Mahler - Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection"

Mahler - Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection"

5/5 Stars

Symphony No. 2 is hands down a complete masterpiece! Titled the Resurrection symphony, the whole work powerfully and profoundly explores a wide range of emotions while depicting the experience of loss, remembrance, harsh realities, resurrection, and judgment:

Movement I:
The first movement creates a sense of loss, mourning, and even a hint of regret. Presumably the listener is to imagine (or remember) the feeling of losing someone dear, and the stir of emotions that accompany.

Movement II:
Here we find a gentle musical setting with long, warm melodies. The grief has passed as we remember the deceased fondly and envision their soul(s) soaring through the clouds upward toward heaven.

Movement III:
We are snatched out of our dreamy haze, and stirred out of a peaceful state to again face the harsh realities of life and loss.

Movement IV:
The exquisite alto soloist sings "I am from God and will return to God. The dear God will give me a light, will light me to eternal blessed life!" to calm our restless hearts.

Movement V:
This movement is a symphony within the symphony—thirty five plus minutes. This is perhaps one of the greatest movements in all symphonic history. The ground shakes, the earth opens, and judgment day is upon us. The massive orchestra literally shakes the hall at times.

Two random comments:
1)I think I know where John Williams got his Superman theme from..... Good heavens that seems a little too close.
2)How does any bass sing a low Bb??

Mahler’s grasp of orchestration is clearly the pinnacle of Viennese orchestration—a master creating a masterpiece. Mahler’s gifts spread far beyond his ability to orchestrate. His melodies are effortless, memorable and beautiful. His timing and placement of key moments is impeccable. And lastly, his understanding of tempo shifts and abrupt mood changes make perfect sense. The only downside to this piece is its duration. It’s hard to find 95 minutes of undisturbed time to listen to the second symphony, but well worth it when you do. I would very highly recommend this piece to anyone, classical lover or not. The power and beauty that moves through the whole piece doesn’t just speak to musically minded folk, but to the hearts of all people.