Mahler's Symphony No. 2

A man stands alone at the grave of a friend. Shattered by grief, he shakes his fist at the heavens and begins a journey that will take him to the end of the world and beyond. The sheer ambition of Gustav Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony staggers the imagination — an emotional odyssey on a cosmic scale, embracing tragedy, hope, dark humour, and even Judgement Day itself.

Written for an immense orchestra of over 100 musicians, every performance is a special occasion. This performance brings together the Edinburgh Festival Chorus, the BBC SSO and their Conductor Emeritus Sir Donald Runnicles — an artist with a lifetime’s experience in the music of Mahler. In 1965, Runnicles sang Mahler with the Edinburgh Festival Chorus as a young boy. Now, he returns to lead that very same choir in one of the most powerful choral works ever written.

Presented by Kate Molleson and recorded on 1 March 2026 at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh.

Mahler: Symphony No. 2 in C minor, ‘Resurrection’

Jennifer Davis, soprano
Karen Cargill, mezzo-soprano
Edinburgh Festival Chorus
James Grossmith, chorus director
Sir Donald Runnicles, Conductor
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

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