David Stabler
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​music and life

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Making sense of Mahler

11/14/2016

3 Comments

 
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We had a wonderful time with Mahler's Second Symphony, Sunday. For some people, Gustav Mahler is one of those composers who is difficult to approach. All those funeral marches, the death shrieks, the jaunty folk tunes. Not to mention the incredible length of his symphonies. 

But we broke it down with musical context, the cataclysmic changes erupting during Mahler's lifetime and why his music has such a powerful effect on us. With cue sheets in hand, we listened to much of this wonderful recording by Sir Simon Rattle and the City of Birmingham Orchestra:

The key to understanding Mahler, as Leonard Bernstein said, is his duality. A composer and a conductor. Born Jewish, converted to Catholicism. Naive in some ways, sophisticated in others.  Terrified of death, yearning for immortality. Music of great vulgarity and radiant beauty. Born in rural Bohemia, rising to the top musical post in Europe's music capital.

Since music director Carlos Kalmar arrived in Portland in 2003, he has conducted all but one of Mahler's 10 symphonies with the Oregon Symphony. No. 8, "Symphony of a Thousand," is the exception. The orchestra performs Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection," May 20, 21, 22, 2017. I, for sure, will be there.

Next class: "Weather Wonders," how composers respond to rain, wind, oceans and sunrises. 4 p.m. Dec. 18. Classic Pianos, 3003 SE Milwaukie & Powell Blvd., Portland. 503-546-5622. Join us!
3 Comments
best chorus pedal link
3/2/2017 11:44:40 am

I want you to thank for your time of this wonderful read!!! I definately enjoy every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff of your blog a must read blog!!!!

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David link
3/3/2017 11:27:27 am

Thank you, best chorus pedal. The more we know about Mahler, the more he gives back to us. More than a lifetime's worth of musical exploration.

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superiorpapers link
10/27/2017 02:24:39 am

There had been many great personalities that had done a lot for the sake of others and they had been successful to do so. I hope we are about to see some change once we are done.

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    David Stabler is a teacher,  writer, dad and cyclist. He's working on a novel based on his childhood years living in Africa. In 2017, he rode across America with his brother.

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