Особенности тембровой драматургии Третьей симфонии Густава Малера

Abstract

The originality of the dramaturgical solution of Gustav Mahler’s Third Symphony is seen by the author of the article in that the composer for the irst time in the history of European music broadly incorporates means of a unique kind of instrumental thea ter and timbre dramaturgy. Examining the content of the symphony from this point of view, he sees an essential contradiction of the initial programmatic intentions of the composer with the achieved result. Mahler purposely personiies a romantic subject, in which the hero seeks for his place in life, deludes himself wholeheartedly and, inally, inds the true path towards happiness and universal Harmony. The dramatically complex history is shown by the composer by the means of personiied instrumental timbres. Similarly to actors in a theatrical production, they present a brilliant musical show. A special role belongs to the timbres of the horns, so beloved by Mahler, symbolizing the image of the romantic hero. Close to them are the timbres of the high trumpets and trombones. The evil element is embodied in the timbres of the bassoons, low cellos and double-basses. The world of happiness and the unattained Universal Harmony is conveyed by the timbres of the high strings, harps, lutes and, at times, oboes and English horn. The sung texts brought into the symphony’s score (by Nietzsche, Arnim and Brentano), participation of the solo mezzo-soprano, boys’ chorus and female chorus convey in a mediated form the hero’s complex philosophical and morally aesthetical strivings. A thorough analysis of the score reveals the non-contradictory manifestation of the content-related conception by means of timbre-sonorous resources. Keywords: Mahler’s symphonies, instrumental theater, timbre dramaturgy