By Graham K. Rogers

A few hours ago I attended a unique Bangkok performance of Mahler's Symphony number 10, performed by the Siam Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of S. P. Somtow, author of several books, writer of operas and musicals, and all all round artistic powerhouse.

The last time I went to a classical music performance was back in London in the late 1980s. The iPod and iPhone are no substitutes for a live performance, despite the richness of content I have available. I had wanted to see Somtow and the orchestra for a while but the locations have never suited me. Tonight, the performance was at the National Theatre which is in fairly easy reach of where I live.

I had a good seat and arrived early as I had an invitation to a reception beforehand. Somtow was there but none of the guests spoke to him. He looked as if he were preparing. Before the performance started the fairly young orchestra members came on stage, the instruments went through a final tuning and one of the best versions of the King's Anthem I have heard was played.

Somtow himself appeared after this to applause and he made some announcements in Thai and English, explaining about the unfinished nature of the Symphony (I had already been told this was the usual Cook version) and its construction. A couple of other announcements concerning phones followed: "If you have one of these, please turn it off and if you have young children please turn them off too."

I had already turned my phone off and I was pleased that this was one of the few public events I have been to where no phones sounded. There were children in the audience and they were perfectly behaved.

I am no expert on music. I like what I like. I already have copies of Mahler Symphonies 1, 4 and 5, but the 10th was a complete unknown. Somtow settled onto his bar stool -- his rotundity makes this a necessary accessory -- and the baton was raised. The opening bars, as well as a number of sections throughout were recognisably Mahler and thoughts of Dirk Bogarde and Death in Venice entered my head once or twice.

Deeper into the composition, the discordant nature of the music showed the feelings of mortality the composer -- he died at 52 before this was completed -- was experiencing. Like any great artist, he wrote what he felt.

At the end of the first movement, I noticed the smiles among some of the violinists as if they had their own feelings of a job well done. There had been one or two missed notes, but this hardly detracted at all from the fullness of the live experience. Like any event involving humans and (be it music, golf, motor racing), there is always the quest for the perfect.

The Siam Philharmonic may not have hit that unreachable target this evening, but what these young people (in the main) and Somtow gave me was the experience of an honest, energetic performance. I left the theater enthused: determined to come back for more.

Somtow promised the late Princess Galyani Vadhana that he would perform the complete cycle of Mahler Symphonies. A few months ago the 6th was played, and now the 10th. According to information I saw online, symphonies 5, 7 and 9 have also been performed by the Siam Philharmonic. By my reckoning, there are five more to go and I will be looking forward to the next performance, whenever it may be.

S. P. Somtow works hard as an ambassador for the Arts in Bangkok. He may have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but his talents are proof that the silver baton he holds in his hand was earned.

For further information see Siam Philharmonic Orchestra and the website of S. P. Somtow.

[The image used above is a screen shot I took of a previous performance. That photograph is on Somtow's own site.]

Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs.