120 years ago, the goal of every burgeoning American city was to build an orchestra so everyone could hear the Beethoven Symphonies. These days it’s Mahler. In order to bring the composer’s ultimate utterance, the 9th Symphony, to life, our CS Philharmonic had to up their rehearsals by two to five and had to add 20 additional players (I’m guessing) to the Pikes Peak Center stage. A high price… but oh- was it worth it. The hall was filled with everything from diehard Mahler Fanatics to first-timers. When all was said – yes, Mahler’s music does speak – everyone was moved far beyond themselves. The shared sensation was palpable.

This isn’t a great orchestra – there are weaknesses. But for this Sunday matinee, the art brought forth was phenomenal. This was a great performance of Mahler’s last complete symphony. The work seems to have been composed by a man who had already passed on to the afterlife. The opportunity for us, who still have to undergo our daily struggles- to glimpse the beauty, sadness and horror of the next plain of existence is a real privilege. Thank you… thank you… thank you Colorado Springs Philharmonic for taking this on. It’s at times like this when I recount why we have an orchestra. Yes- the community pays the bills. But we only have this wonderful ensemble because the musicians chose to keep making music when it would have been easier to let it go back in 2003.

The sound was as advertised: MAGNIFICENT. Climaxes were rich and powerful- the hall has never sounded so good. Massed strings were so beautiful and then so profound in the final movement. And thanks to the players’ unyielding concentration, the intimate chamber moments of Mahler’s ridiculously dense score were no less riveting. Oh- they were paying the utmost attention to the conductor- Lawrence Leighton Smith – who just this week announced that he would be leaving us in two years.

Larry’s musical intelligence and commitment make every performance he conducts special. But none as much as this. When he finally turned to accept the audiences’ rousing ovation, I’m sure it was not my imagination that he was sharing the same tears as me. It is a kind of death for us to lose Larry and there could have been no better piece of music to galvanize the very apparent feelings about. I love you Larry.

Oh- did I forget my rant? Don’t worry. The house was maybe 3/5 filled. This is not music for old people. This is great art that anyone can be transported by, on whatever level they receive it. I’m sure the house was fuller last night, but why were there so many empty seats? What one would pay for a first-run movie adorned by popcorn and Cokes would get you a good seat in this beautiful looking and sounding concert hall. And where were the Mahler fans from the north? In a span of four weeks, the 8th (MahlerFest just this past May 16 and 17) our 9th and the 2nd (next weekend in Denver from the Colorado Symphony [www.coloradosymphony.org]) are all happening. But I know the answer. The same place they were when my beloved Opera Theatre of the Rockies presented outstanding productions of Weill’s Street Scene – not here.

This must stop. Why does the rest of Colorado mostly ignore what we do here? There is great work being done in all art forms in the Pikes Peak region, but so many- here and around the state- discount what we bring to the table. This time, they missed out gloriously. This afternoon was a profound and magical experience. We have to do better moving people to arts action!