AllMovie

Though loathed and even mocked by music critics when it first premiered, Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2 'Resurrection' ultimately commanded renewed respect, acclaim, and a reputation as one of its composer's finest achievements. This classical documentary pays homage to the composition and places it in a historical framework. It also looks at ideas central to the composition - such as themes of life, death and the afterlife. The film intercuts historical reenactments and interviews featuring such commentators as theologians and philosophers. It also features symphonic extracts of the work, as performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra and The New York Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of maestro Neeme Jarvi.