Of all the great composers from the past century, Mahler cannot be accused of reticence or lack of confidence. None of his work, however, has the overreaching ambition of the choral Eighth, often inaccurately referred to as the "symphony of a thousand," a slight exaggeration of its stupefying number of participants. Comprising eight soloists, double chorus, children's chorus and an orchestra of at least 120 players, and blessed with Mahler's own reverential benediction of creating a work that reaches out to the entire universe in its quest for the redeeming, healing balm of universal love, Mahler’s 1910 composition is a magnificent work, daunting in scope, intimidating in size but inescapably Mahler in its almost pleadingly tender appeal for universal unity and love that forgives.
