Since I attended— it must have been 1975 or 1976—my first concert featuring a Mahler symphony (it was the fifth, in Genoa, conducted by Yuri Ahronovitch, a concert I shared with my then-sweetheart, Cinzia, who was one year younger than I am), I consider myself a Mahler addict.My love for this composer has never wavered, and his symphonies have never disappointed me; whether I’m listening to them, studying them, or conducting them (studying his scores repeatedly is one of the most rewarding aspects of my life as a conductor).

These months of April and May are filled with Mahler experiences. In Tokyo, with my NHK orchestra, we are preparing and performing his 3rd and 4th symphonies, which will be presented in a couple of weeks during a European tour, including the Mahler Festival in Amsterdam.

My score of Mahler’s Third Symphony

 

We are honored to be the first Asian orchestra ever invited to perform there. We are in excellent company: the other orchestras at this festival include the Berliner Philharmoniker, Concertgebouw Orkest, Chicago Symphony, and Budapest Festival Orchestra.

https://mahlerfestival.concertgebouw.nl/en/symphony-no-3-1

https://mahlerfestival.concertgebouw.nl/en/symphony-no-4-and-das-lied-von-der-erde

Willem Mengelberg’s score of Mahler’s 4th Symphony, with his and Mahler’s annotations

I will then conduct Mahler’s Second Symphony with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra to close the 2024/25 season, marking a significant milestone in my mission to present all of Mahler’s symphonies during my tenure.

Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 – “Resurrection”

Choosing a favorite among Mahler’s symphonies is challenging, if not impossible. However, the Second Symphony holds a special place in my heart. Having conducted it many times, I appreciate both its grandeur and intimacy (the grandeur naturally leads to the Third Symphony, while the intimacy connects to the Fourth), as well as the unmistakable “Austrian-Bohemian” touch in the Ländler, undoubtedly one of his masterpieces.

Mahler’s manuscript of the Second Symphony

For me, Mahler has always represented a journey of soul exploration. His music delves so profoundly into his (and our) souls that studying (and conducting) it feels akin to an intense therapy session: one emerges cleansed and purified.