Lenox — Gustav Mahler’s fifth symphony is famous for its extreme difficulty, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra is famous for making it look easy. The piece requires huge orchestral forces, and the musicians must have great strength and stamina to get through it. The last Tanglewood performance of “Mahler Five” was in 2015, with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting. It’s a signature piece for MTT, and the performance that night was memorably successful. But it is also a signature piece for the BSO. On Friday, July 5 — Tanglewood’s opening night — the orchestra will fool us all again, this time under the baton of BSO music director Andris Nelsons.
According to conductor Marin Alsop, performing Mahler’s fifth symphony is like walking to the summit of Mount Everest. That’s because the chances of any given orchestra getting through the piece unscathed are quite low. They’d have a better chance of reaching Everest’s summit wearing flip-flops. People could be seriously killed.
The BSO gave four performances of Mahler’s fifth symphony last November. They know the piece well, and they’re ready to rock. Don’t expect the Boston Symphony Orchestra to take prisoners, because they never do.
Emanuel Ax will open Friday’s show with one of his perennial favorites: Mozart’s cheery Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat, K.482. Mozart provides the perfect antidote to Mahler’s doom and gloom.
Mahler’s fifth symphony lasts a little over one hour.
