Mahler plays Mahler

They include photographs from the private collection of Mahler’s friend the Amsterdam composer Alphons Diepenbrock (1862–1921). This will be the first time the photographs go on view since their donation to the museum. The display is accompanied by Mahler’s music.

##Partnership Gustav Mahler in the Netherlands has come about through a partnership between the Rijksmuseum and the Concertgebouw to coincide with the Mahler Festival 2025. The display runs until 2 June 2025 at the Rijksmuseum.

Mahler Festival

The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam is holding only the third Mahler Festival in its history from 9 to 18 May 2025. All the symphonies and lieder, or art songs, by this much-loved composer will be performed during the festival.

Mahler performs at the Rijksmuseum

Through a partnership with the Concertgebouw and the Pianola Museum we are presenting Mahler Plays Mahler, a matinee pianola concert of Mahler’s own piano performances. The concert will take place in the Rijksmuseum’s Auditorium room on 11 May 2025. The pianola, or player piano, was the greatest musical technological wonder of the early 20th century. In 1905, Mahler recorded his interpretations of two lieder and parts of his fourth and fifth symphonies onto piano rolls, and his performances have been preserved in this form.

Mahler Plays Mahler will include performances of the composer’s lieder by soprano Jeanette van Schaik. She sings songs by Mahler, accompanied by the composer himself via the pianola. Pianist Peter Nilsson accompanies her in a selection of songs by Diepenbrock and Willem Mengelberg (1871–1951), chief conductor of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra. Pianola Museum curator Kasper Janse and Rijksmuseum curator Giovanni Paolo Di Stefano will talk on the fascinating worlds of the pianola and Mahler. Following the concert, audience members will have the opportunity to visit the Gustav Mahler in the Netherlands display.

Timetable

13.30 h – Walk-in
14 h – Start of the programme
15 h – End of the programme, presentation Gustav Mahler in the Netherlands

Performers:
Gustav Mahler, pianola
Jeannette van Schaik, soprano
Peter Nilsson, piano
Kasper Janse, curator of the Pianola Museum/speaker and pianolist
Giovanni Paolo Di Stefano, curator of musical instruments at the Rijksmuseum/moderator

Programme
Jeannette van Schaik - accompanied by a piano roll
Ging heute morgen übers Feld
Ich ging mit Lust durch einen grünen Wald
Symf. 4 (das Himmlische Leben)

Songs
Diepenbrock (1862 - 1921)
Die Liebende schreibt
Lied der Spinnerin

Mengelberg (1871 - 1951)
Der Ungenannten
Komm' über das Meer