MAHLER / VALERY GERGIEV / MUNCHNER PHILHARMONIKER Mahler: Symphony No. 8

MAHLER / VALERY GERGIEV / MUNCHNER PHILHARMONIKER Mahler: Symphony No. 8 CD 2020

Hardly any other concert marks the city of Munich's musical history as strikingly as the premiere of Gustav Mahler's 8th symphony, the 'Symphony of a Thousand', which struck real waves of enthusiasm within the city's cultural scene, and beyond. It marked a memorable triumph for the composer, whose works had regularly been performed in Munich since 1896. Mahler felt his art form was understood by the people of Munich.

Moreover, Gustav Mahler and the Münchner Philharmoniker share a very special connection. As a composer he sustainably linked the 19th century Austro-German tradition and the modernism of the early 20th century. The just discussed monumental world premiere of his Symphony No. 8 took place under his baton on 12 September 1910 in Munich with the present day Münchner Philharmoniker. His works have been a substantial part of the Münchner Philharmoniker’s core repertoire ever since and the orchestra has excelled on many occasions.

It therefore comes as no surprise that the Münchner Philharmoniker brought this very repertoire to performance on numerous occasions during their 2018/2019 125 years anniversary season, one of which marks this recording: a concert at the Philharmonie de Paris in February 2019.

In the symphony’s two highly contrasting parts in text as well as composition, Mahler brings the setting of the Latin 9th century Christian hymn for Pentecost “Veni, creator spiritus” in conjunction with the closing scene of Goethe’s “Faust II”: creating a syncretism of two different understandings of the world as it is, with the common theme of redemption through love.

1 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 1: I. "Veni, Creator Spiritus" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Orfeón Donostiarra, Philharmonischer Chor München, Valery Gergiev & Munich Philharmonic
1:31
2 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 1: II. "Imple superna gratia" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Michael Nagy, Evgeny Nikitin, Orfeón Donostiarra, Philharmonischer Chor München, Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic, Johannes Berger, Simone Schneider, Jacquelyn Wagner, Simon O'Neill, Claudia Mahnke & Katharina Magiera
4:13
3 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 1: III. "Infirma nostri corporis" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Michael Nagy, Evgeny Nikitin, Orfeón Donostiarra, Philharmonischer Chor München, Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic, Johannes Berger, Simone Schneider, Jacquelyn Wagner, Simon O'Neill, Claudia Mahnke & Katharina Magiera
1:36
4 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 1: IV. Tempo I. (Allegro, etwas hastig) [Live]
Gustav Mahler - Valery Gergiev & Munich Philharmonic
1:19
5 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 1: V. "Infirma nostri corporis" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Michael Nagy, Evgeny Nikitin, Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic, Johannes Berger, Jacquelyn Wagner, Simone Schneider, Simon O'Neill, Claudia Mahnke & Katharina Magiera
2:40
6 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 1: VI. "Accende lumen sensibus" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Michael Nagy, Evgeny Nikitin, Philharmonischer Chor München, Augsburger Domsingknaben, Orfeón Donostiarra, Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic, Johannes Berger, Simone Schneider, Jacquelyn Wagner, Simon O'Neill, Claudia Mahnke & Katharina Magiera
4:50
7 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 1: VII. "Veni, Creator" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Michael Nagy, Evgeny Nikitin, Philharmonischer Chor München, Augsburger Domsingknaben, Orfeón Donostiarra, Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic, Johannes Berger, Simone Schneider, Jacquelyn Wagner, Simon O'Neill, Claudia Mahnke & Katharina Magiera
4:07
8 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 1: VIII. "Gloria sit Patri Domino" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Michael Nagy, Evgeny Nikitin, Philharmonischer Chor München, Augsburger Domsingknaben, Orfeón Donostiarra, Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic, Johannes Berger, Simone Schneider, Jacquelyn Wagner, Simon O'Neill, Claudia Mahnke & Katharina Magiera
2:43
9 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 2: I. Poco Adagio (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Valery Gergiev & Munich Philharmonic
4:22
10 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 2: II. Più mosso (Allegro moderato) [Live]
Gustav Mahler - Valery Gergiev & Munich Philharmonic
2:41
11 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 2: III. "Waldung, sie schwankt heran" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Orfeón Donostiarra, Philharmonischer Chor München, Valery Gergiev & Munich Philharmonic
3:13
12 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 2: IV. "Ewiger Wonnebrand" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Michael Nagy, Valery Gergiev & Munich Philharmonic
1:27
13 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 2: V. "Wie Felsengrund mir zu Füßen" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Evgeny Nikitin, Valery Gergiev & Munich Philharmonic
3:56
14 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 2: VI. "Gerettet ist das edle Glied" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Augsburger Domsingknaben, Orfeón Donostiarra, Philharmonischer Chor München, Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic, Regula Mühlemann & Katharina Magiera
1:14
15 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 2: VII. "Jene Rosen" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Philharmonischer Chor München, Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic, Regula Mühlemann & Katharina Magiera
1:45
16 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 2: VIII. "Uns bleibt ein Erdenrest" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic, Regula Mühlemann, Simon O'Neill & Katharina Magiera
1:47
17 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 2: IX. "Ich spür soeben" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic, Regula Mühlemann, Simon O'Neill & Katharina Magiera
1:10
18 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 2: X. "Höchste Herrscherin der Welt" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Orfeón Donostiarra, Philharmonischer Chor München, Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic & Simon O'Neill
3:40
19 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 2: XI. "Dir, der Unberührbaren" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Orfeón Donostiarra, Philharmonischer Chor München, Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic & Jacquelyn Wagner
3:14
20 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 2: XII. "Bei der Liebe" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic, Simone Schneider, Claudia Mahnke & Katharina Magiera
4:55
21 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 2: XIII. "Neige, neige, du Ohnegleiche" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic & Jacquelyn Wagner
0:51
22 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 2: XIV. "Er überwächst uns schon" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Augsburger Domsingknaben, Philharmonischer Chor München, Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic, Jacquelyn Wagner & Regula Mühlemann
3:34
23 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 2: XV. "Komm! Hebe Dich" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Augsburger Domsingknaben, Philharmonischer Chor München, Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic, Regula Mühlemann & Simon O'Neill
6:49
24 Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, "Symphony of a Thousand", Pt. 2: XVI. "Alles Vergängliche" (Live)
Gustav Mahler - Michael Nagy, Evgeny Nikitin, Philharmonischer Chor München, Augsburger Domsingknaben, Orfeón Donostiarra, Valery Gergiev, Munich Philharmonic, Johannes Berger, Simone Schneider, Jacquelyn Wagner, Simon O'Neill, Claudia Mahnke & Katharina Magiera

Release Date: 17 Jan 2020