Mahler's Third Symphony

Understanding Mahler's Third Symphony: A Trombone Perspective

Today, we will delve into perhaps our greatest solo in the orchestral repertoire: Mahler's Third Symphony. Let's get right down to business.

The First Note

The opening instruction, Biden gehalten turnen schall treke inner, means to lift the trombone bell in the air on the long notes. Contrary to common belief, it doesn't mean to play as loud as you can.

Preparing the Breath

To get the breath right for that note, we have to take the "Mahler 3 breath." It's almost unique, different from any breath we would take for pieces like Bolero or Berg's Three Pieces.

Sound Quality

We also need to focus on the quality of sound for these first couple of notes. Within every trombone, there is a wall. If we go through that wall, we enter the area of impurity.

Let me show you what I mean:

You hear that slightly electric sound where I'm touching the wall.

To prepare for Mahler 3, we practice that first note by going up to the wall but not going through it. If we breach that wall, we will produce impurity, and our sound won't improve.

Dynamic Control

So, that's the dynamic. I can play that note while maintaining a pure sound. For Mahler 3, we don't need to play incredibly loud; otherwise, we risk losing the melodic aspects.

As you can hear, this is not a cadenza. We cannot take our time and wallow in it at all. Mahler wrote "Trill" and "Nick Schleppen", don't drag the triplets.

"Move forwards. Nick True. Don't hold back."

I think he's trying to tell us something; it has to go, go, go, go, go.

The Importance of B Flat

The B flat is particularly important. It runs through all of Mahler. It's that expressive semitone. Intriguingly, it is the only note that doesn't appear in the chorale from Brahms' First Symphony.

Fascinatingly, the first movement of Mahler's Third Symphony is a parody of the last movement of Brahms' First Symphony. Even the beginning of Mahler's work is very similar to the Trombone Chorale in Brahms' piece.

Practicing Musicality

We would all like to go straight into it. In fact, that's a great way to practice to understand the musicality. We should understand the line before we actually play it at full dynamic.

However, Mahler took care to accent almost every note. Contrary to common belief, when Mahler wrote an accent, he didn't mean to play it long.

If you ask a clarinetist or violinist what an accent means, they will tell you it's just that, an accent.

Somehow, trombonists seem to have adopted the idea that it means to stretch the note. It does not; it's nevertheless an accent, and we must articulate the notes clearly while keeping the line moving.

Moving to the Next Section

Next, we encounter the ae natural, which appears three times. Normally, when something is repeated three times, it grows in intensity, the last instance is when you really mean it.

Don't start the first instance too loud. It says Wieder Schwer (again heavy), but it doesn't need to be full power just yet. We want the emotion of the weight, and then:

• Second Time: A little more; now we mean business.
• Semitone: Here, we let the audition panel know we're present.

Then, we move again, and only here do we stop.

Emotional Nuance

One of the most telling instructions from Mahler is where he writes sentimental. This is a clue to our emotional approach.

Before we discuss that further, let's address a common practicality. Many times when I'm teaching or in an audition, I hear that the second note doesn't speak, resulting in the infamous airball.

The key here is to think of it in two parts. If we think of it simply as a free solo, we lose the pulse, the impetus. When the timing with the air is off, we lose our chance.

Always think of it as bang bang and then it works.

Positive Articulation

Positive doesn't mean dead. Piano always means warm and positive, always a positive articulation.

Hairpins and Dynamics

Another important aspect of this solo are the hairpins: crescendos and decrescendos. These were also used in the Second Viennese School by composers like Webern, Berg, and Schoenberg, often conveying a sigh.

We must pay special attention to these every time they occur. The first solo is clearly sentimental and downcast, portraying a gloomy world. But then, the sun breaks through, there's hope.

With the second group, we have the crescendo followed by a diminuendo.

Timing and Bouncing

Here's the best way I can describe the timing: it's like a bouncing ball. When you bounce a ball, it goes da da da da da. If you reverse that, it's obvious where the next beat will fall.

Remember, that last note doesn't need to sound like Armageddon; it shouldn't be the end of the world. We follow with la da da da da, leading into the cor anglais.

Contemplating the Emotion

In general, the second part is more tragic and reflective than the first. Mahler reverses his earlier instruction to not drag the triplets. Here, it's rittenuto, we have to pull back, creating a much more dramatic effect.

If you look at the music, you'll see where Mahler has written various accelerandos back into tempo.

"Accelerando, then pesante and stop."

Clarity of articulation is paramount; everything I play must be present in the parts.

Transitioning Sections

When we transition to the next section, the SGTragen, the initial note needs to start with real passion, unlike the first solo, which started quietly.

Now, we need to sell the listener a bit of a dummy, make them think it's going to happen again, then we take a different direction, and the sun shines once more.

From there, the music continues similarly to the slow solo, completing another crescendo followed by a diminuendo: resigned.

In this context, the diminuendo serves more as an audition challenge than anything else, with the rest of the orchestra becoming more interesting.

Quintuplets in Mahler 3

The na de la dee motif runs throughout Mahler 3, comprised of these quintuplets.

Understanding quintuplets is crucial for the climax toward the end of the last movement, as it needs to be clear to make musical sense within the piece's overall scope.

Conclusion

Throughout my 30-year career in orchestras such as the Halle Orchestra, London Symphony, and Vienna Philharmonic, Mahler 3 has been a source of some of my most cherished moments.

It was a great honor and privilege to play this piece, and the insights I've shared result from years of experience on how to navigate it, practicing effectively, and preparing thoroughly.

I'm sure that if you follow the guidelines I've laid out here, it will significantly enhance your performance of Mahler 3.