The Long Goodbye

Time for Mahler's Symphony No 9 performed here by the Berliner Philharmoniker conducted by Claudio Abbado. The third Abbado recording of Mahler that I have and the last one to post about. There are still three Mahler disks to come off the shelf but not with Abbado. The chronology is a little out too, since this was Mahler's final completed symphony but there are others in my collection I haven't got around to yet on the shelf. Anyway, enough of that pedantry, what about the ninth symphony ? Mahler didn't live to see a live recording of the work and he often refined his symphonies in the rehearsal period prior to a premiere, so that aspect is lacking here. He was superstitious about writing a ninth symphony since Beethoven, Schubert and Bruckner had all succumbed after writing their ninth and it is easy to see this as some sort of farewell. The themes are farewell and death but direct comparisons of that nature with real life should be avoided. The two lengthy outer movements contrast with the outwardly more dance like inner movements but these are some kind of macabre dance of death. The final movement of farewell isn't necessarily farewell to the world, just a taking leave that could fit other contexts. It can still be seen as a kind of requiem though with an almost silent conclusion. This is again a live recording as the others in this Abbado cycle have been and whereas the other two disks that I have finish with braying "bravo man" launching straight into the applause, I have to commend the Berlin audience here who remain absolutely silent for almost a minute until Abbado gives the sign that all is concluded.