Early Mahler – Neeme Järvi, Thomas Hampson & ERSO

This 90-minute concert film presents baritone Thomas Hampson, maestro Neeme Järvi and the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra performing the first mature symphonic works by the young Gustav Mahler: Blumine (Flowerpiece of courtship), Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Songs of a Wayfarer) and Symphony No. 1. Both Blumine and the Wayfarer Songs are integral to the larger work that follows, providing melodic material and a narrative that is developed and triumphantly resolved in the Symphony’s final movement. This will be the subject of the documentary Mahler’s Titan by director Jason Starr (completion date: December 2018).