Washington, D.C. — The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) and NSO Music Director Gianandrea Noseda are proud to announce the release of the NSO’s recording of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 7 – now available digitally – with the CD release on December 5. Known unofficially as the “Song of the Night,” the symphony journeys through night and day, darkness and light, melancholy and exuberance, blending poetic dreamscapes, irony, humor, and Rabelaisian verve.
“It’s always difficult for me to decide which work stands out among Mahler’s symphonies,” said Gianandrea Noseda, Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra. “Whenever I conduct one, I tend to feel that that particular symphony is the greatest. After recording the Seventh, with the superb artistry of the NSO musicians, I formed a special bond with it. For the moment, the Seventh holds a very dear place in my heart, and I hope listeners of our recording enjoy it as much as I do.”
Composed between 1904 and 1906, the work culminates in a finale of Dionysian revelry and features a rich orchestration – including mandolin, guitar, almglocken, and expanded percussion – that adds both poetry and playfulness. Its five movements form a unifying arch structure (A-B-C-B-A), balancing traditional forms with imaginative reinvention, from the shadowy opening to the bright, celebratory finale.
Release/ Performance Info
Gianandrea Noseda, conductor
National Symphony Orchestra
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C.
Digital release: now available
CD release: December 5, 2025
Instrumentation: four flutes (fourth doubles piccolo), piccolo, three oboes, English horn, three clarinets, bass clarinet, Eb clarinet, three bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, two harps, almglocken, bass drum, cymbals, glockenspiel, rute, suspended cymbal, suspended crash cymbal, snare drum, tambourine, tam tam, triangle, strings
About Gianandrea Noseda
Gianandrea Noseda is one of the world’s most sought-after conductors, recognized for his artistry in both concert hall and opera house. He is Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra, General Music Director of the Zurich Opera House, Principal Guest Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, and founding Music Director of the Tsinandali Festival and Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra.
Noseda’s leadership has inspired and reinvigorated the National Symphony Orchestra, leading to international concert invitations, digital streaming projects, and critically acclaimed recordings. He has conducted the world’s leading orchestras, opera houses, and festivals and has been honored with awards including Musical America’s Conductor of the Year, International Opera Awards Conductor of the Year, and the Puccini Award.
About The National Symphony Orchestra
The 2025–2026 season is the National Symphony Orchestra’s 95th season and Music Director Gianandrea Noseda’s ninth season. Founded in 1931, the NSO has been committed to performances that enrich the lives of its audience and community members. An artistic affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts since 1986, the NSO performs at the Center, nationally televised events, live-streamed concerts on medici.tv, and local radio broadcasts on WETA 90.9 FM.
The NSO’s recording label, launched in 2020, has released ambitious projects including the complete Beethoven symphonies and George Walker’s Sinfonias, led by Noseda. Community engagement and education programs include NSO In Your Neighborhood, Notes of Honor, Sound Health, and the NSO Youth Fellowship Program, along with the tuition-free Summer Music Institute.