ClassicalMusicNews.tv blogger and frequent Contrabass Conversations collaborator John Grillo wrote a recent post about his upcoming performances of Mahler’s Second Symphony with the New Jersey Symphony and NJSO music director Neemi Jarvi.  I’ve had the opportunity to work with Neemi Jarvi in the past and had a great time doing so. 

Fellow Contrabass Conversations guest Phillip Serna, in fact, performed a concert with me under maestro Jarvi’s baton.  Now, Phillip is a huge fan of the music of Eduard Tubin (we’ll be putting out a video of Phillip performing the Tubin Concerto for Double Bass later this week), and when the opportunity presented itself Phillip jovially accosted Jarvi backstage, Tubin Concerto score in hand, filled with interpretive questions.  Phillip and Neemi Jarvi ended up chatting for a solid half-hour with the orchestra waiting onstage after their break wondering where the heck the conductor was hiding.

John is enthusiastic about this upcoming performance, writing:

I look forward to playing this concert very much.  Playing Mahler Symphonies are a very interesting and unique experience.  Mahler was also a conductor, as well as being a prolific composer.  The detail in the work is just incredible.  While visiting the State Opera House in Vienna, I was able to take a tour and see his office.  It is now a museum and they  have his scores out for display.  They are so many colored pencils, music notes, German words written all over the music.  You can really see how a conductor was composing music.  Mahler conducted a lot of opera as well and even served a term as director of the Metropolitan Opera.  At the same time, Toscanini was conducting the New York Philharmonic.  Just imagine being in NYC back then and hearing these concerts.  They were known to switch from time to time.  Mahler to the Philharmonic and Toscanini to the Met.

Read the complete post from ClassicalMusicNews.tv here.

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