Mahler - Symphony No. 6 "Tragic", Movement 1 (Pokémon DPP Soundfont)
As requested by weavileoff0461, I'll be covering Mahler's Symphony No. 6 with the Pokémon DPP soundfont, starting with its first movement.
The Sixth Symphony is a unique work in its composers' oeuvre. Whereas most of Mahler's symphonies end in either enormous victory or quiet peace, this is the only one that ends in explicit pessimism. Certainly, it earns its title as the "Tragic".
Structurally speaking, it is also the most conservative of his symphonies, featuring the standard number of four movements and mostly following classical conventions, thus being arguably the most cohesive of them all.
The first movement is in a textbook example of sonata form, featuring two contrasting theme groups. In fact, the dichotomy between them plays a major role in it. It even has a repeat of the exposition, a rarity in Mahler. Still, it's laid out on a massive scale, as is expected from Mahler.
The first theme group is a grim and severe march in A minor, both elaborate and dramatic.
The transition to the second theme is begun with a characteristic gesture that will reappear throughout this movement and later on in the symphony. It is an extremely simple gesture, an A major chord turning into an A minor chord (1:52-1:56). But maybe in its simplicity, this major-to-minor chord presents a microscopic view of what this "Tragic Symphony" is all about.
The second theme (2:27) was apparently written to represent Mahler's wife, Alma Schindler. Appropriately, it's a broad, passionate, and romantic melody.
However, as it nears its end and dies down, the texture darkens (4:02) and the quiet reappearance of the snare drums announces the return of the march music, and so we're back at the beginning (4:19).
After the exposition's repeat, we embark on a long development section (8:19). For the most part, it could be called a natural continuation of the first theme's march music. Hints of Alma's theme can be heard (10:08), but her presence is relatively small and unconsoling in this dark landscape.
Suddenly, all motion seems to be suspended (10:41), and we get the most mysterious and ethereal music of this movement. The major-to-minor chord appears here as well (11:00), but overall this seems to be an episode of repose detached from both the struggle and passions from the march and Alma's theme respectively.
Out of nowhere, the march music brusquely returns (13:25) and the development continues as if nothing had happened, although with a new touch of determination.
Before we know it, we're back at the recapitulation section. This time, the first theme is presented in a jovial A major rendition (14:33)... at least it begins that way, as it almost immediately rectifies itself and turns back into A minor (14:40), mirroring the major-to-minor chord. The rest of the first theme proceeds as expected, of course, with multiple changes.
The original major-to-minor chord reappears at its designated spot (16:05), but this time around the transition music that follows it more closely resembles the "detached episode" from the middle of the development.
Interestingly, too, where we'd expect to hear Alma's theme recapitulated, we instead get a massive preparation (16:33) but what it ultimately builds up to is the theme's ending (17:21). In other words, Alma's theme was curiously skipped.
This isn't something that will go unnoticed, as the texture correspondingly darkens even more for the ominous start of the coda (18:11). It would seem that the grim march is set to prevail, but various callbacks to Alma's theme suggest something else.
Indeed, Alma does return (20:28) and at the end of this movement we are left, for the time being, with a feeling of triumph.
Symphony No. 6 in A minor "Tragic"
I. Allegro energico, ma non troppo. Heftig, aber markig.
Composer: Gustav Mahler
Soundfont: Pokémon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum
Movement 2: • Mahler - Symphony No. 6 "Tragic", Mov...
Movement 3: • Mahler - Symphony No. 6 "Tragic", Mov...
Movement 4: • Mahler - Symphony No. 6 "Tragic", Mov...
Ocarina of Time version: • Mahler - Symphony No. 6 "Tragic", Mov...
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