conventional assumption that there is a link between a composer's work and life experiences, isolating the music from the personality. This might be considered a drawback insofar as it neglects a crucial dimension (consider, for example, our knowledge that Mahler tried to outwit fate by interpolating The Song of the Earth between his Eighth and Ninth Symphonies and how this might enhance our understanding of those two dark, valedictory final works). Yet even such cavils cannot diminish the originality and thoughtfulness behind this illuminating book. --Edith Eisler
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