I want the audience to experience a meeting, a connection with something greater. Music can lift your gaze and make everything feel okay, somehow. Just like when you look at the stars. It’s allowed to zoom out and feel, without having to do anything yourself.
Many in the audience are fond of Gustav Mahler, even though he’s not the most accessible. He really delves deep into the human condition. In Symphony No. 4, which we will be playing, Mahler truly pushes the boundaries by making the concertmaster pitch their violin differently.
I pitch the violin up a whole tone. So, I have to bring an extra violin that’s already prepared. It creates a tension in the instrument and almost a ghostly sound. Playing that way is a real challenge. The music is written as normal, but it sounds “wrong”. Mahler’s music is complex and amazing, with many sudden turns and extreme nuances.
It’s difficult, but I like it.
Sara Trobäck
Concertmaster, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
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