Mahler's Third Symphony

Bill worked at home today, primarily outside. I also did a lot of planting of flowers. We both got bitten up by those darned blood sucking demons of mosquitoes.

After getting completely filthy, I took a quick bath to sluice off the dirt, and got dressed in some clean clothes. About that time Steven got home from school, and I made a point of spending the afternoon with him, so he won't feel too overlooked on Bill's big weekend.

So we went to Target and I let him pick out some nice clothes and dress shoes for Sunday. He's gotten a lot taller again lately, and none of his clothes fit quite right anymore. It turns out that he has a longer in seam than either his older brother or his father now!  Silly kid is all legs!

After that we went to the haircut place so he could get his hair washed and cut. Then we went out for ice cream. Then we went to a bookstore and to the video game store.

By the time we got home, I had to hurry and change into nice clothes for the date I had with Dan. He got home a few minutes after Steven and I did, and he must have set a world record for taking a shower and getting dressed!

We went to Orchestra Hall in Detroit, and listened to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.They played the Third Symphony by Mahler.

And for whatever reason - maybe the great program notes, maybe the short lecture the guest conductor (James Conlon) gave about the music before the concert - I now have such a better grasp on what this music is all about. This is one of those I didn't really "get" (sort of like Beethoven's Third before Matrixman did such a great job explaining it).

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra kicked serious ass with this music. The guy behind me was so excited at the end of the first movement he yelled "WOW!!!!" really loudly. I don't think he meant to, I think it just spontaneously erupted from his mouth, because he turned all red right after, but the conductor and the musicians all got big smiles on their faces.

They had an opera singer from Sweden named Birgitta Svenden sing the solos. She had this wonderful, rich voice. Lovely, just lovely.

And I was very pleased with my husband's reaction. He can take or leave most classical music, though he is partial to Beethoven. But he really liked this. He was the first person in the audience to stand up and start yelling and clapping at the end. He loved the first movement, especially the tuba and trombone solos.

The way the conductor explained the music is that Mahler was writing a large and profound novel, and each of his symphonies is a chapter in his life's work. Titan tells the story of youth, of finding out that life isn't all that easy after all, and getting pissed about that, and triumphing anyway. Resurrection is about death and resurrection, and asks some serious questions about both those and traditional Christian beliefs. With the Third, Mahler asks serious questions about CREATION.

The first movement describes a world ready for life, with mountains and volcanoes and tectonic plates - but it is frozen. The orchestra has to unfreeze it, with the arrival of the Greek god Pan and his band of rag tag musicians. With Pan comes life and the arrival of summer.

The second movement describes vegetation, then the third movement goes on to describing animals. Both involve struggle against the elements and for survival.

The fourth movement moves on to humans, and to the profundity of both human grief and human joy.
O Man! Take heed!
What says the deep midnight?
"I slept, I slept -
from a deep dream have I woken -
the world is deep,
and more deeply pondered than the day.
Deep is its pain-
Joy, deeper still than heartache.
Pain says: Pass away!
But all joy seeks eternity -
- seeks deep, deep eternity!"

The brief fifth movement is about angels, represented by the women's and children's choirs.
Three angels sang a sweet song,
with blessed joy it rang in heaven.
They shouted too for joy
that Peter was free from sin!
And as Lord Jesus sat at the table
with his twelve disciples and ate the evening meal,
Lord Jesus said: "Why do you stand here?
When I look at you, you weep for me!"
"And should I not weep, kind God?
I have violated the Ten Commandments!
I wander and weep bitterly!
O Come and take pity on me!"
"If you have violated the Ten Commandments,
then fall on your knees and pray to God!
Love only God for all time!
So will you gain heavenly joy!"
The heavenly joy is a blessed city,
the heavenly joy that has no end!
The heavenly joy was granted to Peter
through Jesus, and to all mankind for eternal bliss.

After the angels comes the final movement - What Love Tells Me. Love is the pinnacle of all creation.Themes briefly explored in earlier movements come back as the music slowly swells to a higher and higher spiritual realm.

After the concert we drove to Greektown for a leisurely dinner at New Hellas. We ordered our beloved flaming cheese and had great Greek food.

It was a great day, and a great evening.