*For an introduction to my whole series on Mahler, with links, click here!*

Nothing can beat the atmosphere of a Mahler symphony at the Proms. Following the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 10th symphonies this season, I just went to hear the 6th, with the amazing Vienna Phil under Daniel Harding.

Hot on the heels of the equally fine Concertgebouw orchestra in the 4th symphony, the Vienna Phil sounds like an enormous marshmallow cake, with individual personalities smothered in Schlagrahm—apart from the cowbells, evidently from a large herd. Notwithstanding changes in performance practice over the past century, standing beside recent early-music versions of such repertoire, venerable orchestras like this convey a tangible feeling of direct continuity with tradition.

Here’s Mitropoulos with the New York Phil in 1955:

and the Vienna Phil with a bearded Bernstein, c1977:

Barbirolli’s 1967 version with the New Philharmonia (as the old Philharmonia was then known):

Tennstedt with the LPO at the Proms in 1983:

And do click here for Abbado live, conducting from memory, in 2006. For recordings, note Tony Duggan’s thorough review.

The exquisite slow movement is unfairly eclipsed by those of the 4th and 5th symphonies, I feel. Harding put it second, in line with Mahler’s own rethink, but I side with those who favour his original order—not so much for the argument of the tonal scheme, but rather so that the Scherzo can continue the demonic power of the first movement (as in the 5th symphony), the slow movement then making its full impact before the devastation of the finale. Christoph Eschenbach puts this case in an interesting page where various conductors reflect on all the symphonies; see also David Matthews.

God, how I’d love to get stuck into passages like this again (from 1.10.39 on the Barbirolli version, responding desperately to the hammer-blow):

Here’s the first movement in a 2017 performance with S-Simon Rattle and the LSO:

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* Historical note: I often chose Bernstein’s Mahler performances with the Vienna Phil, but it won’t necessarily strike the casual listener/viewer that there’s something else remarkable about the orchestra. It’s one of several that haven’t exactly led the way in gender equality: permanent posts were only given to female musicians in 1997, and even by 2013 the orchestra only had six female members. Historically authentic, sure, but… (cf. Maestro).

“I dunno, where’s it all going to end, eh? They’ll be demanding control over their own bodies next. PC gone mad if you ask me.”