Amy Trottier is the Social Media Coordinator at the Flint Institute of Music, this is the second in a three part series that came from her conversation with Enrique Diemecke.
Maestro Diemecke chose what is widely acknowledged as Mahler’s most difficult and modern work, his Seventh Symphony, for the FSO to perform this season. “This symphony is a challenge,” Diemecke admits, and that is precisely why he chose it. Diemecke explains that Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony is the “axis” of symphonies. “Mahler patterned the development of his Seventh after Beethoven’s, with lots of suites and a long introduction.”
Mahler wrote his Seventh Symphony over two summers in 1904-05. This was a period of upheaval and deep grief in the composer’s life that included the death of his four year old daughter and his resignation from the Viennese Opera due to growing anti-Semitism. With its dark opening and two “night music” movements, the Seventh Symphony explores the dark corners of the soul. Yet, it is also a triumphant symphony, with light loudly breaking through in the BIG finale.
Diemecke explains that Mahler drew inspiration for his compositions from the natural world and this is especially true of his Seventh Symphony. The composer was experiencing a severe case of writer’s block when he sat down to compose his seventh symphony. He retreated to the Dolomites in an attempt to release his creative energies, but to no avail. Profoundly depressed, he returned to Mairenigg where he took a row boat across the lake to his Villa on the Wörthersee. As he listened to the stroke of the oars, the theme for the introduction came to him, and from this point, he worked as a man possessed. “You can hear the oars in the water!” Diemecke exclaims of the introduction, which begins slowly and builds to a tremendous climax merging into a march, then abruptly plunging back to the slow introduction.
‘The second movement is a serenade.” Diemecke points out that this is the first of the two Nachtmusiken or Night Music sections of the symphony. “The inspiration for this movement was Rembrandt’s painting “Night Watch,” notes Diemecke, giving the listener the feeling of watchfulness, as if something is about to happen. The theme that emerges is part march and part song.
“The third is more connected within itself, it is scherzo,” notes Diemecke. “It is magical, quiet and rapid. Goblins and magical creatures come out into the evening; those are the thoughts and dreams swirling around inside our heads.” Indeed, while listening to this movement one can “see” the witches and goblins waltzing in the moonlight.
“The Fourth movement is also a serenade, the second of the Nachtmusiken, but andante. It is more intimate, like between two people. It, too, is magical,” notes Diemecke.
The brightness of the dawn follows the four night scenes with thunderous drums. A fanfare of spirited trills proclaims the glory of daybreak. This finale is a victory and includes the fiery march from the first movement. “The first and last movements are HUGE, in comparison to the rest of the work,” notes Diemecke.
Mahler said, “A symphony must be like the whole world, it must embrace everything.” Unfortunately, audiences were not ready for “world music” at the dawn of the 20th Century. When Mahler’s Seventh Symphony premiered in Prague in 1908, it was not well received. However, Diemecke believes that audiences of today are less rigid than they were during Mahler’s lifetime and that the composer’s time has finally arrived. Maestro Diemecke feels that in order to truly enjoy Mahler, the listener must keep an open mind, “Allow your soul to command you! Use your imagination, don’t resist it!” So, remember to listen with your soul as you let the Seventh wash over you and don’t be afraid to “embrace everything.”
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