Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 3

Gustav Mahler considered his symphonies to be a reflection and image of the “world”. This is especially true of his Third Symphony, whose individual parts represented, according to the composer’s ideas, a kind of “stages of creation”: 1. a musical depiction of the emergence of life in the womb of nature, 2. a portrayal of flowers in the meadow, 3. animals in the forest, the 4th part introduces humans into the action, in the 5th angels appear, and the 6th part is an expression of love. In addition to the monumental symphonic apparatus, a female solo voice is integrated into the 4th movement and a female and children’s choir into the 5th movement. Following P. I. Tchaikovsky’s 6th symphony, Mahler’s composition is another notable instance of utilizing the slow movement as a symphony finale. The final Adagio unfolds in broad arcs and culminates in a triumphant anthemic conclusion.
Czech mezzo-soprano Ester Pavlů has collaborated with a constellation of renowned conductors. She delved into the character of Bizet’s Carmen at the State Opera in Prague and portrayed the Ice Queen at the Theater an der Wien. The music director of the Houston Symphony and Teatro di San Carlo, Juraj Valčuha, will return to his native Slovakia for a couple of concerts.