Description

Mahler Symphony No. 4 - Riccardo Chailly & Gewandhausorchester (DVD)

UPC: 4260234830354

Product Features

Title: Mahler: Symphony No. 4 in G major
Composer: Gustav Mahler
Conductor: Riccardo Chailly
Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Soloist: Christina Landshamer (Soprano)
Bonus Features:Cover Art: Hohe Zeit (2012) by Neo Rauch, courtesy of Galerie EIGEN ART Leipzig/Berlin and David Zwimer, New York/London
- "The Welte-Mignon Piano Player Device" - Mahler plays Mahler (Symphony No. 4, 4th movement)
- Riccardo Chailly discusses Mahler's Symphony No. 4
Recorded Live: Gewandhaus zu Leipzig, April 26/27, 2012
Director: Henning Kasten
Producer: Günter Attein
Running Time: 61 minutes and 14 seconds
Picture Format: NTSC, 16:9
Sound Formats:Subtitles: German, English, French, Japanese
- PCM Stereo
- Dolby Digital 5.1
- DTS 5.1
Region Code: 0 (Worldwide)
Disc Format: DVD-9

Overview

This DVD captures a stunning live performance of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 4 in G major, conducted by the world-renowned Riccardo Chailly with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Mahler's Fourth Symphony, with its luminous orchestration and joyful finale sung by soprano Christina Landshamer, is a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors, with a third movement Mahler once described as “the greatest mix of colors that ever existed.” Chailly’s deep familiarity with the work brings out the symphony’s fine nuances, creating an emotionally rich and dynamically subtle performance.

The Gewandhausorchester, long associated with the late Romantic repertoire, produces a sound that is both lush and precise, praised by Der Tagesspiegel for its ability to maintain a powerful presence even in the softest passages. This DVD offers both music lovers and collectors a beautiful rendering of Mahler’s masterpiece, alongside insightful bonus material about the performance and Mahler’s original piano roll recording of the symphony’s fourth movement.

Interesting Facts

Riccardo Chailly has been the Chief Conductor of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig since 2005 and is highly regarded for his interpretations of Mahler’s works.
Christina Landshamer, a celebrated soprano, beautifully delivers the vocal solo in the symphony’s final movement, based on the German folk poem "Das himmlische Leben" (The Heavenly Life).
Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 is unique in his symphonic output for its lighter, more joyful tone, concluding with an ethereal vision of heaven as seen through the eyes of a child.
The Welte-Mignon Piano is an early 20th-century mechanical piano that recorded Mahler himself playing his works, offering a rare insight into how the composer may have intended his music to sound.

Track Listing

Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 4 in G major
- 1st Movement: Bedächtig, nicht eilen
- 2nd Movement: In gemächlicher Bewegung, ohne Hast
- 3rd Movement: Ruhevoll, poco adagio
- 4th Movement: Sehr behaglich (featuring Christina Landshamer, soprano)
Bonus Features:
- "The Welte-Mignon Piano Player Device" - Mahler plays Mahler (Symphony No. 4, 4th movement)
- Riccardo Chailly on Mahler’s Symphony No. 4