Vote for your Favourite Mahler Cycle!

[Brian]

I haven't voted, but when I click "View Results," nothing happens - I can't view the results.

Also: what's your favorite M3?

[Brahmsian]

I haven't voted, but when I click "View Results," nothing happens - I can't view the results.

Also: what's your favorite M3?

In order:

Bernstein/NYPO - DG
Tennstedt/LPO - EMI
Lopez-Cobos/Cincinnati SO - Telarc

[DavidRoss]

I haven't voted, but when I click "View Results," nothing happens - I can't view the results.

Also: what's your favorite M3?

You must vote first, Brian.  I suppose that makes it harder for us to tweak the results and encourages choosing our real favorite.

Whose favorite 3? I like Sinopoli, MTT, Bernstein DGG, Gielen, Boulez, and, yes, Horenstein.

[Brian]

You must vote first, Brian.

Not an aid to those of us who don't own a Mahler cycle. Thanks for the M3 choices; the question was directed at anybody.

[ibanezmonster]

I've yet to hear a more compelling 6th than Tennstedt/LPO.

I have to agree with this and what Jared says at the same time, though it's been a while since I've listened to the Tennstedt versions I didn't care for.

[eyeresist]

Greg, they may be referring to one of the recordings not from the cycle. I find the early digital recordings from the set (it's a hybrid) need the treble tweaked to compensate for glare. Do this and the whole listening experience is much more impressive.

Tennstedt 11 Solti 6??   

My goodness me... Solti's is unifirmly strong whereas Tennstedt's is very uneven... his 3 is good and 8 superb, but other than that... 

Shock horror - people have differing tastes and opinions!

[kishnevi]

Just a general heads up if anyone else is interested--AmazonUK has the Bertini boxset prices at 16.99 GBP incl. VAT (14.16 GBP w/o VAT).

[Marc]

Tennstedt 11 Solti 6??

My goodness me... Solti's is unifirmly strong whereas Tennstedt's is very uneven... his 3 is good and 8 superb, but other than that... 

Well, I find Tennstedt's 3rd uneven, too, with a weak & overdone finale. Since I've heard Haitink in this movement, I've grown tired with all those 'deeply interpreted' stop and go performances.
IMHO, Tennstedt was much better live.
(Haitink, too, btw. His Christmas matinees [not complete] boxset is a gem.)

About Solti: AFAIK, his integral boxset is entirely filled with Chicago recordings, whilst some of his performances with the London Symphony Orchestra were much better. For instance: the 2nd and the 9th. Especially the latter is thrilling. This issue (combined with Wagner's Siegfried Idyll) might still be available here and there.

Just a general heads up if anyone else is interested--AmazonUK has the Bertini boxset prices at 16.99 GBP incl. VAT (14.16 GBP w/o VAT).

For those who do not have this set: get it! This price is 'ridiculous'.

[eyeresist]

For those who do not have this set: get it! This price is 'ridiculous'.

Laughable!

[Renfield]

Re: Tennstedt, he was awesome live, to my ears at least. His boxed cycle is still excellent, but not top 3 material.

[Sergeant Rock]

Thanks for the M3 choices; the question was directed at anybody.

In that case:

Horenstein (Not an outright recommendation, though: he's too controversial for that)
Levine
Haitink
Bernstein (Sony)

The inner movements of the Boulez recording are marvelous.

Sarge

[DavidW]

M3:

Bernstein (sony or dg)
Abbado
Gielen

I need to hear Boulez still, never have!

[Renfield]

Joining in the off-topic M3 hit-list:

Boulez and Bernstein CBS are my joint first pick; plus Haitink Philips and Chailly, slightly under- and overstated, respectively, Bertini, Gielen, Gergiev and Maazel (the last two very 'YMMV'). And I expect great things from Svetlanov.

(The Svetlanov cycle has acquired a kind of 'rare vintage' status in my listening - consumed slowly, to savour the taste.)


I really, really, really disliked the Horenstein when I heard it 4-5 years ago, for some reason I still can't explain. Maybe my present-day self, with massively more Mahler experience, would enjoy it, but it got left behind the second-to-last time I moved.

[Sergeant Rock]

I need to hear Boulez still, never have!

M wouldn't stop raving about it. Forced me to buy it    As I said, I find the inner movements most convincing.

Sarge

[Brian]

M3:

Bernstein (sony or dg)
Abbado
Gielen

I need to hear Boulez still, never have!

This reminds me, in a dream I had last night somebody was bad-mouthing you. No idea why.

[Renfield]

M wouldn't stop raving about it. Forced me to buy it    As I said, I find the inner movements most convincing.

Sarge

The thing about that Boulez is that it's a perfect picture on a canvas, vs. convincing in the communicative sense of the word.

Hence why I can't bring myself to choose between it and the early, non-rubbish-sounding Bernstein.

[MishaK]

About Solti: AFAIK, his integral boxset is entirely filled with Chicago recordings, whilst some of his performances with the London Symphony Orchestra were much better. For instance: the 2nd and the 9th. Especially the latter is thrilling. This issue (combined with Wagner's Siegfried Idyll) might still be available here and there.

That is debatable. I used to have his LSO 1 & 2 and found them less characterful than the early 80s CSO versions, in places somewhat sloppily played and with a more shrill recorded sound. However, in one respect the complete Solti set is certainly inferior: they included his shrill, poorly recorded 1970 M5 instead of the better 1990 digital, live on tour in Vienna remake with the CSO.

[Lisztianwagner]

Also: what's your favorite M3?

Favourites M3:
Bernstein (DG)
Solti
Abbado

Ilaria

[Marc]

That is debatable.

Yes.

I used to have his LSO 1 & 2 and found them less characterful than the early 80s CSO versions, in places somewhat sloppily played and with a more shrill recorded sound. However, in one respect the complete Solti set is certainly inferior: they included his shrill, poorly recorded 1970 M5 instead of the better 1990 digital, live on tour in Vienna remake with the CSO.

I didn't meantion LSO 1, but - digging from my music cassette past - I preferred the LSO 2 to the CSO 2. I don't know any Solti 5 , so I can't debate on that. I do like his (CSO) 7 very much and I cherish his LSO 9, that's for sure.

[jwinter]

For Mahler 3, Bernstein's always been my go-to guy, both DG and Sony -- the way he builds the tension in the finale never fails to make me grin. 

I just put Horenstein into the to-listen pile; I heard it a couple of years ago and remember wondering what the hype was about -- time for a revisit.