Slowly, with intense inner torment
Mahler scores are notorious detailed with nit-picky instruction to both player and conductor - woe betide the conductor who hasn't figured them out before the first rehearsal, when a suspicious wind player might test their preparedness by asking a pointed question about an obscure marking!
A list of translations can prove very helpful. Or, in this case (a "memo" to the New Philharmonia Orchestra of Newton, MA), very funny (via Alex Ross).
To whet your appetite:
GERMAN - ENGLISH
Langsam - Slowly
Schleppend - Slowly
Dampfer auf - Slowly
Mit Dampfer - Slowly
Allmahlich in das Hauptzeitmass ubergehen - Do not look at the conductor
Im Anfang sehr gemaechlich - In intense inner torment
Alle Betonungen sehr zart - With more intense inner torment
Getheilt (geth.) - Out of tune
Immer noch zurueckhaltend - With steadily decreasing competence
Sorry for the spotty posting - I've been on a busy guest-conducting week, and the Orchestra, of course, has been at Carnegie (read the glowing review here). I'm disappointed to have missed some excitement - namely, soloist Leonidas Kavakos and concertmaster Jorja Fleezanis in a violin switcheroo mid-Sibelius. Sam, I'm sure, will have some first-hand insights when the Orchestra returns!
A list of translations can prove very helpful. Or, in this case (a "memo" to the New Philharmonia Orchestra of Newton, MA), very funny (via Alex Ross).
To whet your appetite:
GERMAN - ENGLISH
Langsam - Slowly
Schleppend - Slowly
Dampfer auf - Slowly
Mit Dampfer - Slowly
Allmahlich in das Hauptzeitmass ubergehen - Do not look at the conductor
Im Anfang sehr gemaechlich - In intense inner torment
Alle Betonungen sehr zart - With more intense inner torment
Getheilt (geth.) - Out of tune
Immer noch zurueckhaltend - With steadily decreasing competence
Sorry for the spotty posting - I've been on a busy guest-conducting week, and the Orchestra, of course, has been at Carnegie (read the glowing review here). I'm disappointed to have missed some excitement - namely, soloist Leonidas Kavakos and concertmaster Jorja Fleezanis in a violin switcheroo mid-Sibelius. Sam, I'm sure, will have some first-hand insights when the Orchestra returns!
Labels: fun, orchestras not named minnesota, the traveling musician
posted by Sarah at
4:24 PM
8 Comments:
I'll add one that seems to be in every one of Mahler's symphonies:
nicht eilen - Eileen should not play this part
I think they need to start using these notations and translations in beginner music methods by the likes of Hal Leonard and Yamaha. As they say, it's never too early for a young student to start learning inner torment.
Sarah,
If you missed Leonidas Kavakos, and a smokin' Bethoven 7th, too bad! A truly magnificent concert. I've never heard the Sibelius Violin Concerto before. It was quite the introduction to the piece. Not only that, the orchestra NAILED the second movement of the Seventh, my favorite Beathovan second movement, hands down.
Here's one from Leonard Slatkin:
Nicht schleppend= Don't schlepp!
Oopse. I'm an idiot. I meant Beethoven.
Well, technically, that's a correct translation of nicht schleppend...
I'm a schlepperman. Does that count? :)
as long as you're not schleppin'.
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