Faith in Music

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Faith in Music: Gustav Mahler

Gustav Mahler

BBC Radio 4 - Faith in Music, Gustav Mahler

Sir James MacMillan considers composer Mahler’s complex faith life.

Composer Sir James MacMillan considers Mahler’s complex faith life at a time of anti-Semitism and great personal tragedy.

Scottish, Catholic composer Sir James MacMillan considers the faith lives of three very different composers. In this programme, he considers Gustav Mahler’s complex faith life at a time of anti-Semitism and great personal tragedy.

Over the centuries, composers have created musical masterpieces that many listeners have come to regard as spiritual touchstones. For example, Mozart’s Requiem, Mahler’s 2nd Symphony, Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis. But what did these composers actually believe about God, faith, judgement, an afterlife and redemption? And do we need to share these beliefs in any way in order to have a spiritual experience as listeners to their music? Answers to these questions are complex, fascinating and challenging.

In order to take up the directorship of the Vienna State Opera, Gustav Mahler was required to convert from Judaism to Christianity. Was this a purely pragmatic conversion or was there more to this life-changing decision than meets the eye? His Symphonies catalogue his faith journey from some fairly widely accepted Christian views contained in the earlier works through to Buddhist influences and a possible view of reincarnation in his last works. The conductor Bruno Walter said, "Bruckner found his God, but Mahler was always looking"

James MacMillan talks with Mahler scholars - composer David Matthews, writer and musicologist Stephen Johnson and Professor Marilyn McCoy. 

Produced by Rosie Boulton
A Must Try Softer production for BBC Radio 4

Mahler Music played:

Mahler 1st Symphony, 1st Movement
Performers: Claudio Abbado / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
CD title: Mahler 1st Symphony
Deutsche Grammophon

Mahler 2nd Symphony, last movement
Performers: Rattle / CBSO
EMI

Mahler 3rd Symphony
Performers: Claudio Abbado / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Deutsche Grammophon

Mahler 9th Symphony, 4th Movement
Performers: Claudio Abbado / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
CD title: Mahler 9th Symphony
Deutsche Grammophon

Mahler 10th Symphony, 1st Movement
Performers: Simon Rattle / Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
CD: Mahler Symphonie 10
Label: EMI

Mahler 10th Symphony, 5th Movement
Performers: Simon Rattle / Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
CD: Mahler Symphonie 10
Label: EMI


Mahler’s Rückert-Lieder Op.44 - Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Performers: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau /Berliner Philharmoniker / Karl Böhm
CD title: Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen; Kindertotenlieder; 4 Rückert-Lieder
Deutsche Grammophon

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Composer Sir James MacMillan considers the faith lives of composers over the centuries.

Over the centuries, composers have created musical masterpieces that many regard as spiritual touchstones. James MacMillan considers the faith of some of these composers.

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