Schumann, Robert / orch. Mahler, Gustav

Preface

Robert Schumann – Symphony No. 2 in C major op. 61

(b. Zwickau, Kingdom of Saxony, 8 June 1810 – d. Endenich, Rhine Province, now part of Bonn, 29 July 1856)

(1848 – 46)
World premiere: 5 November 1846
Conductor: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
with ‘Instrumental Retouchings by’

Gustav Mahler

(b. Kalischt, Bohemia, 7 July 1860 – d. Vienna, 18 May 1911)

Sostenuto assai – Allegro ma non troppo (with a slow and solemn introduction) p.1
Scherzo. Allegro vivace p.48
Adagio espressivo p.71
Allegro molto vivace p.79

 

Preface
Robert Schumann composed his first symphony in 1841, when he was 31 years old, successful with his chamber music and recognised as a master of the small ensemble. He had just completed his ”song year”, a fruitful period of intensive engagement with setting poetry to music, during which 138 of his 250 songs were composed, and had started a family with Clara Wieck, the busy and ambitious pianist, against her father’s opposition. Schumann was now faced with the challenge of making a financial contribution to family life with his work. Even for a composer of his popularity, this was hardly possible with chamber music. On the other hand, a genre for large ensembles promised good pay – the symphony. In the following years, he composed four symphonies, not without encouragement from his energetic wife.

Schumann’s symphonies were successful and are still performed today. However, the accusation of mediocre orchestration has accompanied the works ever since, as Schumann had neither any significant experience of composing for orchestra nor had he completed the necessary training. As a result, conductors were repeatedly called upon to make changes to the score – including Gustav Mahler, who took on all four symphonies and arranged them according to his own ideas. A challenge with great potential, as two musical worlds came together here with the chamber musician Schumann and the symphonist Mahler.

“Retouching by Gustav Mahler” is what is modestly stated on the first page of the score. However, this cautious description of Mahler’s interventions in the symphonies could not prevent this musical experiment from continuing to excite people’s minds to this day, more than 100 years after their premieres, which took place between 1895 and 1911 …

 

 

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