Posted by ken k on September 23, 2000 at 22:13:13:
My wife and I went to our local symphony concert tonight (Reading, PA). It was their opening concert of the new season. They did the Flying Dutchman Ov. to kick it off, which was great! The syphony has a very fine tuba player named Eric Bubacz. I always enjoy listening to him. He really wailed on the ending of the Wagner. Had to sit through a Beethoven Piano Cto. (Sorry, I don't mean to sound like I don't like Beethoven because I do, but knowing what was on the second half I couldn't wait.) For the second half of the concert, the music director paired two very different pieces together The effect was quite moving. First was Schoenberg's "Survivor from Warsaw" - a very dissonant yet powerful piece with a narrator and men's chorus, next was the final movement to the Mahler third symphony. I was stunned! The conductor asked the audience not to applaud after the Schoenberg and the orchestra segued into the Mahler after a brief pause. The brass section really nailed it. If you have not heard the Mahler 3, get a recording of it. you won't be dissapointed. What a way to kick off the season.
ken k