Mahler: 7th Symphony, 1st movement

Mahler, 7th Symphony, 1st movement (1988-98)

still unfinished,
but still the crowning achievement of my MIDI sequencing

download:

The best version, broken into separate files:
(I use Cakewalk^TM's 'Playlist' feature to play them in succession)

introduction
exposition
varied repeat of exposition
development
return of intro
recapitulation
coda

And an mp3 of the coda

the whole thing, but an inferior version.

I've never been completely happy with any recording or performance I've heard of this work. It's often cited as being Mahler's worst symphony, and I think that opinion is a result of there not being any proper interpretations of it available on recording.

I think my years of Mahler studies, and of the circumstances surrounding the composition of this symphony in particular, give me a perspective on this piece that, in my opinion, makes this interpretation of the first movement the best available (except for the fact that it's still unfinished and in progress).

I hesitate to include the older version, but I do so in case you are unable to find a way to play the better, more recent one as a whole.

(see my book-length webpage A Century of New Music in Vienna for detailed further background info)

Turn out the lights, lie back, and enter Mahler's world

Updated: 2002.1.5, 2000.8.14

For many more diagrams and explanations of historical tunings, see my book. If you don't understand my theory or the terms I've used, start here or try some definitions.

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