SFS Mahler Symphony No.2 ("Resurrection") Mar 13, 2010

I attended this with one of my oldest friends (from Edinburgh, now teaching at UC Berkeley) and her husband.  We sat right above a friend in the harp section, in an area I have not sat in for very many years.  What a difference to the sound!   It was fascinating to hear all the different parts of the orchestra individually, rather than as the wash of (albeit beautiful) sound one hears from out front.  I only regretted not being out front in the last movement although it was thrilling to be right beside the basses in the choir and to hear their very rich tone, including a couple of contra basses, who sang an octave below the regular basses.  Not something I have come across before.

The orchestra, soloists and chorus were thrilling and the conductor Michael Tilsen Thomas (“MTT” to the marketing people) seemed pleased with the performance at the end.  I was initially concerned that there was no rail at the back of his podium but then I saw that his economical conducting style was unlikely to lead to any unfortunate incidents in that regard.  No doubt the audience in the front row would have spotted him!

The orchestra layout was rather different from what I am used to.  The cellos and double bases were in the second violin area and the timpani and percussion were in the middle at the back.  The off-stage musicians came over very well from where we were sitting.

The soloists were Laura Claycomb (soprano) and Katarina Karnéus (mezzo-soprano) – both lovely.  The harp section, including Karen Gottlieb, was great!

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