Talk:Symphony No. 6 (Mahler)
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I seem to recall that Ratz’ edition claimed that the Scherzo‐Andante order he claimed was based, not only on Alma Mahler’s statements about her husband’s intentions, but on the relation of the keys — C minor (opening the finale transitionally, in a way) being closer to the end of the Andante than it is to the A minor drumbeats that end the Scherzo. Of course, the scherzo — andante leap is a tritone no matter what, but that was, I seem to recall, one of his points also. ?!?? Schissel‐bowl listen 21:31, Dec 21, 2004 (UTC)
I don't know what Ratz says, but it is true that the transition from the Andante to the Finale is closer in key relationship than from the Scherzo to the Finale. However, since Mahler is known to have performed the work with Andante second, I don't know why this should be seen as a point on either side of the argument. Who's to say Mahler didn't on reflection prefer more distant key relationships? --Tdent 20:31, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
Isn't it normally performed with the Andante third? I've always thoought (and these may be misguided musings!) that the structural relationship between the first three movements of Mahler's sixth (with the Andante third) is similar to that in Beethoven's ninth.--Nmcmurdo 14:36, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
The information about the order of movements seems a little unequivocal. Jeffrey Katz is quoted (in favour of Andante-Scherzo) but Henry-Louis de la Grange (in favour of Scherzo-Andante) is not. Moreoever de la Grange asserts that in the 1907 Viennese premiere Mahler reverted to Scherzo-Andante, a point which Katz ignores. It seems to me this section should only report the debate, and that the most recent Critical Edition is Andante-Scherzo. But as it stands it seems a little one-sided.--62.239.159.6 15:18, 7 March 2007 (UTC)
The "Structure" section gives Scherzo-Andante, while the "Composition" section gives Andante-Scherzo. They should probably be made consistent. Sho Uemura 14:39, 22 April 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Orchestration
Well, I listened to the symphony, and I swore I could hear a guitar in there somewhere, but the orchestration as it's written on this page doesn't say there's a guitar in there anywhere. So now I'm stumped. I swear there's a guitar in there, but I'm not sure if I should add it into the page, as I don't have a source. Thoughts? --Kschwerdt514 20:00, 19 March 2007 (UTC)
- It would have been helpful if you had said something about where you thought you heard it. As it is, I can only suggest that you are mis-identifying the sound of a harp played with a plectrum, near the start of the Finale. Pfistermeister 13:08, 20 March 2007 (UTC)
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- You know, on listening to it again, it does sound a blit like the low range of a harp. Sorry about the confusion. By the way, what I thought was a guitar was, in fact, near the beginning of the finale. --Kschwerdt514 18:01, 21 March 2007 (UTC)
Unless my ears deceive me, isn't there a xylophone featured in the first movement?--Gruesome Pet 15.25 18 June (UTC)
[edit] Hammer blows
First, I would think there should be more discussion of the question of the deleted third hammer blow, even if there seems to be a good deal less controversy over that than over the order of the middle movements.
Second, a propos the whole issue of how to get them to sound in performance, David Zinman, when he performed this work in Baltimore, spoke of his solution to the balance and acoustical problems. He got one of his sons to create the effect on a synthesizer, which was then played over the sound system in the hall. The sight of the percussionist raising the sledgehammer and bringing it down on a wooden platform was at least as much a visual effect as a sonic one.
Finally, in the name of full disclosure, I have never warmed to this symphony very much. --Wspencer11 (talk to me...) 15:26, 16 August 2006 (UTC)
- Benjamin Zander in his commentary with performance of the Symphony with the Philharmonia indicated that the hammer blows were played with a huge wooden crate and then smashed with a plumber's lead pipe; a deafaning sound and very loud. Perhaps this could be added somewhere in the article. Justin Tokke 21:47, 18 June 2007 (UTC)
