DCXXXVII. MAHLER, Gustav: Symphony #8 in E-Flat Major

DCXXXVII. MAHLER, Gustav (1860-1911)

Symphony #8 in E-Flat Major (1906)
1. Part I: Hymnus: Veni, creator spiritus
2. Part II: Schlußszene aus "Faust"
Camilla Nylund, soprano
Ailish Tynan, soprano
Regula Mühlemann, soprano
Janina Baechle, alto
Helena Rasker, alto
Klaus Florian Vogt, tenor
Tommi Hakala, baritone
Shenyang, bass
WDR Rundfunkchor Köln
London Symphony Chorus
MDR Rundfunkchor Leipzig
Knabenchor Hannover
Koorschool St. Bavo Haarlem
Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra
Marc Albrecht, cond.
(1:29:11)

"Symphony of a Thousand" -- a sobriquet that it is still popular -- was not one that Mahler necessarily approved of. Though the number of performers is in the hundreds, certainly, as far as the composer was concerned, it is the exact number of musicians and singers necessary to perform this massive, large-scale work.

A ticket to the first performance:

**

After three purely instrumental symphonies in a row (5, 6 & 7), Mahler returned to the orchestra/chorus/soloist combination of 2, 3, and 4. [1 & 9 as bookends, also purely instrumental.]

The 9th century hymn and the final scene of Goethe's "Faust" both preach redemption through love.

Part I

These six notes form the primary theme for the entire symphony:

Part II

Constantine Floros's excellent breakdown is helpful for a more detailed study (referenced by time codes in the YouTube comments) ...