Video: Watch Sky Arts at The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra >>

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is the oldest surviving professional symphony orchestra in the UK and is renowned for the quality of its work. Its partnership with Vasily Petrenko which began in 2006, has only raised its acclaim. At 34 years old he is the youngest person in a long and prominent line of conductors to have ever held the position.

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Gustav Mahler’s birth, the orchestra will be performing his complete orchestral works. The Philharmonic’s Mahler Season begins with Symphony Number 1 and as part of the series Sky Arts At we meet the orchestra, lead by its Chief Conductor as they begin rehearsals.

Executive Director, Andrew Cornall describes Mahler’s style of music as “bigger is better” and through interviews and a step by step guide through the featured symphony we begin to understand what he means.

The symphony is split into four movements, each giving us a different incite into Mahler’s character and passions. The first depicts the pure picture of nature; Mahler retreated to a remote hut in the middle of a forest to write all his symphonies and that tranquillity is clearly outlined here. The second represents Mahler’s experience of society; never quite fitting in he was an outsider who converted from Judaism to Catholicism in the hope of finding some spiritual peace and social inclusion. The third movement paints the image of his childhood memories; dark, sardonic music symbolises the volatile relationship between his parents and the death of his siblings. The final movement characterises Mahler’s turbulent love affair and was described as “a cry from a wounded heart” by the composer himself.

Through interviews with Andrew Cornall, Vasily Petrenko and other key members of the orchestra, including principle oboe player Jonathan Small and flautist Fiona Patterson, this film provides a detailed look at what Petrenko describes as “one of the most demanding pieces of music for an orchestra in history” as well as the character of the man who composed it.