CreatripTeam

The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (RCO) and conductor Klaus Mäkelä have released a digital album of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, nicknamed the “Symphony of a Thousand” (천인 교향곡) for its massive original forces. Recorded at the Mahler Festival in Amsterdam on May 18—Mahler’s death anniversary—the performance featured five choirs (including the Paris Orchestra Choir and Netherlands Radio Choir), eight soloists, and was attended by Mahler’s granddaughter Marina Mahler. Mäkelä described conducting the work as one of the greatest moments of his life and praised the Concertgebouw’s acoustic clarity. RCO has a long historical link to Mahler through past conductors and performances; Mäkelä will become RCO’s chief conductor in 2027. Mäkelä and the RCO will tour South Korea next month with concerts in Seoul and Busan, performing Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 on some dates. The release comes via Decca Classics (데카 클래식스).