Symphony No.8 "Symphony of a Thousand" (Mahler) facts for kids
Symphony No. 8 in E-flat major by Gustav Mahler (1860–1911) is a very large piece of classical music. It is special because it needs a huge orchestra and many choirs to perform it. Because so many people are needed, it is often called the "Symphony of a Thousand". However, Mahler himself did not give it this name.
Mahler worked very hard on this symphony. He wrote it quite quickly in the summer of 1906. This was in Maiernigg, a place in southern Austria. It was the last of Mahler's works that was performed for the first time while he was still alive. The symphony had its first performance in Munich on 12 September 1910.
Contents
What Makes This Symphony Special?
Symphonies are usually pieces of music played only by an orchestra. But some composers, like Ludwig van Beethoven, started adding singing to their symphonies. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is famous for its "Ode to Joy" part, which has singers.
Mahler liked this idea of combining singing with orchestral music. He included singing in his Symphonies Nos. 2, 3, and 4. After writing three symphonies just for orchestra, he used singing again in his Eighth Symphony.
How Is It Structured?
Symphony No. 8 is very unusual because it does not have the typical three or four movements. Most symphonies have separate parts with traditional forms. Instead, Mahler's Eighth Symphony is divided into just two main parts.
- Part I uses words from an old Latin Christian hymn. This hymn is called Veni creator spiritus, which means "Come, Creator Spirit." It is a hymn from the 9th century for Pentecost.
- Part II uses words in German. These words come from the end of Goethe's famous play Faust.
Both parts of the symphony share a common idea. This idea is about being saved or helped through the strong power of love. Mahler connects the two parts musically by using the same tunes and melodies throughout the whole symphony. The music shows a strong belief in the never-ending human spirit.
Why Is It Not Always Performed?
For many years after Mahler died, this symphony was not played very often. This is because it is very expensive to perform. It needs a huge number of musicians and singers. It also needs to be played in a very large concert hall so everyone can fit and the sound can be heard well.
Today, it is performed more often. For example, the 100th anniversary of its first performance was celebrated in July 2010. It was the opening concert of the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
What Do People Think About It?
People have different opinions about Mahler's Eighth Symphony. Some people felt that the hopeful and positive feelings in the music were not completely convincing. Others have said that it is one of the greatest musical expressions of what it means to be human.
