Past Purchases (CLOSED)

[Sergeant Rock]

(Even though the "exact opposite" to Solti would probably be Gielen.

I'd say the exact opposite of Solti might be Chailly or Maazel or Sinopoli.

Sarge

[Renfield]

I'd say the exact opposite of Solti might be Chailly or Maazel or Sinopoli.

Sarge

Sinopoli maybe. Chailly and Gielen I find closer than Chailly and, say, Bertini. And Maazel's Mahler I've never sampled!

I mentioned Gielen because he is rather analytical (not unlike Sinopoli): something Solti certainly appears not to be.

Though I've not heard the latter's CSO Mahler, admittedly.

[Sergeant Rock]

Sinopoli maybe. Chailly and Gilen I find closer than Chailly and, say, Bertini. And Maazel's Mahler I've never sampled!

I mentioned Gielen because he is rather analytical (not unlike Sinopoli): something Solti certainly appears not to be.

Though I've not heard the latter's CSO Mahler, admittedly.

My reasoning: all three are, generally, much slower than Solti. Sinopoli and Maazel are interventionists, forcing the music into their sometimes eccentric molds (which I find fascinating). All three are more concerned with the details than Solti's Big Bang Mahler....more analytical, to use your word.

Sarge

[marvinbrown]

  Gentlemen (Sarge, Renfield, PerfectWagnerite) thank you for this enlightening anti-Solti Mahler symphonies cycle debate!  However I should inform you that it's a done deal on this end.  The Beritini set has been ordered from amazon.co.uk marketplace last night!

  marvin   

[Sergeant Rock]

  Gentlemen (Sarge, Renfield, PerfectWagnerite) thank you for this enlightening anti-Solti Mahler symphonies cycle debate!  However I should inform you that it's a done deal on this end.  The Beritini set has been ordered from amazon.co.uk marketplace last night!

  marvin   

I know, Marvin. I wasn't trying to change your mind. Just having a conversation with Renfield. Bertini is a good set (I won't say great because I think it has a weak 6th). It is quite different than Solti and should satisfy your current needs.

Sarge

[marvinbrown]

I know, Marvin. I wasn't trying to change your mind. Just having a conversation with Renfield. Bertini is a good set (I won't say great because I think it has a weak 6th). It is quite different than Solti and should satisfy your current needs.

Sarge

  No worries Sarge! I knew all of you meant well and I appreciate the debate.  I would also like to tell you that the decision to purchase the Bertini set was not an easy one- far from it!  This is the first time I buy multiple recordings of the same works for reasons other than my liking the music.  Unlike Tristan und Isolde (4 recordings), Beethoven's symphony cycle (2 recordings) which I adored from first hearing, my struggles with Mahler's symphonies are well documented on the GMG threads.  Only recently have I begun to appreciate this composer and I have grown to  love symphonies (1,2, 6,  9, and 10 (completed Cook, Rattle BPO) most). The others are still works in progress. The Solti set is the only recording I have of Mahler's Symphonies. As I mentioned before, I found Solti quite abrasive at times in his recordings, as if he is trying to force the music out of the CSO. There is hardly any warmth in those recordings.  Most troubling were Symphonies No.5 and No. 7. The 8th is a lost case as far as I'm concerned!

Over the past months I have been secretly looking for a more introspective, calmer, warmer approach. I really hated the idea of just having  Solti as my guide to Mahler. Based on what I have read Solti misses a lot of the hidden nuances in Mahler's music, warmth being one of them. I am hoping Bertini's interpretation, which I have been told is far from Solti's,  will be able to "unlock" symphonies 5, 7 and 8 for me and shed more light on the others!

  Finally if I respond very well to the Bertini set I just might sell my Solti set or trade it, it's practically new I have played it less than 5 times during the past years.  I regret buying it if you must know  ........what can I do I was bound to pick up a few lemons every now and then. 

  marvin   

[PerfectWagnerite]

    Finally if I respond very well to the Bertini I just might sell my Mahler cycle or trade it, it's practically new I have played it less than 5 times during the past years.  I regret buying it if you must know  ........what can I do I was bound to pick up a few lemons every now and then. 

  marvin   

Well you can do what I did to the Solti Mahler set: CDR the whole set and sell the originals. I do that to recordings that I am not crazy about.

[marvinbrown]

Well you can do what I did to the Solti Mahler set: CDR the whole set and sell the originals. I do that to recordings that I am not crazy about.

  I just might do that! Or at least copy those symphonies I like best (No.1, No.2 Ressurrection and No.9 come to mind)  I mean I seriously doubt I'll be able to recover anywhere near 50% of the original price (£30) I paid for the Solti set  ,  so why not?

  marvin

[scarpia]

  I just might do that! Or at least copy those symphonies I like best (No.1, No.2 Ressurrection and No.9 come to mind)  I mean I seriously doubt I'll be able to recover anywhere near 50% of the original price (£30) I paid for the Solti set  ,  so why not?

  marvin

because it's illegal?

[marvinbrown]

because it's illegal?

  Let's not go there nor get technical shall we?? I just paid for two complete Mahler Cycles. The CD industry is well financed by me in that regard.

  marvin 

[scarpia]

  Let's not go there nor get technical shall we?? I just paid for two complete Mahler Cycles. The CD industry is well financed by me in that regard.

If your employer didn't bother to pay you this week and said, let's not technical, I just paid two other guys this week, you'd be equally understanding?

[AnthonyAthletic]

Great Conductors of the 20th Century : 2cd set : Nicolai Golovanov

Now listening to the Liszt Poems, the Festklänge is a delight to hear, by any orchestra/conductor at anytime, a really beautiful work.

Glazunov : Symphony No. 6
Mendelssohn : (A) Midsummer Night's Dream
Tchaikovsky : 1812
Liszt : Symphonic Poems - Orpheus, Héroïde funèbre, Mazeppa, Festklänge & Prometheus

Very tempting price/offer not to be missed...if you are in the UK, from a number of Amazon sellers.

£1.82p

Nicolai Golovanov GC of the TC

[Lethevich]

Holy crap, I'm there. Thanks a lot for the pointer

[AnthonyAthletic]

Holy crap, I'm there. Thanks a lot for the pointer

Nice one, its obviously an overstock and for the life of me I can't imagine why!!

Mine cost £2.30 on Monday so its gone down a further 60p or so...woe is me 

Considering that a few of these GC of the 20th are going up in price, and the fayre of the music, then its a real bargain.  Hope others jump in...where's Papy!! LOL

[DavidRoss]

Gentlemen (Sarge, Renfield, PerfectWagnerite) thank you for this enlightening anti-Solti Mahler symphonies cycle debate!  However I should inform you that it's a done deal on this end.  The Beritini set has been ordered from amazon.co.uk marketplace last night!

A fine choice in a reasonably priced set that is consistently well-played, even if none of the individual performances are barn-burners.  You could do much worse, and for openers I think I might recommend only the Kubelik more highly as an introductory cycle.  Someone mentioned the Chailly set for $30--if you see it for that price, don't hesitate!

[Lethevich]

A fine choice in a reasonably priced set that is consistently well-played, even if none of the individual performances are barn-burners.  You could do much worse, and for openers I think I might recommend only the Kubelik more highly as an introductory cycle.  Someone mentioned the Chailly set for $30--if you see it for that price, don't hesitate!

It's odd that you are (I think) the first person to mention Kubelik in this mini discussion - he is in the same stylistic ballpark as Bertini.

[DavidRoss]

It's odd that you are (I think) the first person to mention Kubelik in this mini discussion - he is in the same stylistic ballpark as Bertini.

Or vice versa!

[Papy Oli]

where's Papy!! LOL

you called ?? 

There are a dozen posts prior to yours reminding me that i don't have yet the Chailly, Sinopoli, Maazel or Kubelik Mahler cycles, and then you innocently aim at driving me waaayyy over-budget by spending £1.82 on that golovanov guy ?!?! How cruel is that !!!   

[marvinbrown]

you called ?? 

There are a dozen posts prior to yours reminding me that i don't have yet the Chailly, Sinopoli, Maazel or Kubelik Mahler cycles, and then you innocently aim at driving me waaayyy over-budget by spending £1.82 on that golovanov guy ?!?! How cruel is that !!!   

  So which cycle are you looking to buy papy  ? 

  marvin   

[M forever]

Sinopoli and Maazel are interventionists, forcing the music into their sometimes eccentric molds (which I find fascinating).

Are Maazel's reading really that interventionist? I found them to be generally fairly straightforward, OK, some unusually (but not extremely) slow tempi here and there, and yes, rather "analytic" (and well recorded and extremely well played), so I enjoy listening to these a lot, actually.