Gustav Mahler’s Tenth Symphony: from the note text to the sound realization. About two orchestral versions of unfinished work (versions by Deryck Cooke and Rudolf Barshai)

Abstract

In this article discusses the problems associated with the completion of the unfinished Mahler’s Tenth Symphony on example of the third part of the symphony («Purgatorio»). For comparison selected orchestral version by Deryck Cooke and Rudolf Barshai, showing two different approaches to reconstruction of the work. The article contains description of the available Mahler’s manuscripts and analysis of different problems arising in connection with the completion of the symphony: textual difficulties, articulation, texture, timbre development, timbre modulation, form in its relation with the orchestration etc., with detail analysis of the scores. Attempted to formulate judgments about the adequacy of both editions to the Mahler’s style and technique.