Gustav Mahler and 8c music class

On the 28th of February we, the 8C, visited the Gustav Mahler concert in Klagenfurt under the supervision of our music teacher, Professor Pfeifer. The Kammerensemble Gustav Mahler together with Angelika Kirchschlager (Mezzosopran) and Wolfgang Czeipek as the conductor performed the following pieces:

Kindertotenlieder für eine Singstimme und Orchester with Aneglika Kirchschlager

Symphonie Nr. 9 (Bearb. Für Kammermusik von Klaus Simon)

Gustav Mahler lived from 1860 to 1911 and was an Austrian composer and conductor. He was famous for his symphonies as he was one of the few that used voices in his pieces. The tenth, however, was left unfinished. Though he is a very famous man and has gained great importance in music history, it was not until 1945 that his music spread to England and other non-European countries.

The performance of the Kindertotenlieder also known as Dead Children’s songs was a very emotional piece and left a very depressing and mystical air in the concert hall. Even though it was quite a sad performance, it was a fantastic sight. Especially the Mezzo-soprano left a marvellous impression on our class and gave a great performance.

The second piece was less sad but had a very mystical aura and sounded completely different to the music we are used to. Even for a classical piece of work it sounded somewhat different and it was very interesting to listen to it.  We preferred this piece of music to the first one as it was more pompous and less depressing though one must say that both pieces of music are those of a genius.

Our class understood right from the beginning that Gustav Mahler was an outrageous person and a wonderful composer. His style of music was influenced by Schoenberg and their friendship was reflected in the complex polyphony and extreme chromaticity in their music. Perhaps this and the fact that Mahler gained hisinspiration in a Villa on the Wörthersee helped him to write such wonderful pieces and emotional music. All in all one can say that the 8C together with Mister Pfeifer were extremely overjoyed to have visited such a wonderfully performed concert.

Leni and Jenny, 8c