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Composer:
Mahler, Gustav
Year Composed:
1942
Arranger:
Lechuga, Fernie
Year Arranged:
2000
Original Instrumentation:
Full orchestra
Type of Arrangement:
Transcription
Availability:
Not Available
Sheet Music Format:
A4, Score (16) & parts (8x2=16, plus timpani, 1, total=17)
Additional Instruments:
Timpani Approximate Duration:
8
Technical Difficulty:
Easy
Structure/Movements:
One movement.
Very slow
Clefs:
Treble, bass
Key signatures:
1b
Meters:
C, 3/4, ¢
Range:
Horn 1: c1 - a2
Horn 2: g - g2
Horn 3: e - d2
Horn 4: c - c2
Horn 5: f - f2
Horn 6: g - e2
Horn 7: g - a1
Horn 8: F - eb1
Horn 2: g - g2
Horn 3: e - d2
Horn 4: c - c2
Horn 5: f - f2
Horn 6: g - e2
Horn 7: g - a1
Horn 8: F - eb1
Performance Notes:
This arrangement of the finale from Mahler’s Symphony no.3 was written for the New Mexico State University Horn Choir and its director Nancy Joy, as well as the China Conservatory Horn Choir and its director Paul Meng, to be performed in the 32nd International Horn Society Symposium in Beijing, China, July 22-29, 2000. It is the final section of movement 6, which was originally called “What love tells me”, but as all movement titles is was dropped before publication.
This selection starts 2 bars before rehearsal measure 26 in the original score, and runs through to almost the end of the movement (and symphony), omitting several of the final, repeated bars. The arrangement has been reduced to the basic harmonic progressions, with all the lines and chords intact. It is, however, not in the original key of D major, but rather in B flat major (F major horn pitch). This reduces the range on the top (a2 rather than c#3).
As usual in Mahler, the dynamics are extreme (ppp to fff), and while this work is rated easy, there are some challenges in being faithful to the dynamics (and some of the range in horn 1). Other than that it’s an excellent 8-part (plus timpani) rendition of the finale of Symphony no.3.
Credits:
Access to review score: Nancy Joy (NMSU)