Gustav Mahler

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

2008

1907-1908

20081027

Donald Macleod explores Mahler's last years, focusing on his departure from Europe to America. The composer had received invitations to conduct in the US for over 20 years, and finally accepted in 1907 before personal tragedy struck with the death of his daughter Maria from illness, heart problems of his own and difficulties in his marriage. Nevertheless, after a Viennese farewell performance of his Second Symphony (The Resurrection), Mahler set sail for New York.

Symphony No 4 (1st mvt)

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Claudio Abbado (conductor)

DG 447 023-2 CD 5 - Tr 1

Ablosung im Sommer; Zu Strassburg auf der Schanz (Lieder und Gesange)

Stephen Genz (baritone)

Roger Vignoles (piano)

Hyperion CDA67392 - Trs 4, 5

Symphony No 2 (3rd, 4th mvts)

Janet Baker (mezzo-soprano)

London Symphony Orchestra

Leonard Bernstein (conductor)

Sony Classical SM2K 47 573 CD2 - Trs 2, 3

Von der Schonheit; Der Trunkene im Fruhling (Das Lied von der Erde)

Kathleen Ferrier (contralto)

Julius Patzak (tenor)

Bruno Walter (conductor)

Decca Legends 466 576-2 - Trs 4, 5.

Donald Macleod explores Mahler's departure from Europe to America after personal tragedies

2008

1908-1909

20081028

Donald Macleod continues his exploration of Mahler's last years, looking at how the composer settled into life in New York and his first experiences conducting the city's orchestras.

Symphony No 7 (5th mvt)

New York Philharmonic

Rafael Kubelik (conductor)

NYP 9807/08 CD 8 - Tr 1

Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen (Ruckert-Lieder)

Jennie Tourel (mezzo-soprano)

Leonard Bernstein (conductor)

Sony Classical SM2K 47 576 CD2 - Tr 8

Symphony No 9 (4th mvt)

San Francisco Symphony Orchestra

Michael Tilson Thomas (conductor)

San Francisco Symphony 821936-007-2 CD 2 - Tr 2.

Donald Macleod xplores how Mahler settled into life in New York.

2008

1909-1910

20081029

Donald Macleod explores Mahler's life in New York City, a hustling and bustling metropolis that even presented him with women's suffrage marches outside his hotel apartment window. Despite a successful second season conducting the New York Philharmonic, misfortune struck again when Mahler discovered his wife was conducting an affair with the young German architect Walter Gropius.

Symphony No 1 (2nd, 3rd mvts)

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Georg Solti (conductor)

Decca 475 8230 Trs 2, 3

Hurrah for Woman Suffrage! (words: Nettie Metcalf); Dixie (tune: Daniel Decateur Emmett)

The Homespun Singers

Miriam Reed Productions - Tr 1

In diesem Wetter, in diesem Braus (Kindertotenlieder)

Stephen Genz (baritone)

Roger Vignoles (piano)

Hyperion CDA67392 - Tr 21

Symphony No 10 (excerpt)

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Claudio Abbado (conductor)

DG 447 023-2 CD 12 - Trs 9-13.

Donald Macleod explores Mahler's life in New York, where he learned of his wife's affair.

2008

20081030

Donald Macleod describes how Mahler's last full season in New York got off to a difficult start as the composer fought to present an image of marital stability following his wife's affair with the German architect Walter Gropius. Tensions were also apparent between the conductor-composer and members of his New York Philharmonic orchestra.

Ging heut morgen ubers Feld (Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen)

Janet Baker (mezzo-soprano)

Halle Orchestra

John Barbirolli (conductor)

EMI Classics 566981 2 - Tr 12

Symphony No 4 (4th mvt)

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam

Willem Mengelberg (conductor)

Philips 426 108-2 - Tr 4 (mono)

Symphony No 5 (4th mvt)

Klaus Tennstedt (conductor)

NYP 9807/08 CD 5 - Tr 4

Symphony No 8 (Part 1)

Chorus of the Vienna State Opera

Vienna Singverein

Vienna Boys' Choir

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Georg Solti (conductor)

Decca 414-493-2 CD1 - Trs 1-6.

Donald Macleod describes the difficult start to Mahler's last full season in New York.

2008

05 LAST

Legacy

20081031

Donald Macleod appraises Mahler's legacy in the US as, following his untimely death, a whole series of American-based conductors built on his work with the New York Philharmonic, championed his cause and began to channel his music towards its popularity today.

Das irdische Leben (Das Knaben Wunderhorn)

Jennie Tourel (mezzo-soprano)

Leonard Bernstein (conductor)

Sony Classical SM2K 47 576 CD2 - Tr 10

Symphony No 6 (1st mvt)

Dimitri Mitropoulos (conductor)

NYP 9807/08 CD 6 - Tr 1

Symphony No 3 (5th, 6th mvts)

Pacific Boychoir

San Francisco Girls' Chorus

Women of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus

San Francisco Symphony Orchestra

Michael Tilson Thomas (conductor)

San Francisco Symphony 821936-003-2 CD 2 - Tr 2.

Donald Macleod appraises Mahler's American legacy.

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
2008	01	1907-1908	20081027	Donald Macleod explores Mahler's last years, focusing on his departure from Europe to America. The composer had received invitations to conduct in the US for over 20 years, and finally accepted in 1907 before personal tragedy struck with the death of his daughter Maria from illness, heart problems of his own and difficulties in his marriage. Nevertheless, after a Viennese farewell performance of his Second Symphony (The Resurrection), Mahler set sail for New York. Symphony No 4 (1st mvt) Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Claudio Abbado (conductor) DG 447 023-2 CD 5 - Tr 1 Ablosung im Sommer; Zu Strassburg auf der Schanz (Lieder und Gesange) Stephen Genz (baritone) Roger Vignoles (piano) Hyperion CDA67392 - Trs 4, 5 Symphony No 2 (3rd, 4th mvts) Janet Baker (mezzo-soprano) London Symphony Orchestra Leonard Bernstein (conductor) Sony Classical SM2K 47 573 CD2 - Trs 2, 3 Von der Schonheit; Der Trunkene im Fruhling (Das Lied von der Erde) Kathleen Ferrier (contralto) Julius Patzak (tenor) Bruno Walter (conductor) Decca Legends 466 576-2 - Trs 4, 5. Donald Macleod explores Mahler's departure from Europe to America after personal tragedies
2008	02	1908-1909	20081028	Donald Macleod continues his exploration of Mahler's last years, looking at how the composer settled into life in New York and his first experiences conducting the city's orchestras. Symphony No 7 (5th mvt) New York Philharmonic Rafael Kubelik (conductor) NYP 9807/08 CD 8 - Tr 1 Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen (Ruckert-Lieder) Jennie Tourel (mezzo-soprano) Leonard Bernstein (conductor) Sony Classical SM2K 47 576 CD2 - Tr 8 Symphony No 9 (4th mvt) San Francisco Symphony Orchestra Michael Tilson Thomas (conductor) San Francisco Symphony 821936-007-2 CD 2 - Tr 2. Donald Macleod xplores how Mahler settled into life in New York.
2008	03	1909-1910	20081029	Donald Macleod explores Mahler's life in New York City, a hustling and bustling metropolis that even presented him with women's suffrage marches outside his hotel apartment window. Despite a successful second season conducting the New York Philharmonic, misfortune struck again when Mahler discovered his wife was conducting an affair with the young German architect Walter Gropius. Symphony No 1 (2nd, 3rd mvts) Chicago Symphony Orchestra Georg Solti (conductor) Decca 475 8230 Trs 2, 3 Hurrah for Woman Suffrage! (words: Nettie Metcalf); Dixie (tune: Daniel Decateur Emmett) The Homespun Singers Miriam Reed Productions - Tr 1 In diesem Wetter, in diesem Braus (Kindertotenlieder) Stephen Genz (baritone) Roger Vignoles (piano) Hyperion CDA67392 - Tr 21 Symphony No 10 (excerpt) Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Claudio Abbado (conductor) DG 447 023-2 CD 12 - Trs 9-13. Donald Macleod explores Mahler's life in New York, where he learned of his wife's affair.
2008	04		20081030	Donald Macleod describes how Mahler's last full season in New York got off to a difficult start as the composer fought to present an image of marital stability following his wife's affair with the German architect Walter Gropius. Tensions were also apparent between the conductor-composer and members of his New York Philharmonic orchestra. Ging heut morgen ubers Feld (Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen) Janet Baker (mezzo-soprano) Halle Orchestra John Barbirolli (conductor) EMI Classics 566981 2 - Tr 12 Symphony No 4 (4th mvt) Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam Willem Mengelberg (conductor) Philips 426 108-2 - Tr 4 (mono) Symphony No 5 (4th mvt) Klaus Tennstedt (conductor) NYP 9807/08 CD 5 - Tr 4 Symphony No 8 (Part 1) Chorus of the Vienna State Opera Vienna Singverein Vienna Boys' Choir Chicago Symphony Orchestra Georg Solti (conductor) Decca 414-493-2 CD1 - Trs 1-6. Donald Macleod describes the difficult start to Mahler's last full season in New York.
2008	05 LAST	Legacy	20081031	Donald Macleod appraises Mahler's legacy in the US as, following his untimely death, a whole series of American-based conductors built on his work with the New York Philharmonic, championed his cause and began to channel his music towards its popularity today. Das irdische Leben (Das Knaben Wunderhorn) Jennie Tourel (mezzo-soprano) Leonard Bernstein (conductor) Sony Classical SM2K 47 576 CD2 - Tr 10 Symphony No 6 (1st mvt) Dimitri Mitropoulos (conductor) NYP 9807/08 CD 6 - Tr 1 Symphony No 3 (5th, 6th mvts) Pacific Boychoir San Francisco Girls' Chorus Women of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus San Francisco Symphony Orchestra Michael Tilson Thomas (conductor) San Francisco Symphony 821936-003-2 CD 2 - Tr 2. Donald Macleod appraises Mahler's American legacy.