Mahler's Ninth & Olmec Art in San Francisco

An afternoon in San Francisco. My friend James Knutsen (Episcopal priest) invited me to visit the exhibit of Olmec art (huge stone figures and exquisite ceramics from an extremely macho culture) at the new De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park (there was also a special exhibit of gowns and such by Balenciaga, the Spanish couturier, also called "fashion's Picasso"). Then we went to a unique performance of Mahler's Ninth performed by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas conducting. MTT, they call him. I saw him conduct Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik on television in the spring of 1962; he was 17 years old. I was so struck by this teenager's gift, that I went and entered a monastery (true, but do take this as humor, also). Now go see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZhPE_XFY7I

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Olmec
• San Francisco
• De Young
• Michael Tilson Thomas
• Mahler
• Ninth
• Symphony
• Balenciaga