During the concert crowning the NFM season of the Wrocław Philharmonic under the baton of Christoph Eschenbach, we will hear Gustav Mahler’s First Symphony. One of the most frequently performed Romantic masterpieces, at the time it was created, it was an extremely problematic work. The performance of the famous Titan will be preceded by the presentation of a new composition by Agata Zubel – an artist born in Wrocław, famous for her premieres and recordings of contemporary works.

Gustav Mahler wrote the original version of his First Symphony between 1884 and 1888. Its first performance took place on November 20, 1889, in Budapest. It was received coldly – the critics called it a “parody of the symphony”, and it was even suggested that Mahler, appreciated as a conductor, should abandon further attempts at composition. The artist responded to these comments by introducing a number of corrections, for example deleting the movement titled Blumine and the literary commentary. Despite the removal of the latter, the piece should be treated as an example of programme music.

The title Titan (which Mahler eventually abandoned, but which stuck to the composition) refers to the similarly titled novel by the German Romantic writer Jean Paul, describing the transformation of a young man into a mature ruler. The first movement of the symphony is an affirmation of nature coming to life in spring. It is followed by a simple and short one where we will find the rhythm of the Austrian Landler Next comes a funeral march based on the theme of the popular song Frere Jacque with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is juxtaposed with many different episodes. The finale, according to the composer’s own explanation, is “an image of a battle in which a distant victory is approaching.”