Opening Night at Tanglewood: Michael Tilson Thomas serves Mahler and the BSO most splendidly in the “Resurrection” Symphony, by Michael Miller
Opening Night at Tanglewood
Friday, July 9, 8:30 p.m. Shed
Mahler, Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection”
I. Allegro maestoso. Mit durchaus ernstem und feierlichem Ausdruck
II. Andante moderato. Sehr gemachlich
III. In ruhig fliessender Bewegung
IV. Urlicht. Sehr feierlich, aber schlicht
V. Im Tempo des Scherzos. Wild herausfahrend
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Layla Claire, soprano
Stephanie Blythe, mezzo-soprano
Tanglewood Festival Chorus,
John Oliver, conductor
On taking my seat in the Music Shed, I was surprised to see the gentlemen of the BSO in shirtsleeves — and it was a pleasant surprise. Their playing of Mahler’s Second was very much a shirtsleeves sort of performance, and that was also a pleasant surprise. I’ve heard that Michael Tilson Thomas had very little rehearsal time for this concert. This made itself heard, I thought, in a certain lack of concentration in the fifth movement — entirely unlike the first three movements, which were intensely focused, if anything. Even with this proviso, the performance was an impressive success. MTT took charge of the orchestra with total confidence and produced his personal sound and interpretation from the orchestra with authority and conviction — and it was precisely this that made the performance so outstanding.

