Vote for your Favourite Mahler Cycle!

[Renfield]

My choice, incidentally, was Gielen

And this is probably my cue to say for the 1324808th time how deep an impression a live 6th by Stenz left me, six years ago.

Which is why I'm waiting to pick up the box set, like with Zinman.

(Well, only I've not picked up the Zinman yet, but that's besides the point...)

[techniquest]

Glad to see Tabakov gets on mention on page 7. His cycle on Capriccio is never going to be among the front-runners, but does contain worthy recordings of 3 and 6. I'd also like to give a nod to the de Waart / Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra cycle on RCA.

[Renfield]

Jens' knowledge of Mahlerian arcana is formidable indeed.

(You may not be surprised to hear I'd never heard of the Tabakov.)

[mahler10th]

 
Only one other person has voted Inbal.  It was a fight between him, Tennstedt and Neumann.  Inbal is brilliant with Mahler.  He turns every symphony into the narrative it represents, and does it so you can listen like the music is speaking to you.  Try Mahlers 5th, Inbal, FRSO, if you don't believe me!    0:)

[kishnevi]

Only one other person has voted Inbal.  It was a fight between him, Tennstedt and Neumann.  Inbal is brilliant with Mahler.  He turns every symphony into the narrative it represents, and does it so you can listen like the music is speaking to you.  Try Mahlers 5th, Inbal, FRSO, if you don't believe me!    0:)

[Waves hello]
Actually there are three of us with good taste, it seems.

Seriously, I like Inbal because, while none of his performances may rank as my favorite  recording of any individual work, none of the performances are anything less than good.

Note re Levine:  he did not record 2 or 8 for RCA.  1/3-7/9-10 are now available as a budget box set from Sony.  IIRC, he recorded DLvdE, but it's not part of that set.  As of next month, there will be two Levine recorded in concert 2s available, but as I understand it, none yet of 8.

And Sarge, you should know Jens owns the Ozawa.  Come to think of it, I'm surprised you don't have it

[techniquest]

Hey, I bet not many people have this set - distributed by SPA, Belgium, the set comprises the following recordings:
1 - Ljubljana SO / Nanut
2 - Slovene Philharmonic / Horvath (on some labels wrongly attributed to Nanut)
3 - Radio - TV Symphony Orchestra Zagreb / Josip Daniel
4 - Radio - TV Symphony Orchestra Zagreb / Horvath (Eva Andor - soprano)
5 - Ljubljana SO / Nanut
6 - Philharmonia Slavonica / Haenchen
7 - Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ljubljana / Nanut
8 - Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ljubljana / Nanut
9 - Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ljubljana / Nanut

Not far off a Nanut cycle. All cheap, 3rd or 4th rate recordings and performances (though the Horvath 2 is worthy of a listen), but not without their charm.

[Brahmsian]

Nanut, Nanut!

[Sergeant Rock]

And Sarge, you should know Jens owns the Ozawa.  Come to think of it, I'm surprised you don't have it

I know he owns part of it, as I do. If he owns the whole cycle, it's news to me. Even if I had once known he owns the whole cycle, it would still be news to me today. Such is life at my age 

Sarge

[springrite]

Try Mahlers 5th, Inbal, FRSO, if you don't believe me!    0:)

That is the only Inbal I have and it is indeed outstanding. But I don't have any other Inbal Mahler recordings and ths can not comment about his cycle. I do know a good tree but know nothing about the forest.

[mahler10th]

I do know a good tree but know nothing about the forest.

If the single tree is good, why not chop the others down and plant a few more of the same?  Then you will have a forest of delights. 
Eh....
Ach bollocks, I never did make a good Zen saying maker, whatever that is....mumble, etc....

[springrite]

If the single tree is good, why not chop the others down and plant a few more of the same?  Then you will have a forest of delights. 
Eh....
Ach bollocks, I never did make a good Zen saying maker, whatever that is....mumble, etc....

Chop wood; carry water.

Well, you got the first half of it perfectly!

[Renfield]

The clever man buys the good recording; the wise man waits for an offer on the box set, instead.

[mahler10th]

The clever man buys the good recording; the wise man waits for an offer on the box set, instead.

Oh right, I see, so Zen is out the Window and you go for Confucius instead..?

[Renfield]

Oh right, I see, so Zen is out the Window and you go for Confucius instead..?

Frankly, I'm a Sun Tzu man myself, so that was at best an attempt at imitation. But I suppose it had an air of Confucian practicality!

[jlaurson]

Ozawa: Sarge is correct, of course, I do not own the Ozawa Boston Cycle. Just the 2nd, 5th, and of course the Über-8th. The Saito Kinen Ozawa recordings (2nd and 9th) are very good, actually... but that is hardly a cycle nor, afaik, an intended one.

Inbal: That cycle is among the most reliably high-quality cycles out there... to me it's on par with Bertini... but with different highlights. 5, 7, and especially the 4th, which I find one of the four best recordings of it out there.

Wise or clever: sometimes it is not just OK but wise to shell out a little bit more money for a new recording in an acknowledgement of value, not just prize. Keeps the business alive and stuff.

[mahler10th]

Ozawa: Sarge is correct, of course, I do not own the Ozawa Boston Cycle. Just the 2nd, 5th, and of course the Über-8th. The Saito Kinen Ozawa recordings (2nd and 9th) are very good, actually... but that is hardly a cycle nor, afaik, an intended one.
Inbal: That cycle is among the most reliably high-quality cycles out there... to me it's on par with Bertini... but with different highlights. 5, 7, and especially the 4th, which I find one of the four best recordings of it out there.
Wise or clever: sometimes it is not just OK but wise to shell out a little bit more money for a new recording in an acknowledgement of value, not just prize. Keeps the business alive and stuff.

Interesting you contrast Inbal with Bertini's Mahler.  The clarity and perhaps dynamic range of Bertini's EMI recording is second to none, which in terms of recordings make it stand out as a prizefighter.  Alas, I think it is not close to Inbal in interpretation...Inbal is far more expressive in articulation and portrayal, I'm not sure Bertini has done that with the same level of intensity, although it may 'sound' like it.  I have not got or heard ANY Ozawa Mahler, but I have a feeling it is good?

[jlaurson]

I have not got or heard ANY Ozawa Mahler, but I have a feeling it is good?

Ozawa's 8th (see link above) is a must-have.

Ozawa's 2nd and 9th with Saito Kinen are very worthwhile readings.

The rest is, from the little I've heard and heard others speak about, so-so... very fine, understated, but cruise-control Mahler.

[Renfield]

Wise or clever: sometimes it is not just OK but wise to shell out a little bit more money for a new recording in an acknowledgement of value, not just prize. Keeps the business alive and stuff.

A fair point, but as a collector, I'm more inclined to go for the best deal.

(Which in the case of my knowing - or strongly suspecting - that I'll like enough of it, is the eventual box set.)

[Jay F]

You can certainly not look at the picture while playing them the traditional way - maybe even turn off the TV/monitor!

I'd need a DVD player then, wouldn't I? I didn't think of that.

Not exactly, but it isn't hard to rip the audio for iTunes and the like, and then you can burn cd. There are tutorials on the internet. For example, on Mac, HandBrake + MPEG Streamclip. On Windows, there are many programs which can do this.

Thanks, this seems like the best idea.

[Moonfish]

*bump* [4 years]

Any further thoughts on the bonanza of Mahler cycles out there?