Mahler concert

Gustav Mahler. A man who lived a fairly angstful life, who composed some pretty amazing music. This concert, performed on February 14, 16 and 17 in San Francisco, and February 22 in Carnegie Hall, featured the Adagio from Mahler's Tenth Symphony (the only movement he completed before dying), and Das Klagende Lied, his Opus 1, written while he was still a teenager. The contrast between the two is stark. The music of Das Klagende Lied, while telling the story of a tragic fairy tale, is full of life and joy, with quirky brass bands playing from off-stage, and full-throated chorus. The Adagio, meanwhile, is very introspective, twisted and tortured in on itself.

For more information on the pieces, read the program notes, archived here.

The chorus is only part of Das Klagende Lied, and it's a fun part, with lots for us to do. "O Schrecken" (The Horror) - a line from the end of the piece as the newly crowned king is revealed as a fratricide - is a favorite of the chorus.

Reviews of our performance:


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Eric Nehrlich's WWW home page / nehrlich@alum.mit.edu