Finally, the finale (a monumental slow movement) of his Third Symphony, the longest one — but it's hard to exceed as an extended example of his musical idiom. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M622tyRUYKg
Just found a wonderful introduction to Mahler's musical "language"—11 minutes of help for any newcomers or anyone apprehensive about "difficult" or "highbrow" music:
If symphonic music is new for you, I encourage you to be bold: Immerse yourself as if putting on a new rock album to hear for the first time. The dynamic range of orchestras extends from a roar to a whisper (in this symphony especially). and starting out comfortably loud will set you up for the later shifts, which are often abrupt. — And one more thought: For me, all of Mahler's symphonies sometimes conjure landscapes. In this one, vast expanses are crisscrossed by echoing horn calls and bounded by great mountains. I can "hear" and feel the transitional places between this life and the next. I find it therapeutic just to listen with my whole soul and ponder the journey ahead — and then rise with the hope and triumph of the ending.
Finally, the finale (a monumental slow movement) of his Third Symphony, the longest one — but it's hard to exceed as an extended example of his musical idiom. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M622tyRUYKg
Just found a wonderful introduction to Mahler's musical "language"—11 minutes of help for any newcomers or anyone apprehensive about "difficult" or "highbrow" music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=GlFG8Ugj_1w
If symphonic music is new for you, I encourage you to be bold: Immerse yourself as if putting on a new rock album to hear for the first time. The dynamic range of orchestras extends from a roar to a whisper (in this symphony especially). and starting out comfortably loud will set you up for the later shifts, which are often abrupt. — And one more thought: For me, all of Mahler's symphonies sometimes conjure landscapes. In this one, vast expanses are crisscrossed by echoing horn calls and bounded by great mountains. I can "hear" and feel the transitional places between this life and the next. I find it therapeutic just to listen with my whole soul and ponder the journey ahead — and then rise with the hope and triumph of the ending.