What a wonderful, and brilliant a man. and so generous in his desire to communicate his thoughts. And how modest he is as well.

When Zubin Metha (at 12:37) says that he can hear in the 3rd movement of Mahler's 6th Symphony "a small harmonic progression" that sounds like Rachmaninov's sound and that he tries to justify his impression by the fact that Mahler had conducted in New-York in the presence of the russian composer, this is factually impossible since Mahler set foot in New York for the very first time in december 1907 and his Sixth Symphony was already composed in 1903-1904. The work was revised one last time in 1906 and premiered the same year under his own direction in Essen in Germany, so 3 or 4 years before this meeting between Mahler and Rachmaninov. And I therefore believe that Mehta is right to say (as if to correct himself) that it is a question of similarity. Especially since Mahler's 6th Symphony is innovative for a thousand reasons (it had a strong influence on Schoenberg, Berg and Webern who heard it with Mahler at the podium) where as Rachmaninov's work is conservative and resolutely turned towards 19th century romanticism.

Ich habe mir nun mehrere Mahler-Interviews in dieser Serie angehört und ich komme zu dem Schluss, dass dieses das tiefgründigste ist. Herbert Blomstedt ist ein wahrer Musikphilosoph, der es wagt, die Psyche der Komponisten, wie sie sich in ihren Werken ausdrückt, zu erkennen und zu benennen und dabei auch zu unterscheiden. Von seinen Äußerungen habe ich am meisten. Geradezu liebenswert finde ich seine Schlussbemerkung: Natürlich würde ich beide (Mahler und Bruckner) gerne treffen, aber ich fürchte, sollte mir dieses Privileg widerfahren, wäre ich vor lauter Bewunderung betäubt und würde nur denken; "Sind Sie das wirklich?!"

A symphony must embrace everything, even your father with sugar and honey.

Zubin Mehta killed the First Symphony for me. He conducted the EU Youth Orchestra in London around 1989, and had me in tears in the third movement. I've heard it many times since then, and I can only enjoy it out of curiosity, but I'll never again experience what that orchestra and conductor gave me then in that performance. Mehta is a very electric conductor to watch. The closest I've seen live is Gustavo Dudamel.

You can find a copy of the etching of the animals carrying the hunter on line. What Zubi says about Columbia Records and the recording of Mahler 9 with Walter. Very interesting, everything he goes into.😊

Amazing interview. He was very insightful and down to earth at the same time

A lot of people were introduced to MAHLER by the film DEATH IN VENICE (SYMPHONY 5 AND 3)

I find Mahler's music as absolutely Heavenly!!!

Muy interesante.

Wonderful interview with greatest Maestro! Very deep and enlightening ❤

very deep interview of a greatest Maestro and a very sensitive man❤

Very deep interview. Jonathan Nott is totally inside Mahler's music, conducting his Symphonies very powerfully and sensitively, joyining very clear analysis with great power and emotion.

Absolutely LOVE these interviews!!!!

SORRY, BUT I'M NOT INTERESTED IN THIS - GERGIEV COMPLETELY LACKS THE MORAL AUTHORITY TO COMMENT ON, LET ALONE CONDUCT, GUSTAV MAHLER OR ANY OTHER COMPOSER -- ESPECIALLY RUSSIAN COMPOSERS, SOME OF WHO WERE BORN IN THE UKRAINE, AND WHO WOULD ALL BE APPALLED AT WHAT'S HAPPENING.

So very honest and forthcoming in his speech.

My introduction to Mahler was a recording of the Ninth Symphony . I played it to death . 1960s Sir John Barbirolli . Berlin Philharmonic . I was 15

After hearing the last thing Zubin Mehta says here, I would say Alma fully deserved all the backlash she got over the years.

It is interesting to ponder, if Mahler had lived longer would he have taken music in a new, but not atonal, direction and perhaps led a generation in something we will never know? Personally, I don't think atonality was the answer to "what's next?". Making tonality less constraining is different than losing it altogether. There is something to be said for being able to whistle a tune in the shower or walking down the street. Can that be done by anyone other than the composer with 12-tone music?

Even putting his music aside (if that's possible), Mahler must have been an extraordinary human being and an amazing presence to witness.

Mahler was Wagnerian on the outside, Jewish on the inside.

This guy is so for real

👍👍👍❤❤❤

5:47. If Barenboim hated Klemperer's performance of the 7th that he conducted in London in the 1960s... he can't be blamed! Based on Klemperer's recording, it was probably the worst performance ever given of that symphony, so ponderous and slow as to entirely distort the piece. It's fun to hear if you know the composition inside out, but as a first discovery??? Yep, a performance to make you hate Mahler..

His comments regarding the conducting style of the mature Mahler are totally correct. Many accounts and reviews from his late era performances remark about his quite restrained, yet dominating presence on the podium. Though we know Mahler today as a great composer, he was regarded in his own time as one of the world's best conductors.

This is probably my favorite of all the UE interviews I watched. I really like Salonen's approach to Mahler's MUSIC, with an honest and relatable opinion that there're absolute beautiful moments and at the same time nearly banal ones that're okay to dislike for MUSIC's sake Too often Mahler's MUSIC is covered by Mahler as a 'CULT ICON', and we hear/see so many people (including great musicians) talking about Mahler either like he's a God who turns everything he touches into gold (just read this comment section where people judge Salonen as 'not understading and dislikes' their idol because of his body language), or on the other hand totally avoids the whole body of work like plague only because it's Mahler

Very wonderful details. Thanks for sharing.

Enjoyed the Bernstein comments.

Ich sehe ein starkes Interesse, Mahler für das Judentum zu reklamieren (nicht nur hier), dabei hatte er sich doch taufen lassen.

RIP Mariss Jansons (died #otd in 2019) 🌺🌺🌺

The most just statement about Lenny Bernstein (2:04).

Leipzig Gewandhaus? Over Amsterdam Concertgebouw? As a Mahler orchestra? Why? Isn't Nikisch and Mendelssohn enough?

Is it actually counterpoint?

Very interesting interview.

I was lucky to have season tickets to SFS for a few years when he was it's artistic director and conductor.

Gustav Mahler komponierte eine existenzielle bis zum Wahnsinn strebende Musik sein Adagio in der 5.Symphonie ist zauberhaft und zärtlich die ll. Symphonie ist Visionär ein Bang Bang der ein Traum bleibt 🎉 Sir Simon Rattle in Philharmonie Mahler erleben ist brillantes Fantastisch Grandioses Erlebnis ❤

Zubin Mehta has such a commanding look when he is conducting. He is an absolute pleasure to watch !

I like MTT, he is great person 👏

Hearing Mehta with or without a baton is always enlightening.

An intelligence never to be seen again, in today's overhyped (kid)conductors market. You are missed Lorin.

I think this was the deepest and best iteration of these interviews I’ve seen to date! I’ve just stumbled upon his interpretations of Mahler and the nuance and depth he brings to answering these question are equally Felt in his recordings! Rip maestro

You can really tell his love for the music. Fascinating interview.

1:38 Directly referring to Bernstein's approach. (Which I happen to love)

Nothing against him as an individual. BUT cannot stand watching him conduct. What a fussy little peacock! Saw him make his debut with the VPO. Literally stopped looking at him after a few minutes. Would not watch him again for free.

Overrated conductor. So boring in all he's doing. David Hurwitz is right about him.

Subtitles, bitte schön....

The great Michael Gielen. Unfortunately I don't speak German.

Fascinating!

Hope to have a generous noble person to develop English transcript for this interview and share it to all of the fans out there in this world to understand more about genius Mahler and maestro Gielen.

Interesting, being in one’s “Beethoven late quartets period” and not connecting immediately to Mahler’s music. I would have thought one was a gateway drug to the other.