GUSTAV MAHLER SYMPHONY NO. 4 Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra Marc Albrecht Elizabeth Watts Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) Violin 1 Emmy Stoel-Mourits Atie Aarts Symphony No. 4 in G Vadim Tsibulevsky Lotte Reeskamp Rik Otto Jan Evert van Riemsdijk Heleen Veder Carin Nelson 1 Bedächtig. Nicht eilen – Recht gemächlich 16. 32 Saskia Viersen Vanessa Damanet Anjali Tanna 2 In gemächlicher Bewegung. Ohne Hast 10. 14 Robert Lis Jos Schutjens Sebastian Koloski 3 Ruhevoll (Poco adagio) 21. 42 Angela Skala Irene Nas 4 Sehr behaglich 9. 20 Hike Graafland Double Bass “Wir genießen die himmlischen Freuden” Philip Dingenen Viola Annette Zahn (Des Knaben Wunderhorn) Anuschka Franken Janos Konrad Walther van Domburg Henrik Svahnström Marjolein de Waart Sorin Orcinschi Total playing time: 57. 53 Lonneke van Straalen Michiel Holtrop Julien Beijer Marina Malkin Avi Malkin Erik Spaepen Marijke van Kooten Suzanne Dijkstra Larissa Klipp Armand Gouder de Berdien Vrijland Beauregard Stephanie Steiner Flute Nicoline van Santen Odile Torenbeek Leon Berendse Nicholas Durrant Hanspeter Spannring Violin 2 Maaike-Merel van Ellen Vergunst David Peralta Alegre Baarzel Liset Pennings Mintje van Lier Guillaume Serpenti Cello Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra Karina Korevaar Douw Fonda Conducted by Marc Albrecht Saskia Schröeder Jan Bastiaan Neven Elizabeth Watts, soprano Cynthia Briggs Mariet van Dijk Oboe Trumpet Das himmlische Leben The Heavenly Life Toon Durville Ad Welleman (aus Des Knaben Wunderhorn) (from Des Knaben Wunderhorn) Danielle Kreeft Jeroen Botma Anita Janssen Marc Speetjens Wir genießen die himmlischen Freuden, We enjoy heavenly pleasures (English horn) D’rum tun wir das Irdische meiden. and therefore avoid earthly ones. Timpani Kein weltlich’ Getümmel No worldly tumult Clarinet Peter Elbertse Hört man nicht im Himmel! is to be heard in heaven! Rick Huls Lebt alles in sanftester Ruh’. All live in greatest peace. Harrie Troquet Persussion Wir führen ein englisches Leben, We lead angelic lives, Herman Draaisma Nando Russo Sind dennoch ganz lustig daneben; yet have a merry time of it besides. (bass clarinet) Hay Beurskens Wir tanzen und springen, We dance and we leap, Paul Lemaire Wir hüpfen und singen, We skip and we sing. Bassoon Theun van Nieuwburg Sanct Peter im Himmel sieht zu. Saint Peter in heaven looks on. Remko Edelaar Susan Brinkhof Harp Johannes das Lämmlein auslasset, John lets the lambkin out, Jaap de Vries Sandrine Chatron Der Metzger Herodes d’rauf passet. and Herod the Butcher lies in wait for it. (double bassoon) Wir führen ein geduldig’s, We lead a patient, Unschuldig’s, geduldig’s, an innocent, patient, French Horn Ein liebliches Lämmlein zu Tod. dear little lamb to its death. Wouter Brouwer Sanct Lucas den Ochsen tät schlachten Saint Luke slaughters the ox Miek Laforce Ohn’ einig’s Bedenken und Achten. without any thought or concern. Stef Jongbloed Der Wein kost’ kein Heller Wine doesn’t cost a penny Fred Molenaar Im himmlischen Keller; in the heavenly cellars; Die Englein, die backen das Brot. The angels bake the bread. Gut’ Kräuter von allerhand Arten, Good greens of every sort Sanct Ursula selbst dazu lacht! and Saint Ursula herself has to laugh! Die wachsen im himmlischen Garten, grow in the heavenly vegetable patch, Kein’ Musik ist ja nicht auf Erden, There is just no music on earth Gut’ Spargel, Fisolen good asparagus, string beans, Die unsrer verglichen kann werden. that can compare to ours. Und was wir nur wollen! and whatever we want! Cäcilia mit ihren Verwandten Cecilia and all her relations Ganze Schüsseln voll sind uns bereit! Whole dishfuls are set for us! Sind treffliche Hofmusikanten! make excellent court musicians! Gut’ Äpfel, gut’ Birn’ und gut’ Trauben; Good apples, good pears and good Die englischen Stimmen The angelic voices Die Gärtner, die alles erlauben! grapes, Ermuntern die Sinnen! gladden our senses! Willst Rehbock, willst Hasen, and gardeners who allow everything! Daß alles für Freuden erwacht. so that all awaken for joy. Auf offener Straßen If you want roebuck or hare, Sie laufen herbei! on the public streets they come running right up! Sollt’ ein Fasttag etwa kommen, Should a fast day come along, Alle Fische gleich mit Freuden all the fishes at once come swimming angeschwommen! with joy! Dort läuft schon Sanct Peter There goes Saint Peter running Mit Netz und mit Köder with his net and his bait Zum himmlischen Weiher hinein. to the heavenly pond. Sanct Martha die Köchin muß sein! Saint Martha must be the cook! Kein’ Musik ist ja nicht auf Erden, There is just no music on earth Die unsrer verglichen kann werden. that can compare to ours. Elftausend Jungfrauen Even the eleven thousand virgins Zu tanzen sich trauen! venture to dance! “A beautiful dream” was concerned about the acoustics of his Symphony No. 3, entitling it Was mir In the end, Mahler changed his design the hall, the quality of the orchestra, das Kind erzählt. The fact that melodic and Das himmlische Leben was the only “[...] Furthermore, I would not be happy and in particular the attitude of the material from this lied shows up not only setting to appear in his Symphony No. 4, to introduce a new work – the first that Berlin press, which had taken an in the fifth movement of the symphony, as the Finale. It was even used as the is perhaps a more practical response extremely hostile stance towards his but can even be found in embryonic form basis for the entire composition. to existing conditions, and thus being music in the past. He wanted the in the first movement, is proof of how Numerous small motifs from the lied received in a less prejudicial and more première of the new work to take place far Mahler had already progressed with form the foundation for the three benign manner, in more favourable in the most ideal conditions. Thus, the the implementation of this idea. preceding instrumental movements. circumstances, can bring me the only first performance was finally staged in In August 1899, Mahler returned to reward I wish to obtain from my work: Munich on November 25, 1901 under the However, while still working on his Vienna to resume his duties at the to be heard and understood – to the direction of the composer himself. Symphony No. 3, Mahler became Wiener Hofoper. During the opera audience in Berlin, an audience that convinced that this symphony should season, he had no time to compose does not know me and that has been The story behind Mahler’s Symphony conclude with the magnificent Adagio. and therefore the symphony remained alienated from me in advance thanks No. 4 is lengthy. The seed for the work He allotted Das himmlische Leben a untouched until the following summer: to short-sighted criticism in the press was sown back in 1892, when the place in a new work that he originally however, he subsequently completed it [...] and I request that you, my dear composer set to music some folk-song entitled Humoreske, just like the lieder. within three weeks by August 6, 1900, in Strauss, do not for the time being usher texts from the collection Des Knaben This new symphonic work was originally record time. my fourth symphony into the realm Wunderhorn by Achim von Arnim and supposed to consist of six movements of your ideas.” This well-turned phrase Clemens Brentano, entitling them and also contain two other settings of At first hearing, the Fourth Symphony appears in a letter from Gustav Mahler Humoresken. Just as he had reused Wunderhorn texts, apart from Das sounds sunny, carefree, and humorous, dated July 1901, in which he attempts the music of his Wunderhorn lieder himmlische Leben: Das irdische Leben but appearances are deceptive. Mahler to prevent his colleague Richard Strauss in his first two symphonies, Mahler and a movement entitled Morgenglocken. was always worried – and rightly so – from scheduling the first performance was planning to include the lied Das The latter in all probability refers to the that the audience would not understand of his Symphony No. 4 in Berlin. Mahler himmlische Leben as the last part of fifth movement of his Symphony No. 3. the subtle irony of the work. He wrote to a friend as follows: “On the whole, in the last movement: “It is Saint confused – asks about the significance, the romantic managed to transport it has been my experience that this Ursula, the most earnest of all saints, the child answers in the fourth himself with brilliant intuition into the type of humour (which should be who reigns over this divine sphere movement: ‘This is the heavenly life!’” mindset and emotions of times past, distinguished from wit or a merry of merriment. [...] A solemn, holy only to return once again to his own mood) is often not recognized, not peace, a calm cheerfulness – this Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 portrays times in his Symphony No. 5. However, even by the best.” is the character of the movement, another side of the composer, different one should not search for irony here. which also has its moments of deep to the one hitherto seen by the The work is like a beautiful dream, The hidden meaning of the symphony is sadness; comparable, if you like, to general public. No major battles are an indispensable link in the series of perhaps best expressed in the Scherzo; the reminiscences of life on earth, and fought in this symphony; rather, it is Mahler’s nine symphonies that speak a true “danse macabre,” inspired by a others, in which joy evolves into candid a portrayal of a childlike vision of life sufficiently of harsh reality, and that, painting by Böcklin (according to Alma vivacity.” This movement culminates in and a better world in the Hereafter.