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Piano Board => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: baron_von_heimlich on July 23, 2006, 09:48:57 AM

Title: Mahler Symphony no.1
Post by: baron_von_heimlich on July 23, 2006, 09:48:57 AM

Is it just me or does the theme from the 3rd movement of this sound a lot like the nursery rhyme Frère Jacques?

I was listening to this symphony, and I kept hearing little wisps of it.

Title: Re: Mahler Symphony no.1
Post by: Motrax on July 23, 2006, 04:46:18 PM

Yes, you're quite right. Mahler used a number of folk melodies throughout his pieces, although I usually don't recognize them, me being American 'n' such.  :P

Great symphony, too!

Title: Re: Mahler Symphony no.1
Post by: baron_von_heimlich on July 23, 2006, 09:36:15 PM

Yes, what a symphony! 

Now that I know he used it.... I'm wondering if it was for a specific purpose or not?  It makes the piece more intriguing now.

Title: Re: Mahler Symphony no.1
Post by: musik_man on July 23, 2006, 11:07:33 PM

A music prof told me it was Frere Jacques transposed to a minor key.

Title: Re: Mahler Symphony no.1
Post by: mikey6 on July 24, 2006, 12:12:04 AM

I would have thought that it was fairly obvious.  It's a parody on popular music - frere Jaques in a minor key (and that ethnic souding trumpet duo tieh the 'beat' ov bass drums and cymbale behind it) and ties in with Mahler's obsession of death which is then conquered by the last movement.