Yannick Nézet-Séguin Conductor
Karen Cargill Mezzo-soprano
Alma Mahler Select Songs
Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 7
Gustav Mahler said that his music was “about life” and in it you hear all that the heart can feel: sorrow, joy, triumph, tragedy, hope, despair. His Seventh Symphony’s unusual orchestral effects, from the opening tenor horn solo to the inclusion of such instruments as guitar, mandolin, cowbell, and tam-tam (gong), create a dramatic soundscape that transports the listener. It’s paired here with beautiful songs by his wife, Alma, whose own composing career was hindered by their tumultuous marriage.