Oregon Symphony: Mahler's Symphony No. 6

The Oregon Symphony performs Mahler's Symphony No. 6 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on Saturday, November 21, 2026. Music Director and Conductor David Danzmayr leads the orchestra through the full work, which is known by the nickname Tragic.

It's one of Mahler's most ambitious pieces, and the name fits. The symphony moves from deathly foreboding marches into ecstatic outpourings of love for his wife, Alma, then shifts again into a dark, carnival-like Scherzo and a sunlit lyrical interlude that evokes peaceful Alpine meadows. The finale is a theatrical build that culminates in titanic hammer blows of fate—the very moments Mahler said represented tragic milestones in his own life.

If you've never heard it, the scale is something to be in the room for. It's a long, epic orchestral work that takes you from those early marches through the love theme and the Scherzo before it all comes down to those hammer blows. It's the kind of piece that works best when you can feel the full weight of the orchestra around you.

The concert is at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway Dr, in downtown Portland. It starts at 7:30 PM, with doors opening around 6:30 PM, so you've got plenty of time to get settled before the first note.