Mahler's Score Revealed: A Conductor's Sacred Moment

Conductor Franz Welser-Möst described a deeply moving experience when he was privately presented with the autograph manuscript of Gustav Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony. This artifact, a handwritten score, holds a special power, bringing the composer closer to the present. The manuscript was formerly owned by Gilbert Kaplan and was sold for $5.6 million before being donated to the Cleveland Orchestra by Herbert G. Kloiber.

Welser-Möst observed that Mahler's handwriting on the "Resurrection" score, largely composed during a vacation in Upper Austria, appeared calm and clear, suggesting a relaxed state for the composer. This contrasts with historical descriptions of Mahler as a nervous individual.

The manuscript offers musicians potential new interpretations. For example, Mahler's original bowing instructions for the second movement's ländler, though seemingly uncomfortable, provide a unique, airy feel. The composer's corrections, like adjusting dynamics or octaves, indicate meticulous planning.

Further mysteries are present, such as a blue line and the word "Coda" on the last page of the third movement, leaving its intended purpose as an enigma. The fourth movement, "Urlicht," features an extremely soft "pianississimo" marking for the alto soloist, a direction Welser-Möst interprets as an idea rather than a strict performance instruction, informed by Mahler's practical experience as an opera conductor.