What the Universe Tells Me - Unraveling the Mysteries of Mahler's Third Symphony / Stockard Channing, Thomas Hampson

Amazon.com

Magnificent! What the Universe Tells Me is probably the deepest, most painstakingly detailed but also approachable attempt to decipher the inner dynamics of a complex work of art ever entrusted to any recording medium. And Mahler's Third Symphony deserves such careful. loving attention; one of the many commentators in this production calls it an attempt "to capture the human condition in a work of music." All the commentators contribute precious insights from their specialized disciplines to help viewers see this masterpiece whole. Besides Stockard Channing, the primary narrator, and Thomas Hampson, who discusses the music and sings a song whose melody is an important element in the symphony's structure, commentators include Henry Louis de la Grange, author of the definitive Mahler biography, and a fine array of musicologists, music historians, philosophers, and a theologian. A theologian? Yes; this symphony is, among other things, a vast theological stattement about man's place in the universe. Philosophers are needed, too, to explore Mahler's relations to Nietzsche and Schopenhauer. But they all do it in easy-to-understand terms.

Mahler gave six working titles to the symphony's movements: "Pan Awakes; Summer Marches In"; "What the Flowers in the Meadow Tell Me"; "What the Animals in the Forest Tell Me"; "What Humanity Tells Me"; "What the Angels Tell Me"; and "What Love Tells Me." These were left out when he published the symphony, but they give useful hints to the commentators and justify some breathtaking visuals shown with the music: landscapes, flowers, paintings and sculptures and churches.

The music, of course, is magnificent, and it is presented twice on two discs, once with voice-over commentary and once in a live, unedited performance. Special features include 11 "mini-documentaries" on subjects related to the music. --Joe McLellan

Description

WHAT THE UNIVERSE TELLS ME:UNRAVELING THE MYSTERIES OF MAHLER'S THIRD SYMPHONY is a documentary that explores how philosophy, mythology and music combine in Mahler's Third Symphony to create an all-encompassing panoramic experience. From the volcanoes of the South Pacific to the Alpine peaks and meadows where Mahler composed, in WHAT THE UNIVERSE TELLS ME dramatic images from the natural world give shape to the Symphony's evolutionary saga. Performances combine with illustrative artwork, computer animation, historical film clips and the insights of world-renowned historians, philosophers and biographers. Thinkers such as Howard Gardner, Stan Brakhage and Catherine Keller join Mahler experts Henry Louis de La Grange, Donald Mitchell, Peter Franklin and Morten Solvik to introduce this masterpiece to new audiences and to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its premiere.

Customer Reviews:

Not a Music Video, but an Explorative Documentary.......2006-11-15

Many people have written glowing approvals for the musical content, and rightly so. And several have expressed disappointment in the performance with statements such as, "..student performance.." etc. Also, rightly so. But this DVD is so much more than a Music Video. The film and video footage is amazing, the narrative is clear and insightful, Ms. Channing is delighful, and the in-depth and detailed treatment of the subject is exemplary! This DVD is an inspiration as well as an expository of the legendary composer.

Having had only a little classical music background when first exposed to this work, I was inspired to go and seek out more of Mahler's work, and some of the other great performances of the 3rd symphony and others. This DVD excels in it's goals to bring much-needed attention to one of the true greats of classical music, and to inspire new students to search deeply within themselves and be free thinkers and to use their God-given talents to inspire others. This DVD is so much more than just the performance. I found the performance to be precise and clean, if you don't like it, you can get the music on iTunes for a buck, but that's not the point of this work. The DVD is a truly moving work of documentary film-making in it's own right, with stunning visuals, clean editing, and an affectionate treatment of the subject by an obvious fan of the work. Mr. Starr is a true artist!

A huge disappointment!.......2006-07-29

Perhaps my disappointment with this DVD is accentuated by my previous experience with the excellent Claudio Abbado DVD's of Mahler 2, 5, 7 and 9. Also, the 9th is with his Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, all as young as the students playing here. But this orchestra falls well short!!! I did not think that it would be possible to gave a pedestrian performance of this wonderfully dramatic symphony. But this certainly is, the glowing reviews presented here notwithstanding.

To make matters worse, for some reason, the mezzo is Mignon Dunn. Why she was chosen is a mystery to me -- she is certainly no student. She is old, her voice sounds older and she has difficulty sustaining the longer notes.

Perhaps this explains why the container of the DVD's makes no mention of the performers and limits itself to the special features and Stockard Channing, who is only a narrator with a minor role. Also, in my opinion, the best parts are not the featured production, "What the Universe Tells Me", but rather the more complete less gimmicky discussion segments. In short, I would not recommend this production.

I have not heard (or seen) the other DVD's of Mahler 3. But have no hesitation in recommending the Telarc CD of this symphony with Benjamin Zander and the Philharmonia Orchestra. Admittedly it is audio only, but the performance is superb. Also, there is an extra CD of Zander discussing the symphony and its background with musical illustrations, which is more informative than what is presented on this disappointing DVD, even though it is the discussion and not the performance that is featured.

In fact, I would highly recommend all the Zander Telarc performances of the Mahler symphonies (1,3,4,5,6,9); and they all come with a disc on which Zander discusses the symphonies in his usual perceptive clear manner.

BRAVO!.......2005-12-06

I really don't know what I could add -- especially to the cogent comments of earlier reviewer Ms. Anna Wolfson and Amazon's own Mr. Joe McLellan -- to help you decide whether this is worth your while. ...Except to write BRAVO!

"Bravo!" to the producer, writer, and editor of the documentary, Jason Starr -- it really is a revelation in how a DVD can meld with music and the other arts to produce something extraordinary. And on my home computer! THIS is what I have waited a lifetime for, to see technology woven with art woven with theology and philosophy. I can only smile at thinking what Mahler and his friends, and Wagner and the Wagner Societies 100 years ago, would have thought ... if only. They thought art - and its prophet/artists -- had the power to change the world. Perhaps it does; perhaps it has. Perhaps it is the reason we are still here, today, despite all that has happened at our own hand so catastrophically, tragically, this century ...

This DVD is such a work of inspiration and love, itself, that I pity the intellect so calcified as to remain unmoved, who refuses to rise to the challenge but instead reverts to ossified, abstract thought to reduce art to its entertaining qualities. The DVD, like Mahler's symphony, attempts to unite multiple elements of art toward a whole, to recharge minds and spirits. Both media succeed, here, on the strengths of the other.

I only wish there were ways of featuring this selection on the classical CD side of Amazon.com, so the music listeners there might also have opportunity.

Powerful, insightful, amazing film........2005-12-05

I knew next to nothing about Gustav Mahler before seeing this. I bought it because the title intrigued me and because Stockard Channing is the host-narrator. I was floored by the film. I never realized that music could mean so much. Music penetrates immediately into our souls, but this film introduced me to an even deeper dimension. As the film points out, two alternating notes metaphorically stands for the cosmic vibrations from which the entire universe emerges. Mahler's understanding of nature and our place in it, and his ability to compose a masterpiece that encompasses it all is an astonishing artistic achievement. One that I would not have appreciated without this amazing film.

Dramatically compelling and uniquely beautiful!.......2005-11-06

I have seen many documentaries about artists but rarely does one get to see a film about a single artwork. A few reviewers have dwelled on the quality of the symphonic performance used in the film (which is very fine indeed) and the numerous bonus materials (which are informative but basically talking heads). It is the feature film that I find amazing. "What the Universe Tells Me" is nothing less than an entirely new form of documentary. To be sure there are familiar touches: world renowned experts, classy shots of performers, dramatically rendered quotations from Mahler and others. But the way it is all integrated-with artwork, computer animation, scenes from where Mahler composed, and narration by Stockard Channing-to form an experience about the very nature of experience, makes this one of the most exciting and pleasurable viewing experiences I have ever had.

Appropriately much of the power of this film is derived from the use of music. All visuals are choreographed to it. Animation and scenes from nature pulsate with it. Even spoken voices are carefully timed to the Mahlerian waves of sound. This musico-visual experience forms a complex accompaniment to the story. And what a story! The filmmaker reveals how Mahler was working with sound to express his own philosophy of meaning. A philosophy that embraces all aspects of nature, including death and suffering, as necessary components for the ultimate experience. This is one of the least sentimental films about music I have seen, yet the story is so broad and the experience so penetrating that by the end, one cannot help but feel moved by one's own connection to the universe. How many documentaries offer that?

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