Symphony Number 2 in C Minor - Resurrection
Gustav Mahler

composed 1884-1888, revised 1893-1896, revised 1906

I. Allegro maestoso
II. Andante moderato
III. Scherzo: In ruhig fliessender Bewegung
IV. Urlicht: Sehr feierlich, aber schlicht
V. Finale

In accordance with the composer's wishes, there will be a brief intermission between the first and second movements of the symphony.

A note on the performance by Kyle Wiley Pickett

Gustav Mahler, in addition to being one of the world's greatest composers, was also one of the world's greatest conductors. As a conductor, he understood the difficulties of realizing such enormous works as his Second Symphony. When speaking to a group of young conductors who were working on one of his symphonies, Mahler said, "I salute conductors who, when the occasion arises, modify my score to suit the acoustics of the hall. If, after my death, something doesn't sound right, then change it. You have the right to change - not only the right - the duty to change it."

In order to perform this monumental work in our hall, with so many players on stage, we have had to be creative with the placement of our musicians, especially the chorus. Do not be surprised when the chorus joins you, the audience, in the hall for a special "surround-sound" effect for the finale.

One additional note - Mahler gave specific directions on how to perform his works. At the end of the first movement, he writes the very unusual instruction, "Here, take a pause of at least five minutes." This instruction is often disregarded, but Mahler wanted to give the ears a break after the long and powerful first movement and before embarking on the remainder of the symphony. To fulfill his wishes, we will take a short intermission following the first movement.

Program Notes by Ryan Heimlich

Although we have come to acknowledge Gustav Mahler as a leading late-romantic composer, throughout much of his short life of fifty-one years he was not considered among the giants. As conductor and music director of such institutions as the Vienna Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, and the New York Philharmonic, Mahler led a life of confusion and conflict that is clearly heard in much of his music. It was not until Leonard Bernstein, who felt that the two had much in common, that Mahler's music began to gain prominence and (in 1956) was finally completely recorded, thanks in part to the advancement of technology to record works of such length.

The Second Symphony, with its variety of tonal colors, textures, off stage antiphonal instruments, harmonies, and intense passion, has become one of Mahler's most popular works. The piece began as a funeral march (completed in 1888) and was set aside until the next three movements were completed in 1893; however, Mahler felt that something was still missing. That something was found the following year when the conductor Hans von Bulow died. At the funeral, Mahler heard a setting of Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock's Die Auferstehung (The Resurrection), which Mahler then used as the basis of the massive Finale.

Mahler himself thought the work should speak for itself; however, he was convinced by friends and colleagues that his thoughts and ideas surrounding the piece should be laid down in writing. While it is not likely that the following is a step by step explanation of the work, it is a look into the mind of a man who was conflicted with life, trying to work it all out for himself through his music.

Movement I. - We stand by the coffin of a person well loved. His whole life, his struggles, his passions, his sufferings, and his accomplishments on earth once more for the last time pass before us. And now, in this solemn and deeply stirring moment, when the confusions and distractions of everyday life are lifted like a hood from our eyes, a voice of awe-inspiring solemnity chills our heart - a voice that, blinded by the mirage of everyday life, we usually ignore: "What? What is life and what is death? Why did you live? Why did you suffer? Is it all nothing but a huge, frightful joke? Will we live on eternally? Do our life and death have a meaning?" We must answer these questions in some way if we are to go on living - indeed, if we are to go on dying! He into whose life this call has once sounded must give an answer. And this answer I give in the final movement.

Movement II. - A memory, a ray of sunlight, pure and cloudless, out of the departed's life. You must surely have had the experience of burying someone dear to you, and then, perhaps, on the way back some long-forgotten hour of shared happiness suddenly rose before your inner eye, sending as it were a sunbeam into your soul not overcast by any shadow - and you almost forgot what had just taken place.

Movement III. - When you awaken from that blissful dream and are forced to return to this tangled life of ours, it may easily happen that this surge of life ceaselessly in motion, never resting, never comprehensible, suddenly seems eerie, like the billowing of dancing figures in a brightly lit ballroom that you gaze into from outside in the dark - and from a distance so great that you can no longer hear the music! Then the turning and twisting movement of the couples seems senseless. You must imagine that, to one who has lost his identity and his happiness, the world looks like this -distorted and crazy, as if reflected in a concave mirror. Life then becomes meaningless. Utter disgust for every form of existence and evolution seizes him in an iron grip, and he cries out in a scream of anguish.

Movement IV. - The moving voice of naive faith sounds in our ears. "I am from God and will return to God. The dear God will give me a light, will light me to eternal blessed life!"

Movement V. - Once more we must confront terrifying questions. The movement starts with the same dreadful scream of anguish that ended the Scherzo. The voice of the Caller is heard. The end of every living thing has come, the last Judgment is at hand, and the horror of the day of days has come upon us. The earth trembles; the last trumpet sounds; the graves burst open; all the creatures struggle out of the ground, moaning and trembling. Now they march in a mighty procession: rich and poor, peasants and kings, the whole church with bishops and popes. All have the same fear, all cry and tremble alike because, in the eyes of God, there are no just men. The cry for mercy and forgiveness sounds fearful in our ears. The wailing becomes gradually more terrible. Our senses desert us; all consciousness dies as the Eternal Judge approaches. The trumpets of the Apocalypse ring out. Finally, after all have left their empty graves and the earth lies silent and deserted, there comes only the long-drawn note of the bird of death. Even it finally dies. What happens now is far from expected: Everything has ceased to exist. The gentle sound of a chorus of saints and heavenly hosts is then heard. Soft and simple, the words gently swell up: "Rise again, yea, you shall rise again." Then the glory of God comes into sight. A wondrous light strikes us to the heart. All is quiet and blissful. Lo and behold: There is no judgment, no sinners, no just men, no great and no small; there is no punishment and no reward. A feeling of overwhelming love fills us with blissful knowledge and illuminates our existence.

Movement IV: Urlicht
O little red rose!
Humanity lies in greatest need!
Humanity lies in greatest pain!
Much rather would I be in Heaven!

Then I came onto a broad path,
and an angel came and wanted to turn me away.
But no, I would not let myself be turned away!
I am from God and would return to God!
Dear God will give me a light,
will light my way to eternal blissful life!

Movement V: Finale
Rise again, yes, you will rise again,
my dust, after a brief rest!
Immortal life! Immortal life
will be granted by the One who calls you!

To bloom again you were sown!
The Lord of the Harvest goes forth
and gathers like sheaves,
those of us who have died!

O believe, my heart, O believe:
nothing will be lost to you!
Yours is . . . yours . . . yes, yours is what you longed for!
Yours is what you loved, what you fought for!

O believe!
You were not born in vain!
You have not lived in vain, nor suffered!

What has come into being,
must perish!
What has perished must rise again!
Cease from trembling!
Prepare to live!

O Pain, piercer of all things,
from you I have been wrested!
O Death, conqueror of all things,
now you are conquered!
With wings I won for myself,
in love's ardent struggle,
I shall fly upward
to that light to which no eye
has penetrated!

With wings I won for myself,
in love's ardent struggle,
I shall fl y upward
to that light to which no eye
has penetrated!
I shall die so as to live!

Rise again, yes, you will rise again,
My heart, in the twinkling of an eye!
Your own beating
will take you to God!

--Ryan Heimlich

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Music Director: Kyle Wiley Pickett

Violin I Sponsored by S. Carlson Lisa Ibias, concertmaster Tugsu Armstrong Ren DeCherney Kathryn Hoffer Laura Lindemuth Dawn Lindsay Kathy Maas Lisa Miles Gregg Rice Violin II Sponsored by Edward and Julie Sinclair Allan Engstrom, principal Kayla Boettcher Franz Felkl Kristin Garot Bob King David Miller Ethan Seid Christina Vasquez Lauren Wild Gou Hua Xia Viola Sponsored by Jean & George Rogers Anne Burns, principal Hetty Barthel Julia Bastuscheck Eli Carlson Nola Lamken Andrew Schirmer Cello Sponsored by Susan Burke & Clive Thomas Meghan Bass, principal David Austin Susan Burke Justine Emerson Karl Knapp Amy Lujan David Seid Bass Vincent Cee Bob Olsen John Staub Wilson Valentine Flute Sponsored by Nancy Weaver Sally Schlichting, principal Kathryn Kurtz Lisa Ray Colleen Torrence Piccolo Kathryn Kurtz	Oboe Sponsored by Bea Shepard Jetta Whittaker, principal Elizabeth Agnew Andrea Hall English Horn Andrea Hall Clarinet Sponsored by Mary F. Willson Sharon Hatch, principal Bryan Johnson Beth Liebowitz Marilyn Loney Bassoon Heather Williams Ely Bair Sheryl Wittig Horn Sponsored by Judy & Verne Skagerberg Bill Paulick, principal Amy Bibb Dan Heynan Andrew Miles Kristina Paulick Cheryl Pierce John Schumann Trumpet Sponsored by Greg Williams & Alice Rarig Rick Trostel, principal Ken Guiher Kristin Mabry Briar Segal Jill Taylor Linn Weeda Trombone Sponsored by Juneau Brass & Winds Jack Hodges, principal Wade Demmert Roger Schmidt Ken Truitt Tuba sponsored by Joe Davis-Fleming, MS, FACHE, FHFMA David Grove Harp Sponsored by Mark Hunt and Shannon Farr Candace LiVolsi Organ Sue Kazama Percussion Sponsored by Mary Borthwick Rich Ritter, principal Mary Borthwick Jacque Farnsworth Eric Hunter TJ Merry Shoshanna Seligman
The Chorus:
Sopranos Scarlett Adam Frances Barnes Marsah E. Bennett Sharon Denton Eve Dillingham Sheila Dyer Elizabeth Ekins Mary Graham Samantha Langlois Malinda League Gerianne McLeod Sue Oliphant Mary Elizabeth Rehfeld Sandra Strandtmann Michelle Sydeman Ardyne Womack Altos Rebecca Albert Jayne Andreen Aluki Brower Laura J. Bruce Genevieve Casey Bonnie Chaney Nina Chordas Cheryl Crawford Joanne Erskine Pamela Finley Dale Kelley Lucy Merrell Theresa Miller Charlene Myers Jess Parks Kathleen Porterfield Catherine Price Kathy Kolkhorst Ruddy Angela Salerno Elisabeth Saya Jeanine Pohl Smith Linda Torgerson Lorrie Wright	Tenors Jean Butler Tom Chard Brett Crawford Judy Skagerberg Mary Willson Baritones/Basses David Albert Robert Chatfield Joe Davis-Fleming Fred Felkl Paul B. Gloe II Mark Hunt Tom Melville Vern Olson John Robertson Bruce Simonson Bill Smoker Russell Strandtmann Larry West Gregory Williams

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