Gustav Mahler Sinfonie Nr. 8

The composer and conductor Gustav Mahler was born in the Bohemian town of Kalischt on 7 July 1860. He studied in Vienna under, among others, Anton Bruckner. Following his studies he was a theater conductor in Hall (upper Austria), then he held positions in Prague, Leipzig, Budapest and Hamburg. From 1897 to 1907 he was conductor and Director of the Vienna Court Opera. From 1898 to 1901 he also conducted the Philharmonic concerts. In 1907 he went to New York, where he conducted the Metropolitan Opera and from he 1909 conducted at the opera alongside Artuor Toscanini. In the same year he was also appointed conducter of the New York Philarmonic. Gustav Mahler died in Vienna on 18 May 1911. Personal details

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is today a dazzling figure in world literature. He was born in Frankfurt am Main and initially studied law, but then followed his inclination towards poetry. With the drama Götz von Berlechingen and the epistolary novel The Sorrows of Young Werther, he made important contributions to the literary movement of Sturm und Drang.
From 1775 onwards, Goethe was employed at the court of Duke Carl August in Weimar. In addition to his work at court as a minister and director of the Weimar Court Theatre, he wrote his major works here, including the drama Faust, other novels and many poems, which are still a source of inspiration for musical adaptations today. His poems were a source of inspiration for composers, especially in the 19th century, such as Franz Schubert. Schubert alone set 52 of Goethe's works to music, the best known of which are probably the songs Gretchen am Spinnrade and Erlkönig. Goethe also became acquainted with several composers of the time. He was particularly enthusiastic about the young Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, who also set Goethe's lines to music in the ballad Die erste Walpurgisnacht (The First Walpurgis Night). Personal details

Nicholas Kok studied at New College Oxford, where he was Organ Scholar, and at the Royal College of Music. From 1996 to 2006 he was chief conductor of the East of England Orchestra (Sinfonia Viva). From 2007 to 2011 he was chief conductor of Psappha, the leading ensemble for contemporary music in northern England, and in 2012/13 he was the principal guest conductor of the WDR Radio Choir. Nicholas has conducted many operas at English National Opera, from Monteverdi and Purcell to Mozart as well as several world premieres. At Opera North, Nicholas has directed operas from Purcell to world premieres by Simon Holt and Mark Simpson; in 2018 he conducted the British premiere of Kevin Puts’ Silent Night.

Nicholas has performed at many festivals, including Aldeburgh, Edinburgh, BBC Proms, Zurich and Éclat. Orchestras he has worked with include the Gewandhaus, BBCSO, Hallé, LPO, London Sinfonietta, Philharmonia, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, RSO Berlin and the Munich Chamber Orchestra; ensembles: Ascolta, Nash, Premiere and Remix.
He has made numerous radio and CD recordings.

At the Stuttgart Staatsoper he has performed operas from Monteverdi to Benjamin, via Rossini and Gluck. Other opera houses include Braunschweig, Coliseu in Porto, Cologne, Leipzig, Magdeburg, Teatro de São Carlos in Lisbon and Music Theatre Wales.

Nicholas has a long-term relationship with the BBC Singers, with whom he has made numerous studio recordings. Their CD of the choral works of Birtwistle was nominated for a Grammophone award. He has also worked with many other choirs, including the SWR Vokalensemble and the DR VokalEnsemblet.

Nicholas has composed and arranged pieces for Die Alten Mädchen, BBC Singers, Danish Radio VokalEnsemblet, Hanke Brothers and Junge Oper Stuttgart as well as for TV and radio.

We asked the composer six questions, read them here in our blog: https://blog.carus-verlag.com/en/personalities/6-questions-for-nicholas-kok/

Personal details