The Music Plays On — Mahler Symphony №2

Mahler, 1888

Mahler began sketching ideas for his second symphony almost directly after finishing his first symphony in 1888. He quickly finished the first movement, which he titled, Todtenfeier (Funeral Ceremony), after the title to a German translation of the Polish epic poem, Dziady, written by Adam Mickiewicz. It is worth noting that this poem was considered by many to be one of the greatest works of European Romanticism, on par…