Esa-Pekka Salonen leaves the troubled San Francisco Symphony with Mahler’s call for ‘Resurrection’

On Saturday evening, Esa-Pekka Salonen led the San Francisco Symphony through an extraordinary rendition of Mahler’s Second Symphony, often referred to as “The Resurrection.” The performance was both fierce and elevated, brimming with palpable intensity.

In simpler terms, this symphony by Mahler is a poignant reflection of both life and death, filled with an intense yearning for understanding our purpose. Over the course of 80 minutes, it takes us on a rollercoaster ride of intense joy and deep sorrow, love and despair, a journey through the ups and downs of life. In its final moments, there’s a breathtaking revelation, as if renewal and rebirth are suddenly, astonishingly, within reach.

Mahler doesn’t provide solutions about the meaning of life. Instead, he, and Salonen in his powerful rendition, find success in the awe-inspiring resilience of questioning and persevering.

1. With a mixture of astonishment and uproar, the crowd gave an extended standing ovation. On the stage of Davies Symphony Hall, the musicians stomped their feet, hesitant to comply with Salonen’s requests to rise and accept applause.

2. The audience erupted in a thunderous, awestruck standing ovation. Backstage at Davies Symphony Hall, the musicians refused to yield to Salonen’s insistence that they should stand up and acknowledge the acclaim.

3. The crowd was left speechless and exhilarated as they rose to their feet in a prolonged ovation. On stage at Davies Symphony Hall, the musicians hesitated to obey Salonen’s instructions to take a bow, instead choosing to express their appreciation with footstomps.

4. A stunned and tumultuous ovation echoed through the hall as the audience rose in admiration. Backstage at Davies Symphony Hall, the musicians, reluctant to accept recognition, pounded their feet rather than taking a bow upon Salonen’s urging.

5. The audience reacted with a stunned and tumultuous ovation that lasted for quite some time. On stage at Davies Symphony Hall, the musicians resisted Salonen’s attempts to get them to stand up and accept the applause by pounding their feet instead.

6. The crowd responded with an extended, amazed standing ovation. Backstage at Davies Symphony Hall, the musicians refused to heed Salonen’s calls to rise and take a bow, choosing instead to express their gratitude through footstomps.

In the end, it wasn’t his San Francisco Symphony anymore. After spending five years in the role, Salonen chose not to extend his contract, expressing that he did not align with the board of trustees’ vision for the orchestra’s future.

“I have only two things to say,” Salonen told the crowd before exiting the stage.

“First: Thank you.

2. Having listened to the wonders of this city’s orchestra and choir, make sure to cherish and protect them well.

Salonen, with his affinity for technology and love for science fiction, chose San Francisco as his destination, viewing the Bay Area as a region that predicts the future and the city as a creative hub where ideas are transformed into tangible realities.

He intended to carry on the process of turning the orchestra into an instrument for promoting social and technological well-being, a task he had started during his 17 years as music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. This was going to be a magnificent exploration of the intersection between art and society, in a city that seemed eager to restore its former splendor.

Under his tenure, he profited from the legacy left by Michael Tilson Thomas, who had steered the orchestra towards a pioneering role in mirroring the society’s zeitgeist for a quarter of a century. Salonen introduced a group of innovative and daring “creative collaborators” from both music and technology fields. He collaborated with architect Frank Gehry to reimagine concert halls within the city. He collaborated with director Peter Sellars on imaginative and ambitious projects. He produced remarkable recordings during his tenure.

Previously scheduled events faced challenges, as the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of what would have been Tilson Thomas’ daring farewell celebration, a performance of Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman” designed by Gehry and directed by James Darrah (the visionary director of Long Beach Opera). Due to lockdown restrictions, Salonen’s first season was broadcasted online instead, making it the most technologically innovative among any isolated orchestras.

Similar to many arts institutions nationwide, including those based in San Francisco, which faced more difficulties than usual recovering from the pandemic, the San Francisco Symphony encountered financial issues. However, it was fortunate to have Salonen as its music director, who was well-versed in strategies for addressing such challenges.

1992 saw him assume the role of Music Director for the L.A. Phil, a time when the city was grappling with an earthquake, riots, and recession. The construction of Walt Disney Concert Hall seemed on the verge of being abandoned. Over the following years, the orchestra amassed a deficit of approximately $17 million. Awareness among the audience, some musicians, and the press was needed to address this situation.

Salonen contemplated stepping down, but the leadership remained supportive, confident in his potential and that of the orchestra. Upon the unveiling of Disney Hall in 2003, the L.A. Philharmonic significantly changed the cultural landscape of Los Angeles.

To kick off the subscription series of concerts, Salonen opted for Mahler’s “Resurrection” symphony. In this powerful piece, the themes of rebirth are dramatically portrayed, with its grand scale suited to a large orchestra, chorus, and both soprano and mezzo-soprano soloists. On October 30, 2003, amidst Los Angeles battling record heat and fires, Salonen’s interpretation of Mahler’s work resonated hope for a brighter tomorrow.

The San Francisco Symphony has chosen a different path from the L.A. Phil, opting not to invest heavily in Salonen’s vision after five years of enthusiasm. Consequently, it hasn’t demonstrated to the city how to rebound. The upcoming season marks the first in three decades that seems devoid of a clear purpose or objective.

22 years ago, Salonen highlighted the remarkable ability of sound to transform, while Tilson Thomas was reshaping the San Francisco Symphony into one of the nation’s broadest Mahler orchestras. Just a few months later, he performed and recorded the Second Symphony at Davies Symphony Hall, delivering a strikingly emotional interpretation that still resonates today as a symbol of the optimism for the new century.

Salonen’s intense and focused method, while not outwardly aggressive but remarkably resolute, served as another form of tribute to the might of sound. In the softest, almost inaudible sections, there was a palpable, charged stillness in the room, hinting at an impending uproar. The towering crescendos left you feeling pinned against the wall.

1. In the final movement, the chorus served to encourage us to stop being afraid and get ready for life, and it was itself inspired. The administration almost eliminated the singers from the budget until they were rescued by an unidentified donor. Heidi Stober and Sasha Cooke, our two soloists, rose magnificently when needed.

2. In the final movement, the chorus motivated us to stop trembling and get ready for life, acting as its own inspiration. The administration nearly eliminated the singers from their budget until they were saved by an anonymous donor. Heidi Stober and Sasha Cooke, our two soloists, shone brightly when called upon.

3. In the last movement, the chorus urged us to stop quivering and get ready for life, proving its own motivational power. The administration almost erased the singers from their budget until they were saved by an unknown benefactor. Heidi Stober and Sasha Cooke, our two soloists, performed splendidly when required.

4. In the final movement, the chorus called on us to stop being afraid and prepare for life, demonstrating its own inspirational qualities. The administration almost removed the singers from their budget until they were saved by an unnamed donor. Heidi Stober and Sasha Cooke, our two soloists, excelled when given the opportunity.

5. In the final movement, the chorus encouraged us to stop being afraid and prepare for life, showing its own inspirational nature. The administration nearly eliminated the singers from their budget until they were saved by an unknown donor. Heidi Stober and Sasha Cooke, our two soloists, impressed mightily when given the chance.

In the coming weeks, Salonen shifts focus. He leads the New York Philharmonic on an Asian tour, following which they will perform in Salzburg. There, in collaboration with Sellars, he is set to present Schoenberg’s “Erwartung,” a project initially started with the San Francisco Symphony. However, at the Lucerne Festival, instead of the San Francisco Symphony, it’s the Orchestre de Paris who will premiere his Horn Concerto as previously planned.

The concert on Saturday commenced with a playful yet enlightening declaration encouraging everyone to sit back, unwind, and let Esa-Pekka Salonen lead the San Francisco Symphony.

Salonen, instead, offered a wondrous city a wake-up call.

Read More

2025-06-17 22:01