Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Rafael Kubelik.

I - Langsam. Schleppend - Immer sehr gemächlich: 0:00
II - Kräftig bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell. - Trio. Recht gemächlich: 14:33
III - Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen: 21:34
IV - Stürmisch bewegt: 32:15

Mahler's First Symphony was written between 1884 and 1888. It was premièred in Budapest on November 20, 1889, under the composer's direction, with little success as the criticism was quite negative with the work, especially with his part final. Then it was performed in Hamburg in 1893 and in Weimar in 1894.

For these concerts Mahler introduced a program based on the romance of Jean Paul Richter entitled "The Titan", with the figure of his hero Rocquairol. The work carried the title of symphonic poem in the form of a symphony. With this Mahler hesitated between the forms, expressing what in reality it was a programmatic symphony, a variant of the genre introduced by Berlioz.

The original structure of the work was composed of five movements, divided into two parts. Later Mahler revised the work. Thus when it was presented in Berlin in 1896 Mahler eliminated the title and all extramusical references. In addition, he eliminated the third movement Blumine to find it inappropriate. The work was published in Vienna in 1899 with only four movements and with the title of "symphony." The orchestration also was augmented in the wind sections.

The first movement begins with an slow introduction, presenting the germinal ideas that will form the work. Anticipation of fanfares, the motive for the cuckoo on the clarinet and a thematic idea on the horns. The exhibition presents the themes used in the second of the "Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen" which is entitled "Ging heut 'morgen über's Feld" (while walking this morning through the fields), which presents us with a pastoral landscape. The exhibition is repeated. The development section begins with a variation of the introduction. The horns later show us a march in the form of fanfare followed by the themes of the exhibition in a combined form. The development ends with a powerful fanfare. The re-exhibition is built on the theme of fanfare, which leads us to the coda resolution.

The second movement is a scherzo. The main part bears a resemblance to the melody used in one of his first lieder of 1880, "Maitanz in Grünen", which would later become one of the five lieder that form the first series of "Lieder und Gesänge aus der Jugendzeit", specifically the second, "Hans und Grethe". It is a dance in the form of a ländler, a German folk dance with a ternary rhythm. The central section that corresponds to the trio, contains a lyrical melody in the form of a slow waltz. Then return the scherzo theme, ending with a quick coda.

The third movement presents a funeral march. Begins with the funeral theme of the march: The used children's song is better known as "Frere Jacques", interpreted in a satirical way. The second theme is a Bohemian or Hungarian motif. The central section appears as a new trio. The character changes completely becoming lyrical. Then it is reproduced the final stanza, "Auf der straβe steht ein Lindenbaum", belonging to his fourth lieder of the "Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen". It is entitled "Die zwei blauen auge"n. In the re-exposition, the theme of the funeral march changes its tonality. Follows with the combination of the two themes that lead to a coda with elements of the first theme.

It ends with the movement of greater dramatic intensity. It starts with an orchestral outburst. In this dramatic introduction the themes of the exhibition are outlined. The first theme is heroic, after which a transition gives way to the second theme, a long and anguished melody presented by the violins. Motives and elements belonging to the beginning of the first movement will give way to the development section. It reaches the climax with the motive of the introduction of the first movement, and then, in a very slow tempo, returns to the germinal ideas of the introduction, with the song of the cuckoo and other motifs. The re-exposure begins by presenting the second theme supported by melodic impulses from the string. Then it moves on to the first theme, reaching a great climax with fanfares of the trumpets. It ends with a triumphant coda in which the first theme reappears in the winds and the introduction of the first movement that closes the cycle.

Picture: A fragment of "Jupiter and Semele" (1889-95) by the French painter Gustave Moreau.

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