Mahler's Ninth has audience in rapture (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Mahler's Ninth has audience in rapture

4:20pm Friday 13th March 2009

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Philarmonic Orchestra City of Dreams: 1900 – 1935 The Anvil RAPTUROUS applause followed an electric performance by the Philarmonia Orchestra in Basingstoke.

The Anvil auditorium could have heard a pin drop as the City of Dreams: 1900-1935 concert drew to a close.

Conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen, the orchestra played Schoenberg’s Verklarte Nacht in the first half before a stunning performance of Mahler’s Ninth Symphony in the second.

In a pre-concert talk, Julian Johnson, Professor of Music at Royal Holloway, University of London, put the case to a 200-strong audience that Schoenberg’s modern piece is in fact romantic and Mahler’s traditionally romantic piece is in fact modern.

Although restricted by time, his talk gave useful background information for newcomers to the two works and a brief look at the cultural scene in early 20th century Vienna.

At 30 minutes, Verklärte Nacht is quite a long single piece of music, inspired by a short poem by Richard Dehmel about a moonlit walk during which a woman confesses to her lover that she is pregnant with another man’s child.

A very energetic Salonen drew a wonderful performance from the orchestra – to be expected from a conductor of his calibre – and principal viola Rachel Roberts, in particular, produced a lovely sound.

After the interval, the audience were treated to the dramatic first movement of Mahler’s Ninth Symphony.

The second movement began at a jolly pace, alternating four contrasting Austrian dances – two Ländler and two Waltzes – with impressive turns from the timpani and the brass section.

After an energetic third movement the intense final Adagio began. With seamless changes in tempo, by the end the audience was hanging on every note as the finale gradually dissolved.

A musical treat indeed for an appreciative audience.

-Lucie Richards

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