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Mahler, Mahler, Mahler

By Mona Seghatoleslami ~ Posted Thu, 01/26/2012 - 4:16pm

The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra is playing Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 this evening and Saturday night (I’ll be there on Saturday).  Just by chance, I happen to have a few cool Mahler links that I’ve saved up for a rainy day. 

Check out this time lapse of the stage being set for Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 “Symphony of a Thousand” at Los Angeles’s Walt Disney Concert Hall.



remarkably informative webcomic that helps you diagnose which Mahler symphony you may have heard.

 

An oldie, but a goodie – Mahler figures prominently in Joel Stein’s advice on how to be a classical snob.

 

Here is the “Mahler hammer” mentioned in the article – we’ll have to wait until the RPO gets to Mahler’s Sixth Symphony to see that one in person:

more informative commentary on Mahler 4, read “The Mahler Puzzle” over on the Democrat and Chronicle’s Arts Community blog.

 

And from PBS, a great program from the Keeping Score series -- “Mahler: Origins” featuring insights from SF Symphony conductor Michael Tilson Thomas.

 

Watch Mahler: Origins on PBS. See more from Keeping Score.

The RPO has already played Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 this season (sadly, before I moved here!), and we’ll hear No. 4 this weekend.  The others will be showing up over the next few seasons, so keep watch for giant hammers, casts of thousands, and all the rest of the Mahlerian drama. 



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Comments

I'm jealous - will try to

Submitted by Brendan (not verified) on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 4:33pm.

I'm jealous - will try to keep track in future seasons of upcoming Mahler performances. Have loved those I've seen WVSO perform. Hoped to plan vacation around a Mahler Symphony this year but it looks like finances will prohibit that idea. I've been listening to the stream occasionally. Glad to be able to hear you in WV - John Ireland was a new name for me, and I loved the piece you played from him today.

My favorite classical discoveries recently have been film composers - for example, check out Zbigniew Preisner's Lacrimosa and Ernst Reijseger's Cave of Forgotten Dreams on youtube. I also got New World Jazz by Michael Tilson Thomas after reading about George Antheil in the book 'Hedy's Folly'. And I'm looking forward to WVSO's Bruckner and Dvořák next month - the New World Symphony coincidentally within a month of my Naturalization ceremony.

Anyway, congratulations on moving to the big city! I'll continue to listen when I can.

Cool!

Submitted by Mona Seghatoleslami on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 2:43pm.

Hi Brendan! So cool that you found my new corner on the radio/internet. It's nice to know that some friendly ears are out there:) Hope all is well back in WV.

I'll look up those suggestions -- I like Preisner's "Silence, Night, and Dreams" quite a bit, so I'm happy to explore his work a bit more. Reijseger is completely new to me. Also, 'Heddy's Folly' looks like a good read (on to the list it goes!)

Mahler's Fourth was pretty...but not as immediately exciting to me as some of his other symphonies. Not sure if I just wasn't in the right frame of mind or what. Have fun at the WVSO (yay, New World!), and wave hi to the Clay Center and Hallelujah for me!

Hey interesting topic,

Submitted by Tim Billo on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 7:54pm.

Hey interesting topic, enjoyed the read ;)