Benjamin P. SkoronskiMarion Rous on Gustav Mahler: A Second LookIn a previous blog post, I implied that a 1947 theme-sheet from a lecture on Mahler’s 5th Symphony was the only evidence of a Mahler…Apr 22, 2022Apr 22, 2022
Benjamin P. SkoronskiDance of Death or Death of Dance? The Waltz and the Fin de siècle in Mahler’s Seventh SymphonyThis is a Dance of Death, as seen in old frescoes. . . . Death plays the violin, inviting people to dance, as sooner or later all of them…Apr 5, 2022Apr 5, 2022
Benjamin P. SkoronskiAlma Schindler as das Ewig-Weibliche in Mahler’s Eighth SymphonyScholars have paid a great deal of attention to the negative aspects of the marriage between Alma Schindler and Gustav Mahler. Predictably…Apr 2, 2022Apr 2, 2022
Benjamin P. SkoronskiMahler’s Instrumentation in CaricatureNow a service offered by street vendors at fairs, the caricature was once a highly-regarded art form. Few notable people could escape the…Mar 20, 2022Mar 20, 2022
Benjamin P. SkoronskiThe Question of Program in Mahler’s Fourth SymphonyIt is no secret that Gustav Mahler was indecisive. He would constantly revise his works up until his very death, tweaking details of…Mar 8, 2022Mar 8, 2022
Benjamin P. SkoronskiMarion Rous on Mahler’s 5th SymphonyLong before Leonard Bernstein posed the question “Who is Gustav Mahler?” to his audience at a 1960 New York Philharmonic lecture,[1]…Mar 7, 2022Mar 7, 2022
Benjamin P. Skoronski“Who is the Boss; The Composer or the Conductor?”“In a concerto, who is the boss; the soloist or the conductor?”[1] Leonard Bernstein famously posed this tongue-in-cheek question to his…Feb 20, 2022Feb 20, 2022
Benjamin P. SkoronskiMahler and the Doctrine of ResurrectionIt was when he was attending Hans von Bülow’s death in 1894 greatly that Gustav Mahler first heard the words of Friedrich Gottlieb…Feb 13, 2022Feb 13, 2022
Benjamin P. SkoronskiDie Hörner Alles übertönen: Mahler’s Struggle with the Finale of the First SymphonyOur horn players loyally submitted to Mahler’s bidding and thus the desired non plus ultra of sonority was reached — however with very…Feb 6, 2022Feb 6, 2022
Benjamin P. SkoronskiDeconstructing the Mahler Mythology: A Case StudyA ubiquitous reminiscence of obscure origin suggests that Mahler treated his musicians like a lion tamer treats his animals.[1] This…Jan 29, 2022Jan 29, 2022
