Mahler : Symphonie Numéro 2 Resurrection

Description

In October 2024, the Orchestre National de France, under the direction of its musical director Cristian Macelaru, immersed itself in one of the great symphonic epics of Gustav Mahler (1860-1911), the extraordinary Resurrection. A journey of great serenity here, with wonderfully pastoral colors. Over two evenings, on October 24 and 25, 2024, the musical director of the Orchestre National de France, CRISTIAN MACELARU, delved into one of the great symphonic epics created by GUSTAV MAHLER in the 1890s, the extraordinary and so wild Resurrection. Almost a baptism of fire! Relatively discreet until now in the orchestral works of the Austrian composer, the Romanian conductor takes on the score that the legendary LEONARD BERNSTEIN conducted for his first great triumph in Paris on November 13, 1958, already with the Orchestre National. More than seventy years later, MACELARU offers a vision that is entirely opposed, favoring a chamber-like, delicate, and pastoral tone over the grandiose and solemn gesture of his illustrious predecessor. The textures are incredibly light: the strings are beautifully transparent, responding to woodwinds full of freshness, subtly highlighting the roots of a composer born not far from Prague, who was so fond of new sounds and surprising combinations. Under the direction of the Romanian conductor, joined here by the luminous soprano HANNA-ELISABETH MÜLLER and the warm mezzo-soprano KAREN CARGILL, the sensory journey of the Resurrection becomes a voyage of great serenity, the construction of the work is always natural and flexible, the symphony finds its unity effortlessly despite the beautiful diversity of the landscapes that compose it. It was in 1888 that MAHLER forged a symphonic movement titled Todtenfeier in which he paints, from a steep promontory, the entire life of the hero of his First Symphony, TITAN. Slightly revised, this vast portrait in the form of a funeral ceremony would become the introductory Allegro maestoso of his second symphony, which he quickly supplemented with three other movements. One in the form of a ländler, shimmering, falsely amiable, with interwoven motifs. The other, based on the melody of the lied Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt (Des Knaben Wunderhorn, No. 6), resembles an intermezzo in the form of a scherzo, purely instrumental. For the fourth movement, URLICHT, the composer takes another lied from the collection Des Knaben Wunderhorn, retaining the voice, and sometimes modifying the orchestration and harmonic progressions. For a long time, MAHLER sought inspiration for his Finale before finding it upon hearing a choir sing a hymn with words from the poet KLOPSTOCK at the funeral of the great conductor HANS VON BÜLOW. MAHLER then decided to conclude his work with a hymn to resurrection; he would use the same words from KLOPSTOCK, which he would complement with a few verses of his own. Thus, MAHLER'S SECOND SYMPHONY begins with a meditation on death; the music then traverses earthly life, its sweetness as well as its sarcasms, before proclaiming its faith in resurrection, the sole subject of the Finale, in the conclusion of which voices and instruments will come together in an almost reconciling gesture. THE MUSICIANS Hanna-Elisabeth Müller soprano Karen Cargill mezzo-soprano Radio France Choir | Lionel Sow conductor Orchestre National de France | Cristian Macelaru conductor RECORDING Auditorium, Maison de la Radio et de la Musique, Paris (France), October 24-25, 2024