Ondine Press

The Mahler Chamber Project (MCP) by Yoon Jae Lee

12.09.2014 Artikel

The Mahler Chamber Project (MCP) is a series of orchestral reductions of Gustav Mahler’s symphonic works created by conductor and arranger Yoon Jae Lee. The project encompasses the nine complete symphonies, sections of the tenth symphony, and the song cycle Das Lied von der Erde.

Introduction

The Mahler Chamber Project (MCP) is a series of orchestral reductions of Gustav Mahler’s symphonic works created by conductor and arranger Yoon Jae Lee. The project encompasses the nine complete symphonies, sections of the tenth symphony, and the song cycle Das Lied von der Erde.

The objective of the MCP is to facilitate performances of Mahler’s works in circumstances where the original forces are unavailable or impractical to assemble. Mahler’s instrumental forces have been reduced for medium sized chamber orchestras comparable to earlier 19th Century composers such as Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Schumann. In contrast to arrangements of Mahler’s works made for chamber ensemble, the intention of the MCP is to preserve the full orchestral sonority of Mahler’s works by utilizing string sections instead of individual string players. Mahler’s orchestration techniques are meticulously preserved making the reductions virtually indistinguishable from the original.

We sincerely hope that through the efforts of the MCP, many regional, civic, community, youth orchestras, music festivals, conducting workshops and their respective audiences will be able to further deepen their appreciation of Mahler’s music by experiencing his music live which would otherwise not be possible.

Background

Yoon Jae Lee began arranging Mahler’s fourth symphony for chamber orchestra in 2002, being inspired by the work’s chamber-like qualities. At the time, he had no intention of arranging all of Mahler’s major orchestral works. After the premiere of his arrangement of the fourth symphony in 2006 however, many conductors and orchestras made inquiries about performing my chamber version. He soon realized that many smaller orchestras could greatly benefit by having orchestral reductions of Mahler’s symphonic masterpieces available to them.

Mahler’s music is almost always associated on a grandiose scale with large orchestras and began to wonder if chamber versions of Mahler’s works be effective? Would Mahler’s concepts of the original work still come across? That question was answered when he conducted the finale of the third symphony at Ensemble 212’s 9/11 memorial concert in September 2011. After receiving overwhelming positive feedback for the reduction, he decided to embark on reducing all the complete symphonies and Das Lied von der Erde in versions for chamber orchestra appropriately titled “The Mahler Chamber Project.”

He is currently working on engraving the second, third, and fifth symphonies and will resume arranging the sixth symphony once the completed works are published. All of his reductions will be available worldwide through Ondine Press with full scores being available for sale and performance material available for hire.

Timeline of the Mahler Chamber Project

Symphony No. 1 in D Major completed in 2012, premiered in 2012, currently published.

Symphony No. 2 in C Minor “Resurrection” completed in 2013, premiered in 2014, currently published.

Symphony No. 3 in D Minor Finale completed in 2011, other movements completed in 2014, premiered in 2015, publication pending.

Symphony No. 4 in G Major, completed in 2005, premiered in 2006, currently published.

Symphony No. 5, completed in 2016, premiered in 2016, publication pending. To be completed 

Symphony No. 6 in A Minor “Tragic”

Symphony No. 7

Symphony No. 8 in E Flat Major

Das Lied von der Erde, Der Abschied completed in 2012

Symphony No. 9

Symphony No. 10 in F Sharp Major


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