Recently, Ray and I heard the LA Phil perform Mahler’s 6th Symphony. This is the one with the two hammer blows, the one that some refer to as the “tragic.” We went to the talk before the performance and the speaker was California composer, Paul Gibson. He played different snippets from the symphony and challenged us to determine if the music we were hearing had a trace of tragedy in it. The answer was no. Much of what he played was light, happy, ephemeral, or march-like, far from tragic. Gibson said that rumor has it that Mahler referred to this symphony as tragic in a conversation with someone, but who that person was or when exactly this conversation happened was never documented. Gibson contended that listening to the symphony with the preconception that it is somehow tragic colored his listening for years and he believes this is a disservice to this gorgeous piece of music. He did point out that at the very end of the symphony, Mahler stays in a minor key, which is usually chosen to reflect a more somber mood, and the ending is much more abrupt than any of Mahler’s other work. But besides those two “tragic” elements, he believed the rest of the symphony reflected a great deal of beauty and hope.

As a novice in this arena, I can only say that the snippets of music Gibson played and then explained helped me to listen much more carefully during the performance. Also, I found myself learning many other things from Gibson in terms of the choices Mahler made when composing this piece. For example, there is a beautiful theme that runs through the symphony that is light and airy. This is called “Alma’s Theme,” which is named for Mahler’s wife, who was someone he was deeply in love with. It repeats in different variations throughout the symphony and contrasts dramatically with the march-like beginning. At this point in Mahler’s life, he and Alma were very happy as parents of two little girls. This was yet another reason Gibson felt as if the “tragic” description was inaccurate. However, he pointed out that this symphony was written very shortly before a series of tragic events that would deeply affect Mahler’s life: the death of his four-year-old daughter, the diagnosis of a debilitating heart condition that would eventually kill him, and an abrupt and unpleasant ending to his association with the Vienna Opera.

This symphony was performed at Disney Hall and was conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, the brilliant and energetic Venezuelan artistic director for the LA Phil. We were excited to go because Dudamel will be leaving in the not-too-distant future to assume the leadership of the New York Philharmonic. We want to see him as much as we can before he goes. He is much loved and admired in the Los Angeles community for his musical vision and vitality along with his work with youth orchestras in LA and many other places.

Whether “tragic” or not, the symphony was absolutely riveting to listen to and watch. The music shifted many times and the many musicians on stage were all busy contributing to the overall gorgeous sound. I have heard the 6th before but never in person. This was definitely a symphony that lends itself to seeing live. There were so many moving parts, it was fascinating to witness. It was also absolutely beautiful to hear. I had to wipe the tears from my eyes at the end.

Below is a five-minute segment of the beginning of Mahler’s 6 with the Gothenburg Symphony recorded several years ago. This will give you a glimpse at the depth and breadth of this piece and also a look at Dudamel and his energetic conducting.