While the London Symphony Orchestra has been on tour with Valery Gergiev and Mahler’s fifth symphony, its principal flute and chief blogger Gareth Davies has been reading my new book Why Mahler? in his down time.
‘Why Mahler?‘ wonders Gareth. ’Sitting in Gstaad (Switzerland) playing a relatively minor but essential role in the symphony, I was looking around at my colleagues concentrated faces asking myself that very question.‘
You can read his closely observed reflections here.
I would add only that the question itself expresses Mahler’s uniquely disturbing qualities. I don’t hear anyone asking Why Strauss? Why Sibelius? Why Elgar?
Why Mahler? is published in the US on October 5.
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