1st NYPHil Open Rehearsal-Mahler Symph #1 & US Premier Korean Composer Unsuk Chin

The 1st rehearsal for the NYPhil. is always cause for celebration.  Today marks the 1st official day of fall according to the calendar.  Is is also heralded with the start of the NYPhil. fall season.  The rehearsal this morning began with a major forte of Mahler's 1st Symphony a.k.a. the Titan Symphony.  I maintain Mahler's intent was to promote his majestic composition of orchestral grandeur.   Mahler (b. 1860)  was an accomplished conductor prior to the permier of his 1st Symphony in Budapest, 1889.  Mahler is a master amongst the world's great composers.  Mahler's work has movements of calm, steady tempos that are answered by robust, booming orchestration.  The second piece on the program was a Clarinet Concerto by Unsuk Chin (b. S. Korea 1961.)  The clarinet soloist was Kari Krikku (b. Finland 1960) an acclaimed interpreter of contemporary compositions.  I applaud Conductor Gilbert for his expansive reach into classical & contemporary.  Watching Mr. Gilbert conduct, particularily in rehearsal has its own artistic choreography.  Chin's concerto for the clarinet is so new & cutting edge, the soloist relied on a his musical score.  The clarinet resounded with a screeching, dissonant sound that made me curious to see the composition.  I thought I might find innovative new notes but not convinced the cacophonous concerto is something I would choose to hear again in the near future.