JJ

IMHO, this movement very effectively illustrates how pre-occupied Mahler was with death, even when that's not always immediately obvious; at first blush, this movement sounds innocent enough, and even the initial program title (What the Animals in the Forest Tell Me) doesn't really hint at the deeper undercurrent. Then, you listen to the song on which the opening tune is based (Abloesung im Sommer), and discover it's actually not such a happy, care-free song at all.

Similarly, I initially thought of the posthorn solo as sort of a pastoral interlude, similar to the cowbell passage in the sixth symphony; simply a posthorn heard from afar on a beautiful day in the Austrian alps. Then, you stumble across the poem, and find out that the passage probably meant much more than that to Mahler; maybe not Taps in the strictest sense, but certainly very melancholy in feeling and with a profound sense of loss. To my ears, somewhat similar to the horn calls in the very opening of the first symphony.

JJ

Alex Yates

and added information about this solo. In all of my fanaticism about Mahler, I have never come across this bit of important information. I am very happy to have it now. THANK YOU!

john daniel

FWIW, Ghitalla had a valved post horn in D. It was a rotary valve. It looked like a very small, backwards french horn. He put his left hand just a little into the bell to help center the tone and hold it. It played very easily, but wasn't a big sound. That horn was probably donated to U of M or Rice, if he didn't give it to one of his students. The NYPO recording with Johnny Ware playing the solo is still my favorite.

Thanks for the poem. Ghitalla said it was like a bugler showing up for a gig and getting turned on as he plays, getting into the spirit of the moment.