by Paul J. Pelkonen
There's no escaping what day this is. This is the fifteenth anniversary of September 11, 2001, the day that terrorists hijacked four jet planes and destroyed the World Trade Center and part of the Pentagon. This is always a hard day for us New Yorkers.
Instead of expounding further I'd like to offer Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic's concert from Sept. 11, 2011, where the music director led the orchestra in a memorable performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 2, the Resurrection. Here's the first movement.
Footage © 2012 The New York Philharmonic.
And below here's an excerpt from, and a link to the Superconductor review of that concert for your perusal.
Mr. Gilbert didn't leap, but he brought tension and energy to the Totenfeier, the long funeral march that opens the symphony. The growling low strings were answered by the orchestra's brass, establishing a solemn mood and driving up towards a mighty climax. Then the palette lightened, as the strings and wind introduced uplifting melodies that anticipated the work's transcendent finish. When the movement paused before the start of the development, the audience, thinking it was over, applauded the players for a moment.
