Marin Alsop on conducting Gustav & Alma Mahler as the Philharmonia's Principal Guest Conductor

Marin Alsop, our Principal Guest Conductor, delves into the rich emotional world of Gustav and Alma Mahler.

She comes to the stage with us in October to conduct Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, perhaps his best-loved symphony. The Adagietto at its heart is ten minutes of pure, heartwrenching beauty from strings and harp. The story goes that Mahler sent a copy of this movement to his future wife Alma as a declaration of love, and they were engaged soon after.

Alma Mahler’s music is less well known than her husband’s, although just as rich and harmonically sophisticated. Perhaps, as Marin suggests, even more so than Gustav Mahler's music.

[abelsantos]

If I had the financial means, I’d travel the world looking for Mahler performances… maybe in another life… but I also hope his music will live forever in that life, as it is probably, and arguably the most transcendent I’ve ever heard. I hope it comes with me in the next life. Thank you philharmonia & Marin Alsop for a snippet into your program and interpretation of life. vision