At the time of writing this movement, Gustav Mahler had reason to despair.
He had been diagnosed with a serious heart disease, and his beloved wife Alma was having an affair with a young architect, Walter Gropius.
The manuscript of the unfinished Tenth Symphony is sprinkled with comments, many of them addressed to Alma, expressing his love and torment.
Recorded 10 September 2016 at the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington by RNZ Concert.
Producer: David McCaw
Engineer: Graham Kennedy