Mahler’s First Symphony

The Performance

Joshua Weilerstein conducts Pavel Haas’ Symphony, which Haas began composing before being sent to a concentration camp during the Holocaust. The Symphony was orchestrated in 1994 and reflects the composer’s diverse catalog of influences from Czech folk and Jewish synagogue music to jazz and Stravinsky. Mahler’s iconic and beloved First Symphony was inspired by Paul Richter’s novel Titan, featuring a protagonist who strives to lead a noble and heroic life, matching Mahler’s ideals.