Mahler, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and Musical Catharsis
By JJ Sechan
When you turn on KCME, you might be seeking an experience that exists somewhere between relaxation and excitement. But what about music that expresses joy that builds until it is indistinguishable from anxiety? What about music that reminds you that everything you love and everything you loathe will eventually come to an end? And why on earth would you want to experience that kind of catharsis in music?
Gustav Mahler’s symphonies are vehicles for the most strange and personal emotions you can imagine and are best enjoyed as a shared community experience that relies on communication between the performers and the audience. Through a performance, you can feel raw personal emotions that you never knew others felt while in the company of many other people going through the same things. It’s the kind of community event that has become more special in these last few years. You’ll have an opportunity for just this kind of experience when the Colorado Springs Philharmonic performs Mahler’s 9th Symphony at the Pikes Peak Center on May 20th and 21st. Of course, as a member of the orchestra I’m greatly biased about this opportunity. I’m also someone who used to find Mahler’s music overwhelming, so I wanted to point you in the right direction if you are attending one of the performances but don’t quite know what to expect.
First, there is an incredible documentary about Mahler’s life and music produced by the San Francisco Symphony. In this episode of Keeping Score, conductor Michael Tilson Thomas traces Mahler’s life and musical influences. The documentary is one of the best in-depth breakdowns of a composer’s music I have seen and is both interesting and fun. The show, called Gustav Mahler: Legacy, is in two parts, both of which are fabulous. The second part covers the 9th Symphony. You can watch the video here.
Mahler’s music is gorgeous, exciting, weird—and overstimulating. And it’s worth experiencing live. If you feel yourself drifting during the concert, it is okay to let yourself space out for a bit and return to the music as your mind lets you. I’m sure orchestra members will be grabbing mental breaks during the concert, and we’ve trained for this!
I hope you can join us for this wonderful marathon of a work and celebrate the end of the concert season with Mahler and the musicians of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic.
