Austrian great composer Gustav Mahler's 9th Symphony was performed in Armenia after a break of several decades. This exclusive opportunity was provided by the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra led by conductor Sergey Smbatyan. Mahler's last 9th Symphony sounded in Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall 110 years after the creation of the masterpiece. The chock full concert hall was a testimony to the fact that the symphony was anticipated. For more than 80 minutes the audience was immersed in Mahler's music and his philosophy.   

 

The large-scale symphony turned out to be the farewell work of Gustav Mahler. Each of the four movements of the symphony is a farewell to life, beautiful moments of love, health, joy, difficulties and misfortunes. Тhe tragic events that took place during the last years of the composer's life were just mournful: the death of his five-year-old daughter, news about his incurable disease and constant worries about his family's future. These lamentable things are expressed in Mahler’s 9th Symphony. In this powerful music, the most contradicting emotions are expressed simultaneously. 

 

Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra Sergey Smbatyan notes that Mahler has created a new sound of a symphony orchestra. "Mahler knew the orchestra well and he worked brilliantly with the orchestra. Through his art Mahler has changed the mind-set of a conductor and his role in performing compositions. Bernstein and other conductors said that every time they opened the score of Mahler's 9th, they got the impression that the symphony was never opened and never performed before. In other words, it is a complicated symphony in simple modules that every time make you find new shades in this work," says Sergey Smbatyan, adding that the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra will continue to refer to Mahler's art and present new musical compositions to music lovers.  

 

It should be noted that the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra has already performed Mahler's 1st, 5th and 6th Symphonies.

 

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