Gilbert Kaplan's Obsession With Gustav Mahler
Who is Gilbert Kaplan , and what does he have to do with the great Austrian composer and conductor Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) ?
Well, for one thing, he's one of America's most prominent businessmen and Wall Street investors, and a very wealthy man, born in 1941. But he's also a passionate lover of classical music, and has long been fascinated by Gustav Mahler and his monumental and expansive symphonies.
So , starting in the 1980s, he used his money to pursue an amateur career in conducting - but his repertoire consists of exactly one work - the vast symphony no2 of Mahler, subtitled "Resurrection" ! He studied conducting seriously, and consulted such titans of the podium as Leonard Bernstein and Sir Georg Solti, who encouraged him.
He used his own money to hire the American Symphony orchestra, which had been founded by Leopold Stokowski in the 60s, rented Avery Fisher hall in Lincoln Center and also hired the chorus and two female vocal soloists for a performance of the nearly 90 minute 2nd Mahler symphony, and the result was a triumph. Some years later, he hired the prestigious London Symphony orchestra and made an acclaimed recording of the symphony, which I believe is no longer in print.
He proceeded to conduct the symphony with leading orchestras all over America, Europe and even China ! He became an amateur expert on the music of Mahler, and is currently involved in editing and correcting the Mahler manuscripts for publication. His latest recording of the symphony is on Deutsche Grammaphon records, with the great Vienna Philharmonic, the very orchestra Mahler had conducted from 1897-1907 as music director of the Imperial Vienna opera, now the Vienna State opera and the Vienna Philharmonic orchestral concerts.
His next appearance will be at Avery Fisher hall conducting the symphony with the New York Philharmonic , which played the American premiere under Mahler 100 years ago this December 8. You can see a podcast of his recent discussion about Mahler with Charlie Rose and Charlierose.com .
There is also an article on Kaplan and Mahler in the Sunday December 7 issue of the New York Times Arts and Leisure section by Matthew Gurewitsch, who often writes on classical music for the Times. You can read it at Newyorktimes.com.
It's wonderful to see a wealthy and distinguished businessman who loves classical music and has done so much for it. If only Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and other tycoons were to to show such commitment !
A word about the symphony ; the last and longest movement of the "Resurrection" symp[hony is a setting of the poem by the once famous late 18th early 19th century German poet Friedrich Klopstock which deals with the belief in the certainty of life after death, and the idea that we must not fear it. The somber and agitated first movement represents funeral rites, but the symphony, with chorus, soloists and extra brass, ends in triumph. There are many fine recordings of it with greats such as Bernstein, Solti,Mehta,Maazel, Haitink, Klemperer, and others conducting. Check arkivmusic.com. Listening to this symphony is a powerful and uplifting experience !