From Mahler to Sibelius
I just got back from conducting Mahler 1 with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. It’s my second time – and now I know what Michael Tilson Thomas means when he says “conducting a Mahler Symphony again is like revisiting a favorite national park.” It’s big stuff, and this time through I found myself thinking a lot about the natural weight of the music. It’s heavy lifting, and the sheer mass of the music takes some getting used to. Getting an excellent young orchestra like Civic to play with that kind of weight takes some work, but I was really pleased with the results. I’ve heard many conductors say it’s easier to conduct Mozart than Mahler. Please. They’re both challenging.
Next week it’s Sibelius 3 in Kitchener, and moving from Mahler to Sibelius, I can’t help but recall their famous exchange, here in Sibelius’s words …
“When our conversation touched on the essence of symphony, I said that I admired its severity and style and the profound logic that created an inner connection between all the motives. This was the experience I had come to in composing. Mahler’s opinion was just the reverse. “Nein, die Symphonie müss sein wie die Welt. Sie müss alles umfassen.” (No, the symphony must be like the world. It must embrace everything.)
Keeping with the national park theme, Mahler uses nature as a vehicle for Romantic revelation, while Sibelius uses nature in a more National Geographic kind of way. Listening to Sibelius is like watching a cloud move, or a crystal form. The notes themselves go through organic transformations. Yes, there is emotion and awe, but the surroundings are always bigger. In fact, in his third symphony, Sibelius really starts subverting the Romantic revelation thing. Every opportunity for a Mahlerian climax is avoided, but those very moments become unforgettable and deep in a very different way.
Living with these two pieces on consecutive weeks is a thrill and an honor. Kind of what you dream about when you start to conduct.
PS – in looking for the Sibelius / Mahler quote, I came across another interesting essay about the two composers by my friend Kenneth Woods. Worth reading!
PPS – Late one night in Chicago, I saw Marin Alsop and Alex Ross on Charlie Rose. I haven’t seen a conductor, let alone a critic/author on a talk show since I happened on Zubin Mehta on Politically Incorrect many years ago. That didn’t go so well …