[audio] Norman Lebrecht's latest book, Why Mahler? How One Man and Ten Symphonies Changed the World is published in the States on October 12. This after a launch in Britain with reviews ranging from mild to wild. Lebrecht is a writer, broadcaster, blogger and pundit known for strong opinions and little tolerance for the chicanery he finds in the business of classical music. His previous books, The Maestro Myth, The Life and Death of Classical Music, and Who Killed Classical Music are bloody good reads. Like him or not, Norman Lebrecht is never dull. He spoke to me yesterday via telephone from London: [audio:lebrecht-why-mahler-21.mp3] Lebrecht goes on to say, " You put up Beethoven's name outside a concert [caption id="attachment_14181" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Norman Lebrecht"]00000178-6a23-ddab-a97a-6a3b5aa10000[/caption] hall and people ask, 'Who's playing?' You put up Mahler's name and people are clamoring for tickets. Now, why is that?" [audio:lebrecht-why-mahler.mp3] Why Mahler? is published in the States on October 12th and can be pre ordered from amazon dot com and a myriad of online outlets. Lebrecht uses a combination of past and present voices in his narrative, a good device that keeps the reader's attention. Among the highlights are visits with an upstairs neighbor in London, a very elderly lady who knew Mahler when she was a child.  Lebrecht tell us, "I touched the hand of a lady whose hand had once been touched by Brahms". Mahler's daughter Anna, another acquaintance of Lebrecht's, turns up in her old age. And we hear about the one meeting between Mahler and Sigmund Freud, the two pillars of Viennese cultural life. Freud billed Mahler's estate for the consultation after the composer's death. These are the 'nuggets' and they are plentiful in Why Mahler? that separate this book from the more formal analyses of the composer's music. As I said earlier, Lebrecht succeeds in motivating his readers to run out and listen, and listen again, to Mahler's music. Norman Lebrecht's web site norman lebrecht dot com is worth a visit, as is his blog slipped disc. Above all, he will drive you to the music. --Christopher Purdy P.S. Norman references the recent performances of Mahler's First Symphony conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. Enjoy! [youtube f_kX3TSSy6I 490 344]
