Laura Claycomb was the soprano soloist in the 4th movement.

SF Gate

Mahler set his interpreters a stiff challenge in the finale to his Fourth Symphony, conjuring up nothing less than the joys of heaven in a few minutes of radiant music.

Wednesday's performance by Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony didn't quite capture that sense of celestial grace in all its particulars, but it came awfully close. The basic outline of the interpretation and most of the details were superbly in place; a few touch-ups here and there during the coming days and this should be a keeper.

A great program with the Mahler piece being recorded. We were all told to shut up, and if you feel like paying $100 per ticket and sitting there quiet like a child, then you are set.

For me, and my buddy with the cell phone in the Loge, we would just like to make sure one of our suicidal patients or babysat kids are not in the hospital. To the extent that the world needs one more Mahler's Fourth recording to review and buy, I am at odds. MTT -- record the thing on Tuesday and Sunday night with no one in the audience. Much better than having paying customers help you produce a 'live' CD where they can not 'live'.

To stop the performance for a watch alarm or phone call is sublime in a packed house of 3,000. You've got 4 nights with digital scrubbing options and two empty nights on either side. Let's not abuse the customers-- for they are always right.... The guy sitting next to me was blowing his honker the whole time... You dared not shoot a hot look his way.... Your engineeers will have to be editing that all out...

Attention to the recording is ruining the experience.... Let the engineers and filters take care of the sound. Do your thing and let the sound guys do theirs...

-Kevin.