Mahler: Symphony No. 6 David Zinman

• Gustav Mahler (1860–1911): Sinfonie Nr. 6 A-Moll
• 1 I. Allegro energico, ma non troppo 23:50
• 2 II. Andante moderato 14:04
• 3 III. Scherzo: Wuchtig 13:56
• 4 IV. Finale: Allegro moderato 29:49
• Total Runtime 01:21:39

Info for Mahler: Symphony No. 6

It is difficult to listen to Mahler's Sixth Symphony completely detached from what we know about his biography, if only because of the two or three strokes of the hammer in the Finale. The following image derives from Mahler: This is a hero who is the victim of three strokes of fate, the third of which fells him like a tree. Alma Mahler later linked these strokes with Mahler's own biography: the death of his elder daughter, the forced resignation from his position as Director of the Vienna Hofoper, and his heart condition, which led to his death. And on the basis of this arose the assumption that Mahler deleted the third stroke of the hammer for superstitious reasons. Is that not merely the cult of genius? Theodor W. Adorno's response to the piece is perhaps more accurate: 'Mahler's novels have no heroes and admire none.' In the hero, he saw the 'collective,' a 'mass of traveling journeymen who have had a destiny, who are now going out into the world.' However, counter-explanations such as these also have programmatic character.

„Every performance of this symphony succeeds or fails on the basis of the finale, and here Zinman really excels. He takes his time over the introduction, those menacing brass shrieks as expressionistically underlined as in Bernstein/Vienna (DG). The hammer blows are sensational–among the most crushing ever recorded, but also, somehow, musical rather than just noisy. In the last 10 minutes or so (the recapitulation) Zinman succeeds in clarifying the music’s polyphonic combinations of themes without sacrificing a scintilla of its power or excitement. The sonics are also much better balanced than in the previous release of the Fifth Symphony, with the lower strings and brass captured much more realistically. In sum, this is a very fine Sixth, and you can always enjoy it with the scherzo second if you feel so inclined.“ (David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com)

Tonhalle Orchestra of Zurich
Zinman, David, conductor

David Zinman
has conducted all the leading North American and European orchestras. Forthcoming projects include performances with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, London Philharmonic Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra and Washington’s National Symphony Orchestra. He also returns to the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich for subscription concerts and conducting masterclasses, which he inaugurated during his time as Music Director. He also gives masterclasses this season at the Juilliard School of Music.

Zinman has held positions as Music Director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic and Baltimore Symphony orchestras. Recent recordings include a 50-CD box set, David Zinman - Great Symphonies: The Zurich Years, which celebrates Zinman’s recording legacy with the Tonhalle-Orchester.

Booklet for Mahler: Symphony No. 6