A new orchestral piece, Mahl/er/werk, by Nathaniel Stookey is an energised and uplifting reimagining of Mahlerian symphonic style. Stookey pieced together hundreds of fragments from Mahler’s nine symphonies (all in their original keys, tempos, and orchestrations) to create a kaleidoscopic remix of the master’s work in a 21st-century context. The celebratory piece was an immediate hit when it was premiered in May at the Hamburg Arena with the NDR Sinfonieorchester and The Young ClassX Projektorchester, conducted by Christoph Eschenbach. Michael Stitz of the Flensburger Nachrichten described the event as follows: "Whoever was afraid of intellectually difficult music was quickly proven wrong. Stookey’s crazy puzzle with over a hundred Mahler fragments turned out to be a highly intelligent and musically attractive homage to Gustav Mahler. The performance in Hamburg Arena was most successful in making classical music attractive to future fans".The work will receive its U.S. premiere on November 30 at the New England Conservatory as part of the 'Mahler Unleashed' festival, with Hugh Wolff conducting the NEC Symphony Orchestra.
For tickets and further information, visit the website.
Composers of the 20th and 21st centuries continue to be inspired by Mahler’s style; here are some other works to explore:
- Franghiz Ali-Zadeh - Zu den Kindertotenliedern (In Memoriam Gustav Mahler)
Clarinet, violin and percussion - Tan Dun - Earth Concerto
Four solo percussion and orchestra - Edward Gregson - Dream Song
Orchestra - Nikolai Korndorf - Hymnus III, "In Honor of Gustav Mahler"
Soprano solo and orchestra - Karl Aage Rasmussen - Genklang
Piano four hands, prepared piano, mistuned piano and celesta
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