Some Thoughts On Mahler's Eighth Symphony: A Conduvtor's Preparation For Performance

Gustav Mahler (1860——1911) is an Austrian composer and conductor at the end of 19th century and the beginning of 20th century. As a great composer, Mahler has fully grabbed the essence of Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Wagner and other masters before him and established his own unique style. His music is the summary of whole Romanticism in Germany and Austria, and has deeply impressed the 20th modern music. Symphony No.8 is one of the representatives of Mahler's symphonies, and is also a very unique one. It can be seen as the miniature of all his symphonies, and it expresses his lifelong exploration.Because of the large structure and complicated parts of this work, it requires demanding preparation for conductors. The key of studying scores is how to solve the difficult part during rehearsals, how to balance different parts, how to display the feature of different instruments so as to better express composer's idea. The essay illustrates these 3 parts on the artistic feature of Mahler's Symphony No.8 and how to prepare for it. The first paragraph introduces Mahler's style and the two movements of No.8. The second paragraph focuses on the artistic feature of No.8. The third paragraph is the key of this essay. It elaborately illustrates the preparation from the orderliness of parts, changes in the level and strength of different parts, the integrity of the music and how to deal with brass parts.In the third part of the essay, the management of part in the first section is the key-point. Since this is a huge work, the first priority for a conductor is to make it in order. The essay illustrates it from the gesture, management of accompaniment, state of instrumentalists and music rhythm.As a work with constant vocal accompaniment, the vocal expression in No.8 is very important. The essay illustrates from solo and chorus and the difficulty in technique and artistic expression.