Composer

:

Gustav Mahler

Genre

:

Orchestral

Style

:

Tone Poem

Compose Date

:

ca. 1888

First Performance

:

Mar 4, 1895

Average_duration

:

24:20

Gustav Mahler composed his Totenfeier in C minor in 1888, and it was premiered in 1901. The piece is a symphonic poem that was later incorporated into his Symphony No. 2, also known as the Resurrection Symphony. The Totenfeier is a single movement work that lasts around 20 minutes. It is a funeral march that begins with a somber and mournful theme played by the cellos and basses. This theme is then taken up by the rest of the orchestra, building in intensity and volume. The music becomes more agitated and frenzied, with the brass section playing a prominent role. The middle section of the piece features a more lyrical and introspective theme, played by the strings. This section provides a moment of respite from the intensity of the opening, but it is short-lived. The funeral march theme returns, even more powerful than before, and the piece ends with a dramatic and explosive climax. The Totenfeier is characterized by Mahler's use of orchestration to create a sense of drama and emotion. He employs a large orchestra, including a full complement of brass and percussion instruments, to create a powerful and intense sound. The use of the funeral march theme throughout the piece creates a sense of inevitability and finality, as if the music is leading inexorably towards a final conclusion. Overall, the Totenfeier in C minor is a powerful and emotional work that showcases Mahler's skill as a composer. Its incorporation into the Resurrection Symphony highlights the themes of death and rebirth that are central to Mahler's music.

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