Symphony No. 7

• Mahler composed this symphony over the course of 1904-1905, and revised it many times before its premiere in 1908.¹
• Mahler wrote the two “Nachtmusik” (“Serenade,” literally “Night Music”) movements (2 and 4) first, in 1904.²
• The symphony premiered on September 19, 1908, in a performance by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in Prague. Mahler conducted the premiere.³

“Hier röhrt die Natur!” (Here nature roars!)

Mahler’s description of the epigrammatic opening horn call in the first movement. Mahler shared this description with Richard Specht.⁴

Movements 

I. Langsam 
II. Nachtmusik 
III. Scherzo 
IV. Nachtmusik
V. Rondo – Finale.⁵

1. Peter Franklin, “Mahler, Gustav,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed February 10, 2022, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000040696.
2. Ibid.
3. “Symphony No. 7 (Mahler, Gustav),” IMSLP, accessed February 10, 2022, https://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.7_(Mahler%2C_Gustav). 
4. Franklin, “Mahler, Gustav,” Grove Music Online
5. “Symphony No. 7 (Mahler, Gustav),” IMSLP, accessed February 10, 2022, https://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.7_(Mahler%2C_Gustav.