MAHLER’S Ninth Symphony is one of the most intense and spellbinding of musical compositions. During a performance Tuesday by the New York Philharmonic, the ring of an iphone interrupted the final movement. What is fascinating about the incident is that, according to the Wall Street Journal, the man who owned the phone became paralyzed in his seat. The entire concert hall fixed its attention on him as he was frozen in place and would not turn the phone off. Conductor Alan Gilbert finally halted the orchestra, only to resume after the man came to his senses. It is probably impossible to reenter the alternate reality of Mahler’s Ninth after you have heard a cellphone’s Marimba.

— Comments —

Michael S. writes:

“It is probably impossible to reenter the alternate reality of Mahler’s Ninth after you have heard a cellphone’s Marimba.”

Indeed.

I’m starting to wonder whether the Mahler 9 is somehow currently under a curse in New York. Mrs. S and I saw/heard the Berlin Philharmonic when that orchestra performed this symphony at Carnegie Hall in 2009. At the very end, Simon Rattle had to deal with a very persistent fire engine siren from the streets outside. I remember thinking to myself, “Really? This had to happen now, and not three minutes from now?”

This is why Wagner built his Festspielhaus far from the busy cities.

But thanks to cellphones, the busy cities can now find their way into the Festspielhaus.

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