Review: Leeds Symphony Orchestra, Gustav Mahler’s 6th Symphony

JUST one gargantuan work - Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No 6 in A Minor - filled this hotly anticipated concert, given by Leeds Symphony Orchestra “the LSO” conducted by John Lyon.

Mahler scored his 6th for the largest instrumental forces of any of his nine completed symphonies. A huge body of strings - here built upon seven double basses and twelve cellos - quadrupled woodwind and brass; an enormous percussion department with two sets of timpani, snare drums, crash cymbals, triangles, tam-tams, harps, celeste, off-stage untuned bells, and cow bells.

Mahler knew exactly the effect he wanted from the two hammer blows of fate that punctuate the Final movement. They must sound like the thud of an executioner’s axe onto the block. Suitable wood was carefully sourced and a hammer and block painstakingly created for this performance.

Despite its nearly 90 minutes running time, Mahler 6 is arguably his most tautly constructed symphony. John Lyon’s tempi seemed perfectly judged. He did not rush the 1st movement’s relentlessly driven march theme, while the ebb and flow of the romantic 2nd subject were beautifully captured. The pastoral idyll at the centre was sublime, with gossamer-like strings, otherworldly cowbells and beautifully crafted wind solos. The coda was brazen and exultant, the Scherzo’s opening bars subsequently felt even more oppressive.

The songlike Andante Moderato unfolded at a flowing tempo, upper strings reaching the stratospheric heights with disarming ease. John’s consummate layering of wave upon wave of shimmering textures in the vast Finale was hypnotic. The 30 minutes of this colossal movement seemed to fly by. Off-stage tubular bells were ideally distant. Mahler’s emotional extremes were realised to perfection.

A precious few seconds of silence followed the final nihilistic tutti, before a storm of applause erupted. Great performances of Mahler 6 come all to rarely. I am fortunate enough to have experienced two: Klaus Tennstedt with the London Philharmonic at the 1983 Henry Wood Proms and Stephane Denève with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra at Leeds Town Hall in 2013. To these must now be added last Saturday’s stupendous LSO performance at St George’s Church, given by one of our city’s most respected community orchestras. They really must do it again when Leeds Town Hall reopens early next year!