Mahler Alert

One of my favorite classical music genres is the late Romantic-early Modern period - from about 1880-1920. And Gustav Mahler is one of my favorite composers. He combines moving melodies with intellectually fascinating orchestration to create works that engage the emotions and the intellect. His symphonies are large, long works, sometimes with chorus and vocal soloists. One of the reasons I resonate with his music is that he died - in 1911 - from aortic valvular heart disease, and I've had three operations to replace my aortic valve.

The San Francisco Symphony is playing his Second Symphony this weekend - Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday March 11-14. It's called the "Resurrection" and it ends gloriously with chorus and solists. Michael Tilson Thomas is one of the great Mahler conductors today and he's recorded (with the SFS) all of them. If you're looking for a life-changing musical experience, this could be it!!