Even at a mere two minutes, the trailer to “Going Against Fate” clearly depicts the various aspects of the movie: Enlightening, emotionally charged interview sections with the participants – various musicians, the conductor and recording engineers included – and equally charged moments from the studio are testimony to the still fulminant impact of the piece: “I’m still trying to figure out why it sounds so nasty” is one of the representative quotes from the flic.

Even though the claim that Mahler’s 6th Symphony is “his most autobiographical and personal work” is highly desputable, it definitely derived straight from one of the most difficult phases of his life delineated by the tragic death of his daughter. David Zinman has taken the metaphorical potential of the opus and transformed it into a journey for answers to eternal human questions. From his point of view, Mahler came to the conclusion that there was “no hope, just nothingness after death” and his dark and granithic version reveals this fatalistic vision in all of its grimmacing inescapability.

“Going Against Fate” is now available as a DVD, with a couple of select European theatrical screenings to follow early next year.

Homepage: David Zinman
Homepage: Going Against Fate