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Associate Principal Viola Rebecca Young may have chosen the Dark Side after her brief encounter with Darth Vader and his squad. @official501st #springgala #viola #501legion #nyphilharmonic #newyorkphilharmonic #nyphil #newyorkphil #nyc #darkside #imperial #theempire (at David Geffen Hall - Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts)

#newyorkphil #newyorkphilharmonic #theempire #imperial #darkside #viola #nyphilharmonic #springgala #nyc #nyphil #501legion

the build up starting at 5:00 ruins me so much that I just end up spitting madly into my bassoon, truthfully

#thenotesarecompletelywrongbutitfeelssogood #musicforfriends #currentlybutcheringthisinuniversityorchestra #NEWYORKPHIL

Mahler Symphony No.1 and Unsuk Chin Clarinet Concerto U.S. Premier

[September 27th 2014 / New York Philharmonic, New York, NY]

I had just started my clarinet lessons at school, so when I came across Unsuk Chin's clarinet concerto that was premiering in the U.S., I decided to buy the ticket although I'm not particularly a fan of contemporary music. Actually it was kind of a gamble because I couldn't find any recording of this clarinet concerto online. Having gone to Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No.1 last year, I have to say that I hesitated a little. In my opinion, many contemporary pieces require extraordinary technical skills for the musicians and because they often have to do some crazy stuff, there is definitely a "wow," or even a visually theatrical element to the performance, but this aspect does not necessarily entertain my ears. My justification for this concert: even if I don't like the piece, the evening will conclude with Mahler Symphony No.1, one of my favorite musicians/compositions.

The concert started in a very peculiar way (at least compared to other 25+ concerts that I've been to in last 2 years). The conductor came out and explained the clarinet concerto piece by asking the soloist to play a part of each movement so that the audience gets the taste of the premiering music. The music was a bit bizarre. Actually, it was just weird. I tend to draw my own story line in my head as I listen to classical music, but I could really grasp neither melody nor story in her music. But then again, I'm only a simple person who likes to listen to classical music live. Good for the people who understood. For me, it was just like me walking down the second floor of MoMA pointing fingers at each modern artwork while saying "I can do that, I can do that, I can do that. And that too."

Mahler Symphony No.1 was so exciting! Mahler's masterpieces rarely go under 1 hour long, and No.1 meets the category (under most conductors). So I definitely recommend anyone who haven't been exposed to Mahler to start with No.1. Some still refer to this piece as "Titan" as Mahler used that nickname for a few times. There are many musicians now who believe that the piece should be just referred as No.1.

The first movement is a lot of fun to listen to and it introduces the main melody. Mahler wakes you up from long winter with the woodwinds supported by the strings that holds the same note. Various instruments continue to deliver this theme of awakening and soon the main melody is introduced by cello, which is subsequently adopted by other instruments.

By the end of 1st movement, I always have a complete image of a verdant meadow with a bunch of butterflies flying while the snow melts and streams down the hill. So it's only appropriate that the second movement be waltzy and continue the happy momentum. Mahler also doesn't fail to remind us the theme melody introduced in the previous movement.

3rd movement is very interesting. Everyone recognizes the beginning melody, which comes from Frère Jacques or Brother John in English. So the melody brings solemness to the concert hall. But then again, as soon as the melody is over, there is some cabaret-esque music that you might hear from somewhere like Moulin Rouge. The melody from Frère Jacques is played again bring down this seemingly "lower-class" dance music. This is in fact why Mahler received much criticism when he conducted the world premiere in Budapest in 1889 because he was using a parody in a symphony, a form of music that is perhaps considered to be the most serious.

As soon as the orchestra hits the first few notes of 4th movement, the audience is surprised by the cold, dark ambiance created by the orchestra. There is no more solemness, tranquility, or even a dance music. In my head at this point, the meadow suddenly collapses to the ground, everything that's been awaken before falling straight down to hell. This is brilliantly conveyed by the lack of pause in the strings, depicting constant falling. This part is probably my favorite part of the symphony. Yet soon after, Mahler confuses us once more with spring-like, delicate, and beautifully themed melody. Just as you think "oh so I guess he will end with a happy ending," Mahler out of nowhere brings the darkness back, completely changing the scene we have imagined in our head. The trumpets and horns play victoriously as if they were announcing the triumph of the Satan. As the title Dall'Inferno al Paradiso suggests, Mahler brings light and darkness back and forth, giving false hope for living things that had previously fallen as the meadow collapses in my opinion. The victory at the end of the movement played by trumpets gives me goose-bumps every time I listen, and I believe it wasn't me that night since the orchestra received 4 rounds of standing ovation, which I had never seen in last 2 years.

If interested, I recommend the recording by New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein's conduct.

This is Vienna Philharmonic under Bernstein.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP1Ndx2p14Q

#mahler #newyorkphil