Symphony of a thousand

So many memories. I was around 12 years old. I went to Bayonne with the choir in which I used to sing. It was the first time singing surrounded by a massive orquestra, 3-4 choirs, a powerful organ, 6-7 soloist singers... Everytime I hear the first notes of the symphony, I always have goose bumps.

VIDEO: Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Georg Solti. 

This time, Colston Hall was the venue for Brunel Sinfonia to team up with choirs from across Bristol and Gloucestershire (Bristol Cabot Choir, Nailsea Choral Society, South Goucestershire Choral Group, Colstons Choral Society and the Red Maids' School) to perform Mahler's mighty 8th Symphony. 

Because it requires huge instrumental and vocal forces, the symphony is frequently called the "Symphony of a thousand", although the work is often performed with fewer than a thousand. 

Conductor Tom Gauterin made a great job in front of over 500 non-professional performers and the result: an excellent one-hour-and-a-half concert of my preferred symphony.

The structure of the work is unconventional: instead of the normal framework of several movements, the piece is in two parts. The power of the symphony is evident. Mahler, in renouncing the pessimism that had marked much of his music offered the Eighth as an expression of confidence in the eternal human spirit.

The performance tonight was great. This symphony is technically complex and performers did a very good job in an almost full venue. However, I still cannot get used to pseudo-elegant atmosphere where drinking beer while listening to classical music is the crop up in this country. Apparently here in the UK, it is very typical to get your beer and bring it inside the hall, which would be practically unthinkable in other places.