The overwhelming power of Mahler 8 is very difficult to put into words, but after a magnificent evening at St Paul’s Cathedral with a sensational cast of musicians we couldn’t help but try to relive the moment.
This concert was the opening concert of our 150th Anniversary Season. There are very few works which can rise to the extraordinary occasion of a 150th anniversary, but Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 definitely fits the bill – an epic work in which an enormous chorus, eight soloists and a mammoth orchestra combine. The size of the forces involved means that it’s a work which is hugely rewarding to hear live in concert, as many of the 2,000-strong crowd at St Paul’s Cathedral discovered!
The gorgeous setting of St Paul’s Cathedral certainly added to the occasion. The venue has an enormously powerful sound to it, and is known for its ‘seven-second reverb’ (this study by Tim Lewers, a member of The Bach Choir, explores in detail the sound quality at St Paul’s). If it wasn’t already obvious, the venue is also a visual treat!
The work was performed in full with only a short break for the instrumentalists between the two movements. This immersion gave the audience the opportunity to really sink into Mahler’s masterpiece. Highlights included the powerful introduction, a majestic finale which was hugely bolstered by the impressive acoustic and the breathtaking Chorus Mysticus which showcased another side to Mahler’s genius.
The critics were in attendance – Nick Holmes summed things up apttly when he said “this was the perfect way to celebrate the Choir’s anniversary. The occasion will reverberate in the memory for a long time.” We’d agree – the finale is still reverberating around our heads even now!
There are plenty more choral masterpieces to come in the rest of our 150th Anniversary Season – find out what else is going on here.