I've got this song stuck in my head and it goes a little like this:

So, everyone has those times where they just can't get a song out of there head.  Well, I've been having that same problem recently, however I've been having a greater problem: I haven't been able to remember what exactly it sounds like.

I absolutely LOVE my music history class.  Well, we were studying Mahler a (recent) while ago and we focused a lot on the correlation between a song cycle of his and his first symphony.  Well, instead of focusing on details that probably interest me more than you I'll get to my point.  The final movement of this symphony was practically life changing for me.  We didn't listen to the whole thing (it's a really long movement) but it's incredible!

The movement starts out in the wrong key (it's in F minor and is supposed to be in D major) and it starts out big, lound, and kind of scary.  You can hear two themes going along, one that is oppressive and kind of evil sounding, the other heroically struggling.  This is representative of a man fighting the devil for redemption (after death).  You hear this go on for a while, and then there's this cadence (that has religious significance here referring to the atonement of Christ, and has historical influence referencing back to Liszt and Wagner, and monks...but that's beside the point) and it's peaceful (and major, but still in the wrong key) for a while...we believe our hero to be triumphant right?  But no, the devil comes back and we find ourselves in the middle of the struggle again.  After a while you hear the cadence come back but this time instead of resolving like normal and keeping us in the wrong key Mahler just takes the entire thing and moves it to the right key, no modulation or anything!  It was a risky move for Mahler because if he had done it wrong in the slightest the move would've sounded choppy, clunky, and sloppy...just plain awkward, but the way it's done is absolutely beautiful.  This move represents how no matter how we fight the natural man (the fighting melody lindes at the beginning) the only way to return to God (the "right" key) is through the atonement of Christ (the cadence that takes the piece with one key to the other with no modulation).  It's absolutely beautiful, and the first time I heard it I got this image in my head that just hasn't left...so that's what's been stuck in my head for a while!  I'm working on it (a man fighting the devil for redemption, surrounded by tiny demons, all black and red and fire and brimstone-y, with a little corner of hope in the top right corner...that's what I see), and hopefully I'll be able to pull it off.  (Oh, the movement ends referencing other parts of the symphony and playing that cadence a few more times and then finishing out all major and peaceful and happy...yay, the guy got to heaven!!!)

So, that's all...enjoy!

~Manda