“I could understand Wozzeck better when I knew Mahler.”

Transcript of full interview:

Mr Boulez, do you remember the first time you heard the music of Mahler?

Boulez: I don’t think I remember. Yes, I suppose I remember. (more…)

The Concertgebouworkest is presenting Gustav Mahler’s symphonies 1-10 and Das Lied von der Erde in Amsterdam from 2009-2011. The list of conductors is a who’s who of contemporary masters, including Harding, Jansons, Boulez, Gatti and Haitink.

See the Concertgebouworkest’s Mahler pages.

Jonathan Nott on Gustav Mahler

Transcript of full interview available soon.

The Orchestre des Champs-Élysées is performing Mahler’s 4th Symphony on tour in March 2010. Concerts will take place in

Poitiers (F) TAP March 6th
Ravenna (IT) March 8th
Grenoble (F) MC2 March 11th
Bruxelles (B) Palais des Beaux-Arts March 14th
Rotterdam (NL) De Doelen March 16th

Philippe Herreweghe conducts. See the orchestra’s website nearer the date for more information.

The Konserthuset in Stockholm tells us of its forthcoming Mahler Festival in March 2010.

All symphonies are being performed in a row, by The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic as well as by guest orchestras from Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark. Several of the song cycles will also be perfomed in chamber versions.

Download the Konserthuset’s Swedish Mahler Brochure
Mahler’s Universe in 12 Days

Use the historical search at the Konserthuset’s website to see the first Mahler performances in Stockholm.

“If you overpower the first movement, you can go home.”

Transcript of full interview:

Mr Welser-Möst, do you remember the first time you heard the music of Gustav Mahler?

Welser-Möst: Yes, I do. It was actually the Symphony No. 1 (more…)

“For conductors Mahler seems to be to be the most personal composer”

Transcript of full interview:

Do you remember the first time you heard the music of Gustav Mahler?

Gatti: I began at nine, ten to study music. (more…)

“I started to conduct Mahler out of spite.”

Transcript of full interview:

Mr Barenboim, do you remember the first time you heard the music of Gustav Mahler?

Barenboim: No. I remember playing the songs on the piano with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau – this must be in the early ‘70s – (more…)

Die Stadt Mailand hat gemeinsam mit der Provinz beschlossen, um rund 22 Millionen Euro 90.000 Bäume für Stardirigent Claudio Abbado zu pflanzen. Das war das ungewöhnliche Honorar, das Abbado im Dezember gefordert hatte, um nach 23 Jahren Abwesenheit an die Mailänder Scala zurückzukehren.

(more…)

Endless Mahler
Alex Ross in the New Yorker

It’s a Wrap! Mahler Marathon Finishes Glowingly
Anthony Tommasini in the New York Times

Mahler Symphonies at High Heat but Contrasting Temperatures
James R. Oestreich in the New York Times

Noch ein letztes Mal fortissimo!
Julia Spinola in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung