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Shocking Revelation of 19th Century Performance Practice

Self doubt has nothing to do with it. Get yourself to a good reference library and research actual performance practices of the 19th century. Conductors back then would practically re-write a score, putiing in and taking out gazillions of things. To prissy, puritanical modern ears, they "hauled" and "mauled" the music at will.

Such was Mahler's own style. You may find a direct - and I mean mind-meld direct - input into what conducting was like back then if you can get access to the anottated Brahms symphonies of Bulow. or some analysis thereof (as I've seen). What he did to the music would horrify you. I mean it - horrify.

It would send most of today's bland, Norrington-fed listeners into convulsive electo-shock. And, remember, the scores are just half the story. What the conductor would've done live would go even further.

For the best glimpse of the way music was played when Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Mahler, etc., were alive (and it's just a glimpse), listen to Mengleberg.

As for Mahler's abilities in orchestration, the thread below with a link to the young Mahler's (early 1st version of Sym #1) leaves no doubt to his god-like abilities in this regard. By the 9th, he had the power to express himself in the media down cold. Still, I agree that it's impressive nonetheless. A genius.



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