Gustav Mahler’s Sixth Symphony (composed 1903–04) is often referred to as the Tragic. It was a title Mahler himself used for a time, at least in connection with the first performances, though he later withdrew it. The name has nevertheless clung to the work, not least because of the dark force that permeates the entire symphony. Here we encounter a Mahler who hurls himself between joy in life and catastrophe, between march-like determination and a sense of fateful resignation.

The so-called hammer blows in the final movement are an audible expression of how humanity seems to be struck down by fate. Mahler originally wrote three hammer blows, but after two personal tragedies – the death of his daughter and his own diagnosis of illness – he superstitiously removed the third. His wife, Alma Mahler, believed the symphony to be a prophecy of misfortunes; he “composed his life in anticipation”, as she put it.

Mahler’s Sixth Symphony thus has a powerful narrative and dramatic trajectory, and the music has invited many interpretations. Some have suggested that he foresaw the world wars. New listeners, shaped by new experiences, will no doubt hear other meanings when the forces of this symphony are unleashed. How, for instance, do we interpret those hammer blows today?

The orchestra is conducted by Franz Welser-Möst, one of the most respected conductors of our time and a frequent guest with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. He has been acclaimed for his intense and gripping interpretations of Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 – a work he himself has described as “a monster”.