Prom 57 - 29.08.14: Mahler 2, Swedish RSO, Royal / Stotijn / Harding

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Friday, 29 August
7.30 p.m. – c. 9.10 p.m.
Royal Albert Hall

Mahler: Symphony No. 2 in C minor ('Resurrection')

Kate Royal, soprano
Christianne Stotijn, mezzo-soprano

Swedish Radio Choir
Philharmonia Chorus
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Daniel Harding, conductor

In a symphony that took over six years to complete, Mahler wrestles with the essential questions of all humanity. Birth, death and the fragile stages in between are the subject of this grand musical exploration that culminates in a glowing, transcendent choral finale.

At the head of tonight's huge musical forces is Daniel Harding. Following his two Proms performances last year, he appears for the first time as Music Director of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. He is joined by soloists Christianne Stotijn and Kate Royal, who also sang the role of the Marschallin in Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier earlier in this Proms festival.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Perhaps I'm being picky about this most welcome of concerts, but would they dream of having a concert with Beethoven 9 and nothing else? The Resurrection is only a few minutes longer.

[Petrushka]

The Mahler 2 is most often on its own on concert programmes these days but with a little imagination an apt coupling is possible. Mark Wigglesworth did Messiaen's Et Exspecto a season or back which is brilliant. I ilke playing Bach's motet Jesu, Meine Freude in my own armchair concert programme. Something with the choir would be interesting.

[amateur51]

Next February at London's RFH, Sir Simon Rattle and BPO are giving us

Helmut Lachenmann: Tableau for orchestra
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.2 (Resurrection)

[Petrushka]

Next February at London's RFH, Sir Simon Rattle and BPO are giving us

Helmut Lachenmann: Tableau for orchestra
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.2 (Resurrection)

Already have my ticket for that!

Abbado once placed Wolfgang Rihm's Dis Kontur before the Mahler.

[richardfinegold]

Perhaps I'm being picky about this most welcome of concerts, but would they dream of having a concert with Beethoven 9 and nothing else? The Resurrection is only a few minutes longer.

Is there an intermission after I?

[Petrushka]

Is there an intermission after I?

Proms Guide says 'There will be no interval' and I should think not. Mahler himself usually performed it on its own, by the way.

[Stanley Stewart]

My first 'live' Mahler 2 was at the RFH, CBSO with Simon Rattle. Memory probing tells me that the performance began with Mozart, Sym 28, a real touch of serendipity!

Memorable, too, was Rattle's later performance of Mahler 2, 6 Sept 1998, under the heading of 'Arrivederci Brum' which I recorded as an off-air video, thence DVD, and still have a viewing each year.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

My first 'live' Mahler 2 was at the RFH, CBSO with Simon Rattle. Memory probing tells me that the performance began with Mozart, Sym 28, a real touch of serendipity!

The same forces at my own first performance of the Resurrection - Boulez' Rituel providing the "opener".

[Petrushka]

My first 'live' Mahler 2 was at the RFH, CBSO with Simon Rattle. Memory probing tells me that the performance began with Mozart, Sym 28, a real touch of serendipity!

Memorable, too, was Rattle's later performance of Mahler 2, 6 Sept 1998, under the heading of 'Arrivederci Brum' which I recorded as an off-air video, thence DVD, and still have a viewing each year.

Rattle has also coupled Mahler's Resurrection with the Schoenberg 5 Pieces, Ades' Asyla and Kurtag's Stele and Grabstein für Stephan as well as Schoenberg's A Survivor from Warsaw in different performances over the years.

The Birmingham performance you have there took place on August 30 1998 and broadcast on Channel 4 (!) on September 6. I was present at that performance and will never forget it. I also transferred it to DVD.

[richardfinegold]

Proms Guide says 'There will be no interval' and I should think not. Mahler himself usually performed it on its own, by the way.

How long of an interval did Mahler specify between I and II? I thought he left some explicit instruction

[Petrushka]

How long of an interval did Mahler specify between I and II? I thought he left some explicit instruction

I think that this should be at least 5 minutes though not sure if it is actually specified in the score.

[pastoralguy]

Many years ago, I remember seeing Bernie and the Concertgebouw orchestra play it on ?Boxing day. I remember he left the podium and chatted to the players before starting the second movement. 5 - 10 minutes?

[Alison]

Many years ago, I remember seeing Bernie and the Concertgebouw orchestra play it on ?Boxing day. I remember he left the podium and chatted to the players before starting the second movement. 5 - 10 minutes?

I guess that was one of the Christmas Day concerts PG. A few of us have got that performance on CD and DVD. :)

[Bryn]

I guess that was one of the Christmas Day concerts PG. A few of us have got that performance on CD and DVD. :)

And many thanks to you, Alison, for recommending those DVDs.