Mahler: Symphony No. 6
The complete symphonies of Gustav Mahler, a colossal undertaking, find a masterful new incarnation under the inspired baton of Semyon Bychkov at the helm of the Czech Philharmonic. We enjoyed the individual album releases, and the box set allows us to appreciate the conductor’s work.
Crescendo 13 April 2026
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Semyon Bychkov, conductor
Symphony No. 6 in A minor (1903–04) stands as a tragic case in point. Outwardly the most ‘Classical’ work in the cycle, with its four movements and a repeated exposition in the first, it is also an act of disavowal – if not of complete destruction. A nefarious spirit runs through the militaristic first movement and Scherzo, while the Finale’s hammer blows drive the point home with devastating force. Only the Andante offers brief solace, its jangling cowbells and aching melodies recalling Beethoven’s bucolic world as a distant ideal. Yet this E flat major slow movement lies at a tritonal remove from the Symphony’s prevailing tonality, offering no true resolution. There will be no thanksgiving after the storm here—only a profoundly unsettling vision that lingers long after the final note.
TRACK LISTING
Mahler: Symphony No. 6
I. Allegro energico, ma non troppo. Heftig, aber markig
II. Scherzo. Wuchtig
III. Andante moderato
IV. Finale. Sostenuto – Allegro moderato – Allegro energico