{"id":2488,"date":"2009-05-06T06:00:13","date_gmt":"2009-05-06T13:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/?p=2488"},"modified":"2013-02-07T19:40:56","modified_gmt":"2013-02-08T03:40:56","slug":"mahlers-instructions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2009\/05\/06\/mahlers-instructions\/","title":{"rendered":"mahler’s instructions"},"content":{"rendered":"

As we get into the process of rehearsing Mahler’s Fourth Symphony this week, there is that perennial problem of the many, often unfamiliar, German instructions that Mahler writes in nearly every line (sometimes every bar). <\/em><\/p>\n

This made the rounds of the internet mailing madness a few weeks ago, and then I discovered the provenance of the delightful mistranslations: David Pesetsky<\/a>, principal second violin of the New Philharmonia Orchestra of Newton, Mass<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0 The list was posted on the blog<\/a> of Neil A. Kurtzman, MD.<\/em><\/p>\n

Enjoy!<\/em><\/p>\n

Several weeks ago, we sent you a list of translations of the German
\nmarkings in the Mahler. We now realize that this list contained many
\nserious errors. These sheets contain the correct versions. So we
\ndon\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t waste valuable rehearsal time on this, copy these corrections
\ninto your part immediately.<\/p>\n

GERMAN<\/em> – ENGLISH<\/p>\n

Langsam<\/em> – Slowly<\/p>\n

Schleppend<\/em> – Slowly<\/p>\n

Dampfer auf<\/em> – Slowly<\/p>\n

Mit Dampfer<\/em> – Slowly<\/p>\n

Allmahlich in das Hauptzeitmass ubergehen<\/em> – Do not look at the conductor<\/p>\n

Im Anfang sehr gemaechlich<\/em> – In intense inner torment<\/p>\n

Alle Betonungen sehr zart <\/em>– With more intense inner torment<\/p>\n

Getheilt (geth.)<\/em> – Out of tune<\/p>\n

Von hier an in sehr allmaehlicher aber stetiger Steigerung bis zum
\nZeichen<\/em> – From this point on, the spit valves should be emptied with
\never-increasing emotion<\/p>\n

Hier ist ein frisches belebtes Zeitmass eingetreten<\/em> – Slowly<\/p>\n

Haupttempo<\/em> – Slowly<\/p>\n

Noch ein wenig beschleunigend<\/em> – Slowing down but with a sense of
\nspeeding up<\/p>\n

Immer noch zurueckhaltend <\/em>– With steadily decreasing competence<\/p>\n

Sehr gemaechlich<\/em> – With indescribably horrific inner torment<\/p>\n

Etwas bewegter, aber immer noch sehr ruhig<\/em> – Somewhat louder, though still inaudible as before<\/p>\n

Alle Betonungen sehr zart<\/em> – With smallish quantities of fairly mild
\ninner torment<\/p>\n

Gemaechlich<\/em> – Intermission<\/p>\n

Ganz unmerklich etwas zurueckhaltend <\/em>– Slowly<\/p>\n

Etwas gemaechlicher als zuvor<\/em> – Slowly<\/p>\n

Von hier ab unmerklich breiter werden<\/em> – As if wild animals were
\ngnawing on your liver<\/p>\n

Ohne cresc.<\/em> – Without toothpaste<\/p>\n

Immer noch etwas zurueckhaltend<\/em> – Slowly<\/p>\n

Vorwaerts draengend<\/em> – Slowly<\/p>\n

Hauptzeitmass <\/em>– Slowly<\/p>\n

Allmaehlich etwas lebhafter<\/em> – Screaming in agony<\/p>\n

Ohne Nachschl(age)<\/em> – Without milk (sugar)<\/p>\n

Kraeftig bewegt<\/em> – Slowly<\/p>\n

Mit dem Holze zu streichen<\/em> – Like a hole in the head<\/p>\n

Mit Parodie<\/em> – Viola solo<\/p>\n

Sehr einfach und schlicht, wie eine Volksweis<\/em>e – Slowly<\/p>\n

Daempfer ab <\/em>– Eyes closed<\/p>\n

Ploetzlich viel schneller<\/em> – Even more ploddingly<\/p>\n

Den ersten Ton scharf herausgehoben<\/em> – Do not play until the buzzer
\nsounds<\/p>\n

Am Griffbrett<\/em> – As if in tune<\/p>\n

Aeusserst zart, aber ausdrucksvoll<\/em> – Radiantly joyful, despite the
\nitching<\/p>\n

Wieder zurueckhaltend <\/em>– Increasingly decreasing<\/p>\n

Noch breiter als vorher<\/em> – Better late than never<\/p>\n

Nicht eilen<\/em> – No eels<\/p>\n

Allmaehlich (unmerklich) etwas zurueckhaltend<\/em> – Much faster (slower)
\nthan conductor<\/p>\n

Lang gestrichen<\/em> – Heads up<\/p>\n

Lang gezogen<\/em> – Heads back down<\/p>\n

Die werden allmaehlich staerker und staerker bis zum (fp) <\/em>– In the
\nevent of a water landing, your seat cushion may be used as a
\nflotation device<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As we get into the process of rehearsing Mahler’s Fourth Symphony this week, there is that perennial problem of the many, often unfamiliar, German instructions that Mahler writes in nearly every line (sometimes every bar). This made the rounds of the internet mailing madness a few weeks ago, and then I discovered the provenance of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":303,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[42,115,1,135,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2488","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fun","category-music","category-news","category-soloists-recitals","category-the-orchestra-world"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa8kC-E8","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":934,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2008\/04\/19\/a-few-old-school-mahlers-9th-recordings\/","url_meta":{"origin":2488,"position":0},"title":"A few old-school Mahler’s 9th recordings","author":"Jeffrey Work","date":"April 19, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm pleased to welcome as my first guest blogger Jeffrey Work, principal trumpet of the Oregon Symphony. He, among other things, is an enthusiastic collector of old recordings, and as such, I thought that he might like to delve into his massive collection and give us some nuggets that relate\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "appreciation"","block_context":{"text":"appreciation","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/appreciations\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4358,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2010\/04\/07\/itching-for-mahler\/","url_meta":{"origin":2488,"position":1},"title":"itching for mahler","author":"Charles Noble","date":"April 7, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"This week our music director is in Boston filling in for an ailing James Levine, and he's conducting Mahler's mighty Seventh Symphony. (Which will be streamed live on the internet at 7:00 p.m. EDT on April 10, 2010 - look for the \"Listen Live\" box on the left side of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "programming"","block_context":{"text":"programming","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/programming-music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/05\/gustav_mahler.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/05\/gustav_mahler.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/05\/gustav_mahler.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7575,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2012\/05\/09\/sibelius-an-mahler\/","url_meta":{"origin":2488,"position":2},"title":"sibelius & mahler","author":"Charles Noble","date":"May 9, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"[In October 1907] Sibelius met the composer Gustav Mahler, who was visiting Helsinki. The two colleagues noticed that they had experienced the same phenomenon: with each new symphony both of them always lost listeners who had been captivated by the previous symphony. 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Mahler's Ninth Symphony has been\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "the orchestra world"","block_context":{"text":"the orchestra world","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/the-orchestra-world\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"mahler","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/04\/mahler-en-face-valkeveen.thumbnail.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":635,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2008\/01\/03\/berlin-phil-mahler-9-on-opb\/","url_meta":{"origin":2488,"position":5},"title":"berlin phil mahler 9 on opb","author":"Charles Noble","date":"January 3, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Oregon Public Broadcasting will present Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic in their performance of Mahler's Ninth Symphony (from a performance at Carnegie Hall this past fall) along with bits of performances by Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra. 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