Mahler 8, 63 degrees north

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Mahler 8 is being performed this evening and tomorrow by the Trondheim Symphony, various local choirs and a not bad at all set of soloists.

Both performances are sold out, in case you had any ideas, but the big question is whether this is the most northerly ever Mahler 8.

Does anyone know otherwise?

Cheers,
EoS

[Ferretfancy]

It would please me if Mahler 8 never came further south!

[Hilaryjane]

It would please me if Mahler 8 never came further south!

[french frank]

the big question is whether this is the most northerly ever Mahler 8.

A big question indeed. Has it been performed in Reykjavik?

[mercia]

funnily enough I've just had a reply to my email to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra asking just that (since Reykjavik is one degree further north than Trondheim, apparently). They say

In response to your enquiry, there has never been a live performance of Mahler 8 in Iceland, and none are planned in the foreseeable future.

(nice of them to reply and to put it in English I thought)

[BBMmk2]

Finland perhaps?

[Ferretfancy]

Hilaryjane

Sorreee! I just like to take a dig at Mahler idolatry now and then!

Ferret

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Oh dear, sorry about the "idolatry". I was only asking. Thanks for the information from the ISO, Mercia.

EoS

[Flosshilde]

Hilaryjane

Sorreee! I just like to take a dig at Mahler idolatry now and then!

Ferret

Is it any worse than Mozart mania?

[Ferretfancy]

Flosshilde,

Mozart Mania ? I thought that the Mozart marathon on R3 was a misconceived idea for various reasons, although I personally believe that Mozart is way up there and the rest are well below.
However if a Mozart symphony is scheduled I don't run to all my friends --

" Charlie Farnsbarns is doing the Jupiter in Tashkent next May, where can I book a ticket? I wonder if he'll ruin the second movement? Jansonns wrecked it in Salamanca last week, even though it was with the BPO. Still if Farnsbarns is available as a download I'll probably record it to add to my 49 existing versions " etc.etc.etc.

None of us have to love the music of Mahler, but no doubt the mixture of breastbeating bombast and emotional hysteria can be fun at times. What I dislike is the cult.

[mercia]

because of the forces involved, performances of Mahler's 8th Symphony are bound to be few and far between compared to Mozart's Jupiter Symphony and therefore generate a certain interest

rather an obvious statement, but I thought I would make it

[Flosshilde]

although I personally believe that Mozart is way up there and the rest are well below.

My case is made for me! (Ferret has said exactly what I was going to say, but thought that it might sound a bit extreme)

However if a Mozart symphony is scheduled I don't run to all my friends --

" Charlie Farnsbarns is doing the Jupiter in Tashkent next May, where can I book a ticket? I wonder if he'll ruin the second movement? Jansonns wrecked it in Salamanca last week, even though it was with the BPO. Still if Farnsbarns is available as a download I'll probably record it to add to my 49 existing versions " etc.etc.etc.

Possibly because Mozart's symphonies aren't anywhere near Mahler's in musical & emotional complexity?

[Ferretfancy]

Flosshilde

I think that there may be a subtle distinction between emotional complexity and truth, and surely Mozart has the latter in it's finest musical manifestation ( A bit pomposo! but I feel it! )

[Bryn]

Is it any worse than Mozart mania?

An entirely apposite question, Flossie. There's all that crazy "play Mozart to your baby and s/he with grow up a genius" stuff. Of course, play Mahler to your baby and s/he will grow up a tortured soul with a fixation about the number 9. As Billy might say to Johnny, "We know a song about that, don't we?"

[Bryn]

Flosshilde

I think that there may be a subtle distinction between emotional complexity and truth, and surely Mozart has the latter in it's finest musical manifestation ( A bit pomposo! but I feel it! )

"A bit pomposo!"? It deserves to go straight into Pseuds' Corner! What a load of billiards!