Listen to the discussion in the interval between the first and second halves of the broadcast of this Prom. Extremely good discussion on ideas and literature in Vienna and Mahler's awareness of what was around him. David Marks and Karen Leeder know what they are talking about. The presenter is Susan Hitch. Most presenting these days, not just at the Proms, assumes that listeners are morons. There really does seem to be a kind of resentment these days at anyone actually wanting to learn. So enjoy this programme, it really is good. It will be available for listening online in the morning. (Proms Plus Proms Literary Festival 5th August
The Prom itself was nothing special. Mahler's 6th Symphony came over fairly bland, without much sense of focus. Since there are so many good Mahler 6's around, save your ears for the talk and seek out a good recording. Abbado, Berlin, for example. Yesterday I visited a friend who'd read what I'd written about the Prom Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet. Then we watched a film of Abbado conducting it with the Berliners at the Mariinsky in 1996. Wow! The Proms are valuable because they bring good music, but as with all things, they can't be perfect all the time.
Please see my other posts on Mahler (a lifelong obssession) click on labels at right. For Haitink's wonderful Mahler 9 at this year's Proms click here
READ about the Prom Kindertotenlieder HERE And the Chailly Leipzig Gewandhaus Mahler 10 HERE
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