Gustav Mahler: Symphonie Nr.6 a-moll & Lieder - Bernard Haitink, Berliner Philharmoniker, Jessey Norman (1989)

Mahler's 6th, sometimes referred to as the "Tragische" ("Tragic"), was composed between 1903 and 1904 (rev. 1906; scoring repeatedly revised). The work's first performance was in Essen, on May 27, 1906, conducted by the composer. The tragic ending of this Symphony has been seen as unexpected, given that the symphony was composed at what was apparently an exceptionally happy time in Mahler's life: he had married Alma Schindler in 1902, and during the course of the work's composition his second daughter was born.

This recording is also from Haitink's second Mahler-cycle with the Berliner Philharmoniker dating from 1990. Although the cycle was never finished (the project was aborted before Nrs. 8 and 9 were recorded), a few recordings stand out for their quality. Maybe not as good as his later live-performances with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, but still a very refined and powerfull reading of this work, ranking at the top.


Track listing:

Disc: 1
1. 1. Allegro energico, ma non troppo. Heftig, aber markig
2. 2. Scherzo (Wuchtig)
3. 3. Andante moderato

Disc: 2
1. 4. Finale (Allegro moderato)
2. 1. Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht
3. 2. Ging heut' morgen übers Feld
4. 3. Ich hab' ein glühend Messer
5. 4. Die zwei blauen Augen von meinem Schatz





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