Prom 69: Tuesday 6th September at 7.30 p.m. (Wagner, Rihm, Mahler)

[gradus]

Thanks for that insight Chris, the horn section certainly sounded different and along with the other brass, much more forward balanced than normal. I would love to have heard it in the flesh, they sounded like they really enjoyed themselves - wonderfully secure too.

[bluestateprommer]

Pittsburgh SO Mahler 5 live streaming video from Berlin today

Starting in less than 90 minutes, link here:

http://liveweb.arte.tv/de/video/PSO_Mahler/

[Chris Newman]

For those who want to hear the Mahler 5 again (nay, Watch even!!) here it is on the wonderful Arte Live channnel (my escape valve once the Proms are over). This performance is just after ours from the Philharmonie in Berlin on the 11th of September:

http://liveweb.arte.tv/fr/video/Le_Pittsburgh_Symphony_Orchestra_joue_la_Symphonie_n__5_de_Gustav_Mahler/

This Prom was Mark Huggins's (the Concertmaster/Leader's) official baptism of fire, his first official night in the position. On this TV version from Berlin you can really see the leadership qualities that the orchestra want: it's like watching Andrew Haveron or Hugh Bean.

Unless it is my imagination, the performance is slightly faster than at the Prom, noticeably in the first movement and Adagietto. Whatever, I look forward to the Honeck recording.

[bluestateprommer]

One more report from Berlin, via the Tribune-Review's Mark Kanny, about the Pittsburgh SO and Mahler 5:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ae/theater/s_756327.html

For those who watch the video link that Chris N. points out, spoiler shock horror alert: there was applause after the 1st and 3rd movements of the Mahler. And this is in Berlin. Maybe the world is coming to an end .