Colorado Mahlerfest

Hondo · Post by **Hondo** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 3:05 pm

The Colorado MahlerFest wrapped-up its 20th season last weekend with a memorable performance of Das Lied von der Erde. Making the concert even more exceptional than the festival's outstanding offerings of the previous 19 years was the presence of Thomas Hampson as the baritone soloist. Hampson again proved that he is one of the great soloists of our day with his expressive and moving interpretation of Mahler's symphony song cycle. This fall Hampson will record the work with Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony. Until I can get my hands on that recording, I will happily live with my current favorite, the performance by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Murray Dickie and the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Paul Kletzki on EMI.

A full day symposium discussing the works of Mahler was held prior to the Saturday performance of Das Lied and the Adagio from the 10th Symphony. Highlighting the presentations were papers read by Mahler authority Stpehen Heffling and comments by Tom Hampson. Henry-Louis de la Grange was also present.

The high caliber of these performances, and the 19 of previous years under music director Robert Olson, again showed why the festival was the much-deserved recipient of the 2005 Vienna International Gustav Mahler Society gold medal.

Hondo

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 3:14 pm

Thanks for the report. Will the symposium be published?

Hondo · Post by **Hondo** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 3:25 pm

The symposium presentations have not been published in the past, but you can get a thumbnail summary of each presentation by going to www.mahlerfest.org/symposium.html

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 3:53 pm

Hondo wrote:The symposium presentations have not been published in the past, but you can get a thumbnail summary of each presentation by going to www.mahlerfest.org/symposium.html

*****

Will do-thanks.

Gregory Kleyn · Post by **Gregory Kleyn** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 3:15 pm

Hondo wrote:The Colorado MahlerFest wrapped-up its 20th season last weekend with a memorable performance of Das Lied von der Erde. Making the concert even more exceptional than the festival's outstanding offerings of the previous 19 years was the presence of Thomas Hampson as the baritone soloist. Hampson again proved that he is one of the great soloists of our day with his expressive and moving interpretation of Mahler's symphony song cycle. This fall Hampson will record the work with Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony. Until I can get my hands on that recording, I will happily live with my current favorite, the performance by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Murray Dickie and the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Paul Kletzki on EMI.

A full day symposium discussing the works of Mahler was held prior to the Saturday performance of Das Lied and the Adagio from the 10th Symphony. Highlighting the presentations were papers read by Mahler authority Stpehen Heffling and comments by Tom Hampson. Henry-Louis de la Grange was also present.

The high caliber of these performances, and the 19 of previous years under music director Robert Olson, again showed why the festival was the much-deserved recipient of the 2005 Vienna International Gustav Mahler Society gold medal.

Hondo

I've never forgotten the Mahlerfest concert of Symphony No.9 perhaps ten years ago (a lacklustre performance overall) when one of the horn players so egregiously misplayed a particularly exposed passage in the final movement. That Olson endured to the end after that couldn't have been easy.

Do you remember?

Hondo · Post by **Hondo** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 1:16 pm

Gregory wrote:

"I've never forgotten the Mahlerfest concert of Symphony No.9 perhaps ten years ago (a lacklustre performance overall) when one of the horn players so egregiously misplayed a particularly exposed passage in the final movement. That Olson endured to the end after that couldn't have been easy.

Do you remember?"

I attended that concert 10 years ago, but probably not the performance you attended (there are always two performaces of each program). I don't remember the horn screw-up at all!

The Mahler 9th was presented last year as part of the second round of the Mahlerfest's performances of all of Mahler's major works. The perfromance was absolutely superb! Olson continues to study Mahler's works, and obviously improved on his performance from 10 years ago.

Gabe

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