When he eventually gave his first public performance people
attended out of curiosity and disbelief. They had heard of his
obsession but knew what sort of training it took to develop the
ability to conduct, in particular to conduct the music of Mahler.
As the performance began Kaplan realized that he could not
synchronize his conducting with the sound of the orchestra. He
was unfamiliar with the acoustics of the hall. The audience were
not surprised; after all it was to be expected. The performance
was a failure.
Kaplan, however, was undeterred. He believed in his ability
eventually to conduct Mahler. He continued to study and was
particularly obsessed with Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony. He
memorized this complex score and traveled to hear the work
whenever it was performed. He decided he was ready to give a
performance in 1982 and did so with the American Symphony
Orchestra. His revealing interpretation confounded the critics
and won him worldwide requests to repeat the performance.
Kaplan now devotes his spare time to Mahler research,
financing in 1986 a finely documented and superbly produced
facsimile of the Resurrection Symphony, whose original score he
now owns. He has conducted 33 international performances of
the symphony.
ALIGN YOURSELF: NEUROLOGICAL LEVELS OF CHANGE 233