Farewell performances of Mahler

Gustav Mahler died in May1911 before the premieres of his last two masterpieces. It was not until months later that Mahler's assistant, Bruno Walter, conducted the first hearing of The Song of the Earth, and Walter then conducted the premiere of Mahler's 9th Symphony in the following year, 1912. Thus, it is ironic that Walter conducted the first recording of the 9th Symphony in January, 1938, two months before the German annexation of Austria, forcing Walter into exile. We'll play some of Walter's "farewell" performances of Mahler.