Organization

Conductor

Anne Randine Øverby

Singer

Brigitte Wulfath

Singers

Michele Capalbo

Bodil Victoria Arnesen

Ning Liang

Tone Kvam Thorsen

Janez Lotric

Sebastian Holecek

Opera Bergen

Others

Bergen Operakor

Bergen Chamber Choir

Orchestra

VNO's orchestra

Timisoara Philharmonic Choir

Timisoara Philharmonic Orchestra

Girls' Choir

Symphony No. 8 in E-flat Major, ("Symphony of a Thousand") -  (Symphony 8)

Bergen

Norway

The Symphony No. 8 in E-flat major (Symphony of a Thousand) Mahler,G

Public

Symphony 8

Approved

September 1910, Mahler's 8th Symphony was premiered in the packed Festhallen in Munich, over 3,000 spectators, including many very famous people, were present.
Over 1,000 orchestra musicians, choir singers and vocal soloists participated. His earlier symphonies had been received with skepticism, but the premiere of this work was a great success. The audience's applause and cheers lasted for almost 20 minutes. Mahler himself must have been particularly touched by the children's choir's applause and excitement - the children waved the notes, gave him flowers and shouted "Long live Mahler! Our Mahler! ”

Mahler's time-consuming work as a conductor meant that he could only compose in the summer, which he spent in the Austrian countryside. He composed his 8th symphony during 8 weeks in the summer of 1906.

The starting point for the work was the medieval hymn "Veni, Creator Spiritus" which we recognize from the Pentecostal hymn "Come, Holy Spirit with creative power". Mahler had only an incomplete text of the hymn, written by Hrabanus Maurus, the archbishop of Mainz in the ninth century. He started writing the music without the missing words, and when he was sent the full text, these fit perfectly with the character of the music. "Veni Creator Spriritus" is the first part of the 8th Symphony and consists of massive choral parts and double joints, like a large motet inspired by Bach.

The second part of the 8th Symphony is a contrast to the first part both in terms of text choice and musical form. It is based on the final scene from Goethe's Faust in a synthesis of a slow movement, a scherzo and a finale. Goethe's final scenes in Faust about love and salvation are universal and not specifically religious. The music is described as a fusion of a dramatic cantata, oratorio, song cycle, choral symphony and an instrumental symphony that ends with the mighty Chorus Mysticus, "Everything is perishable", and a tribute to the eternal-female creative power - the work is also dedicated to his wife of Alma Mahler.

The symphony is written for extended orchestra, double choir, children's choir and 8 vocal soloists. The work's unofficial title is "The Symphony of Thousands", a title that reflects the great resources required to perform the work and a designation that Mahler himself was not enthusiastic about.

The enormous choir and orchestra resources are used both for violent effects and outbursts of joy as well as parts with a chamber musical character.

About his work, Mahler wrote: " It is the greatest I have composed so far, and so unique in content and form that nothing can be written about it. Imagine that the universe begins to tone up. It is no longer human voices, but planets and suns in their orbits . ”

He later wrote:  “All my previous symphonies are just preludes to this one. My other works are all tragic and subjective. This is a great source of joy. ”

Mahler's 8th Symphony is first and foremost a work about faith and love, an answer to all questions and the uncertainty of being human. It praises both earthly life and spiritual turmoil.

The premiere in 1910 is one of the greatest triumphs in music history. Mahler had just turned fifty and his health had deteriorated. The premiere of his acclaimed work Das Lied von der Erde, took place after his death and was conducted by his favorite student, Bruno Walter.

English

Symphony 8 by Mahler, Fra (2005/2005), Dirigent Anne Randine Øverby

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