A Little Note about Mahler’s 9th Symphony

Hi everyone! This month will be a slightly off topic post, but I recently went to a local playing of Mahler’s 9th symphony in Detroit conducted by Jader Bignamini and it was, in a lack of better words, fantastic. Typically violins are always the focus of an orchestra, but the violas really took this symphony. Mahler goes beyond using instruments, and every single part feels SO right. Honestly I wish I would get the chance to perform in a Mahler symphony.
The final movement of the 9th symphony was fantastic. I loved the solos from the principal violinist and music slowly, and almost unwillingly, dying off. It contrasted a lot with the second and third movements, and I somehow reflected a lot on my own life. As much as I wish that Mahler had more time to live more and to push further and to create more beautiful works, this being his last completed work feels like a cruel act of fate, beautifully. (If you are unaware of this “fate,” basically Mahler became aware of the “Curse of the 9th” where composers like Beethoven and Dvorak have died somewhere around their 9th symphony, and Mahler became really paranoid and wrote some other works before actually writing his 9th symphony but he died whilst writing his 10th symphony).
The 9th Symphony honestly isn’t my favorite– I like more triumphant works that are very grandiose, so it’s not that unexpected for me to really like the second and eighth symphony, but the ninth symphony feels a lot more different. He feels so reluctant to let go of the world and its beauties. It was honestly so emotionally stimulating for me, and I’ve genuinely never felt like this, since I haven't been to a inperson classical music concert since I was 5.
Anyways, I have a classical music playlist that I made in 10th grade with a lot of works that sound very triumphant and loud, my favorite part of the Romantic period to the 20th century. Check it out! :)

I am linking Bernstein’s performance of Mahler’s 9th because it sounds really good: https://youtu.be/IoNEeKJ2x44 . Bernstein also has a Harvard lecture about Mahler’s 9th which is found here: https://youtu.be/U5I7lYN5adU, which not only sets the background to Mahler, it’s also really pleasing to listen to! Bernstein has such a good voice, and I also enjoy watching his rehearsals of Mahler performances because he becomes part of the music, and it’s really nice to see!