On
Monday we began the story of Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder.
How is this work controversial? After his marriage to Alma in 1902, Mahler took
another two years to complete his orchestral song cycle. Though Alma believed
it was understandable that her husband began the work as a single man in 1901,
she insisted that he was tempting fate by continuing a composition related to
dying children now that he was a husband and father. Three years following the
completion of his song cycle, Mahler’s daughter died of diphtheria and scarlet
fever. Was Alma right? Did Mahler tempt fate by insisting upon completing his Kindertotenlieder?
I had the pleasure of chatting with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Music Director Louis Langree in the WGUC studio about this piece. When asked whether or not
Mahler tempted fate by completing Kindertotenlieder,
the Maestro immediately responded with a fascinating story. At one point in his
past, he had agreed to conduct this very piece for an orchestra several years
in advance. Before the concert date arrived, however, the birth of his daughter
caused him to reconsider. Though certainly not one to cancel appointments,
Langree said he felt “scared” of the Mahler “curse” and felt that he would be
taking a real “gamble” if he followed through with the commitment. He confirmed
that he is not typically the superstitious type but still could not bring
himself to conduct this fateful piece of music.
Did
Mahler tempt fate? What would you have done in Maestro Langree’s situation? Let
me know your thoughts!
