The Mahler Symphonies: An Owner's Manual (includes 1 CD) [Paperback]

David Hurwitz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2004 | Series: Unlocking the Masters (Book 2)

Since Gustav Mahler was rediscovered in the early 1960s, his symphonies have become arguably the most popular works in the modern orchestral repertoire. Mahler's Symphonies: An Owner's Manual is the first discussion of the ten completed symphonies (No. 1-9 plus "The Song of the Earth") to offer music lovers and record collectors a comprehensive overview of the music itself, what it sounds like, how it is organized, its form, content, and meaning, as it strikes today's listeners. The book caters to the novice as David Hurwitz describes what the listener will hear, section by section, using simple cues such as important instrumental solos, recognizable tunes, climaxes, and other easily audible musical facts. He explains how each work is arranged, how the various parts relate to each other, and how one work leads to the next. It describes the emotional extravagance that lies at the root of Mahler's popularity, the consistency of his symphonic thinking, the relationship of each work to its companions, and his dazzling and revolutionary use of orchestral instruments to create an expressive musical language that is varied in content and immediate in impact. The accompanying CD contains recordings from Symphony No. 1, Third Movement; Symphony No. 2, First Movement; Symphony No. 5, Third Movement; and Symphony No. 7, Second Movement: "Nachtmusik I."

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Anyone fascinated but daunted by Mahler's monumental, complex orchestral works will find this book a welcome guide. Focusing on the nine completed symphonies and The Song of the Earth, David Hurwitz addresses his readers directly in an informal, conversational tone. Aided by a CD of four selected movements, he tells them what to listen for, what to pay special attention to, and, pointing out some recurring characteristics, what to remember for future reference. He explains Mahler's concept of form and structure, from the smallest motives to the over-life-size finished edifice. He discusses Mahler's manifold use of his songs, his love for quoting from himself and for recalling and anticipating thematic material--always in a new guise--and his penchant for aborted climaxes and deceptive endings: part of his reluctance (or inability) to conclude a composition. Despite his originality, Mahler stood on the shoulders of other giants, notably Wagner and Verdi, whose works he conducted at the Vienna Opera. Hurwitz devotes much attention--and an entire appendix--to Mahler's unsurpassed mastery of orchestration, his skill in exploiting every instrument's resources, even using them for thematic purposes.

Hurwitz admits that describing music in words has limitations; he falls back instead on describing Mahler's complex mixture of elements from the most sublime to the raw (for example, we find the music characterized as pretty," "cute," "sleazy," "sexy," "vulgar," "flatulent," or "squealing" like a barmaid "after being pinched on the behind" and the like). On the other hand, he rejects the conventional assumption that there is a link between a composer's work and life experiences, isolating the music from the personality. This might be considered a drawback insofar as it neglects a crucial dimension (consider, for example, our knowledge that Mahler tried to outwit fate by interpolating The Song of the Earth between his Eighth and Ninth Symphonies and how this might enhance our understanding of those two dark, valedictory final works). Yet even such cavils cannot diminish the originality and thoughtfulness behind this illuminating book. --Edith Eisler

Review

" . . . very useful." -- La Scena Musicale, Vol. 10, No. 7

". . . Hurwitz manages to explain [Mahler's] creative process in plain language . . ." -- American Reference Books Annual, 36th vol.

". . .this is the ideal book for a would-be Mahlerite . . . " -- musicweb-international.com

"Hurwitz is precise, avuncular, and enthusiastic . . . Recommended." -- Choice, July/August 2005

"The concise discussion of each movement, in its parts and themes is factual, simple . . ." -- VocalImages.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Amadeus Press (November 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574670999
• ISBN-13: 978-1574670998
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #259,626 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Theory, Composition & Performance > Sheet Music & Scores > Composers > Mahler
  • #25 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Theory, Composition & Performance > Sheet Music & Scores > Forms & Genres > Symphonies
  • #57 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Theory, Composition & Performance > Sheet Music & Scores > Instrumentation > Orchestra

More About the Author

I was born in Wilmington, Delaware and grew up in Connecticut. I have graduate degrees in Modern European History from Johns Hopkins and Stanford Universities, and at one time or another studied and played piano, clarinet, viola, and percussion. I am currently the founder and Executive Editor of Classicstoday.com, the internet's first major classical music review magazine.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars introduction to Mahler's major symphonic works, February 28, 2005

By 

Henry Berry "Henry Berry" (Southport, CT) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mahler Symphonies: An Owner's Manual (includes 1 CD) (Paperback)

Hurwitz breaks down Mahler's nine symphonies plus his song cycle "The Song of the Earth" into their parts as these contribute to the whole; and the parts too are broken down for their development, tone, and instruments. Analyses and commentary mingle with frequent metaphoric, near-poetic, evocations of musical passages. In the Fifth Movement of Symphony No. 5, "Horn and woodwinds unfold a series of perky little tunes...." In the Second Movement, "As this climax dies away trailing clouds of strings and horns, the woodwinds slither back in with sinister whirring scales." Hurwitz also gives attention to the spiritual ideas and the emotions embodied in Mahler's music. The author of "Beethoven or Bust: A Practical Guide to Learning About and Listening to Great Music," Hurwitz writes about music in a style that is suitable for readers of all ages from young adults and up.

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Listener's Guide, October 22, 2006

By 

Dean Campbell (El Paso, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mahler Symphonies: An Owner's Manual (includes 1 CD) (Paperback)

David Hurwitz has written a marvelous guide for the classical music listener who wants to get more out of Mahler's symphonies but: a) lacks the ability to follow the music him/herself, or make sense of it; and b) finds that CD and program notes do not provide sufficiently detailed description, or are too technical to be understandable. The author provides lengthy but non-technical descriptions of the music as it progresses, keeping the listener on track and ready for what comes next. Major melodies or tunes are identified by ad hoc names (the "kletzmer," the "Alma," etc.). Major rhythms are identified for the reader-listener in the most basic terms (i.e. "dum dum dadum dum"), but it works! Hurwitz eschews biographical background in favor of discussion of the form and content of the music itself. Even if the author fails to convert you to a Mahlerian (and he certainly seems to be one himself), his book will deepen your appreciation for this formerly "much abused" composer.

My complaints are few. In his enthusiasm the author has a tendency to confuse the words "literal" and "figurative" such that, at one point in the book he describes the orchestra as "literally falling over a cliff" or words to that effect; which, for the sake of the musicians' health and casualty insurance premiums I hope did not happen. I wish that discussions of form and interpretations of meaning had been reserved for the front of each chapter, directly following the introduction, so the chronological description of the music had not been interrupted. Strangely, the author, who is not bashful about expressing his opinions, seems surprisingly hesitant to divulge his extra-musical interpretations of the music. Finally, Hurwitz is a most uncritical critic, defending Mahler from every criticism, even those that, to my ears, are justifiable.

In addition to the book the purchaser receives a CD with one-movement excerpts from four Mahler symphonies (#'s 1, 2, 5 and 7). The guides to these four movements contain exact time references to these CD performances for greater ease in following along.

Buyer beware: you'll find you'll want to acquire CD's of Mahler symphonies you don't presently own (I bought #'s 6 and 7), or purchase other versions if yours don't reveal all the twitters, birdcalls, or cowbells itemized in the book.

Highly recommended.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Predictably snarky and low brow; go elsewhere, June 18, 2011

By 

Firebrand - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mahler Symphonies: An Owner's Manual (includes 1 CD) (Paperback)

Hurwitz has left behind a long trail of snotty, obnoxious, biased, off-base, and infuriating music criticism, particularly on Mahler recordings. Some of his views are extremely dubious, such as his profound misunderstanding of the work of conductor Jascha Horenstein and Sir John Barbirolli. This alone is enough to cast doubt on Hurwitz' ear for Mahler.

Even if you don't take issue with this obnoxious trail of pungent waste, the issue here is tone and style that, for me, spoil the value of what he has to say. (This also applies to Hurwitz' Shostakovich "owner's manual", and anything else he writes.) Do you want your Mahler "tour guide" to be a rude Howard Stern/Rush Limbaugh type? From someone who can so arrogantly and stupidly dismiss the career of Claudio Abbado as "nothing of interest"?

Do you want your information from someone who talks down to you like a child in a patronizing, lowbrow, silly chatter similar to something you get from a Food Network host? Or would you prefer some class and taste from a Mahler scholar, whose presentation is worthy of the music?

If the former, Hurwitz is your guy, good luck. If the latter, go directly to these instead:

For walk-throughs of Mahler's works---direct Hurwitz competitors (that start from the perspective of the symphonies, incorporating biography along the way), consider:

1. "Gustav Mahler: An Introduction to His Music" by Deryck Cooke, whose work bringing the unfinished Mahler 10th to the world was a great achievement for music. Cooke's book, originally written as a booklet for Mahler's centenary, is short and concise, like a book of good liner notes for the layperson. It is indeed an "introduction": a few paragraphs per movement, a few pages per symphony but he manages to cover a great deal in a short amount of space.

2. "Gustav Mahler: The Symphonies" by Constantin Floros. Floros is for more ambitious listeners who want thorough analysis. Extensive historical and musical sources are cross referenced. This book is ideal for experienced listeners and music students, but still not intimidating for everyone else.

3. Highest recommendation for Michael Steinberg's "The Symphony", the prototype of the kind of blow by blow listener's guide that Hurwitz thinks he's improved on, but hasn't. Steinberg breaks down the symphonies of many composers, not just Mahler. But the extensive chapter on Mahler symphonies could be a standalone book by itself. It offers detailed breakdowns of each work,in a conversational style appealing to both a layperson or a seasoned listener. For those willing to buy a bigger book that isn't just on Mahler, Steinberg does the job as well as any.

4. For a bit more biography, Michael Kennedy's "Mahler" and Egon Gartenberg's "Mahler:The Man and His Music" are also concise books that are 50% biography and 50% analysis. Of these two, Gartenberg does into more detail on the individual works, while Kennedy's is a more general overview of Mahler's style within the context of the biography.

Any of these books will do the job, and none are annoying.