Symphony No. 6

E840292

Symphony No. 6 is Gustav Mahler’s intensely dramatic and often tragic orchestral work, renowned for its emotional depth, powerful orchestration, and the iconic “hammer blows” in its finale.

All labels observed (3)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf symphony
alsoKnownAs Mahler's Sixth Symphony
Tragic Symphony
catalogueNumber WAB 106 (not applicable)
composer Gustav Mahler
compositionEndDate 1904
compositionPeriod 1903–1904
compositionStartDate 1903
dedicatedTo Alma Mahler
duration approximately 80–85 minutes
emotionalCharacter intensely dramatic
often described as tragic
frequentlyPerformed yes
hasTheme catastrophic climaxes in the finale
grim, driving Scherzo
lyrical Andante moderato
march-like main theme in first movement
influencedBy Austro-German symphonic tradition
key A minor
languageOfText none (purely instrumental)
movement I: Allegro energico, ma non troppo. Heftig, aber markig
II: Scherzo. Wuchtig
III: Andante moderato
IV: Finale. Sostenuto – Allegro moderato – Allegro energico
notableElement often performed with two hammer blows instead of three
three hammer blows originally conceived in the finale
notableRecording Claudio Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic
linked to: Claudio Abbado

Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic
linked to: Herbert von Karajan

Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic
linked to: Leonard Bernstein

Pierre Boulez, Vienna Philharmonic
linked to: Pierre Boulez
numberOfMovements 4
opusNumber none
orchestrationFeature expanded percussion section
large late-Romantic orchestra
use of cowbells
use of hammer blows in the finale
partOf Mahler symphonies
period Late Romantic
placeComposed Maiernigg, Austria
Vienna
premiereConductor Gustav Mahler
premiereDate 1906-05-27
premierePlace Essen, Germany
linked to: Essen
relatedWorkByComposer Symphony No. 5
Symphony No. 7
style late-Romantic symphonic
tonalCenterFinale A minor
tonalCenterFirstMovement A minor
workNumberInCycle 6

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Des Knaben Wunderhorn (song settings) usedIn Symphony No. 6 (Mahler)
linked to: Symphony No. 6
Mahler 6 title Symphony No. 6 in A minor
linked to: Symphony No. 6