Mahler before 1970: Your Preferences

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

inspired by the current "favorite Mahler cycles" thread

Despite the vast proliferation of Mahler recordings in recent decades, and the more advanced recording techniques and greater virtuosity of orchestras, it seems to me that if I were confined to earlier Mahler recordings - say, with an approximate cut-off date of 1970 - I could still put together a really good Mahler cycle.

So what would be your choices for best Mahler recordings made before the 1970s? (date chosen to mark a point at which Mahler was becoming popular, but before we were deluged with choices)

Mine (some of these may be just over the 1970 line, but if so, not by much):

1: Horenstein/LSO
2: Scherchen; Klemperer
3: Haitink; Bernstein
4: Reiner; Szell
5: Solti
6: Barbirolli
7: Bernstein
8: [no choice. maybe Bernstein, but I haven't heard it]
9: Barbirolli
Das Lied: Walter/NYPO; Klemperer

Apart from not having an 8th, this is a list I can live with. Over to you:

[DavidW]

1. Kubelik
2. Klemperer
3. Bernstein
4. Horenstein
5. Walter
6. Mitropoulos
7. Bernstein
8. Horenstein
9. Klemperer Ancerl
Das Lied: Klemperer

[Todd]

1 - Walter
2 - Klemperer
3 - Kubelik
4 - Abravanel
5 - Bernstein
6 - Bernstein
7 - Kubelik
8 - Bernstein
9 - Walter (CBS)
Das Lied - Klemperer

[Lethevich]

1. Kubelik
2. Klemperer
3. Horenstein
4. n/a
5. Barbirolli, Bernstein*
6. Leinsdorf, Szell*
7. Scherchen (either)
8. Horenstein (BBC Legends)*
9. Klemperer, Barbirolli, Walter/WP
DLvdE. Klemperer, Walter

*A new discovery for me, but I guess impressive enough to include

[Sergeant Rock]

1 Horenstein
2 Haitink
3 Horenstein
4 Szell
5 Solti Neumann/Gewandhaus
6 Solti or Szell
7 Bernstein
8 Stokowski
9 Haitink
10 Ormandy


Sarge

[Drasko]

1 Mitropoulos (Minneapolis or New York), Walter (Concertgebouw or Columbia)
2 Walter (New York)
3 Bernstein (New York)
4 Walter (Seefried, New York)
5 Neumann (Leipzig), Walter (New York)
6 Mitropoulos (Koln)
7 Scherchen (Vienna State Opera), Haitink (Concertgebouw)
9 Walter (Columbia), Haitink (Concertgebouw)

[DieNacht]

1 Scherchen & early Kubelik/decca
2 Kubelik + Scherchen
3 Scherchen/westminster (some faults though - poor sound, poor singing) + Horenstein
4 Mengelberg
5 Scherchen/westminster (haven´t heard Philadelphia) + Walter NYPO
6 Scherchen/Leipzig + Barbirolli
7 Kubelik
8 Kubelik + Scherchen
9 Walter 1938

This said, there´s a lot of early Mahler I haven´t heard, including for instance, the Bernstein/cbs.

[jwinter]

1)  Kubelik
2)  Klemperer
3)  Horenstein, Bernstein
4)  Szell
5)  Barbirolli
6)  Barbirolli
7)  Bernstein
8 ) no preference
9)  Walter

[Lethevich]

It looks like I need to hear that Szell 4th - it keeps popping up

[DavidW]

It looks like I need to hear that Szell 4th - it keeps popping up

Yeah his 4th and 6th are awesome!

[madaboutmahler]

1. Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks/Kubelik
2. Concertgebouw/Haitink
3. New York Philharmonic/Bernstein
4. don't think I have heard any made before 1970....
5. New Philharmonia/Barbirolli
6. Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Solti
7.don't think I have heard any made before 1970....
8. Chicago Symphony Orchestra (just one year over )
9. Concertgebouw/Haitink
Das Lied. Vienna Symphony/Krips

This list would have been so much easier to make if it had been pre-1980's! That's when the likes of Karajan, more Bernstein, more Solti (etc) emerged!

Daniel

[not edward]

I'd have a lot of trouble over some of these, however ones I can safely list:

1. Kubelik
2. Scherchen
4. Reiner
5. Barbirolli
6. Barbirolli
7. Scherchen (any of them, really), Kubelik
9. Ancerl

The Baker/Kmentt/BRSO/Kubelik Das Lied is about 60 days too late to get in.

[jwinter]

I'd have a lot of trouble over some of these, however ones I can safely list:

1. Kubelik
2. Scherchen
4. Reiner
5. Barbirolli
6. Barbirolli
7. Scherchen (any of them, really), Kubelik
9. Ancerl

The Baker/Kmentt/BRSO/Kubelik Das Lied is about 60 days too late to get in.

Dude, how could I forget Ancerl!  Ancerl's 9th is absolutely top-notch.....

[Drasko]

Dude, how could I forget Ancerl!  Ancerl's 9th is absolutely top-notch.....

Same here

Maybe even more interesting would be to set cut off point earlier, probably pre-Berstein New York cycle because those recordings get usually mentioned as start of Mahler recording boom.

[DavidW]

Oh woops!!  I change my 9th to Ancerl, how could I forget as well.

[Sergeant Rock]

The Baker/Kmentt/BRSO/Kubelik Das Lied is about 60 days too late to get in.

I thought Baker/King/Haitink might qualify, but no: 1975.

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

It looks like I need to hear that Szell 4th - it keeps popping up

It is a great performance, more molded, more "romantic" than his 6 and 9.

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

Despite the sudden surge for Ancerl 9, I'm sticking with Haitink. Still one of the greatest Ninths I know.

Sarge

[not edward]

Oh woops!!  I change my 9th to Ancerl, how could I forget as well.

Indeed. To throw up a blast from the past, I think Steve Molino recommended it to you, and then you recommended it to me.

I'd add a missing Szell to the 4ths--I don't like his 6th as much as many others, but think the 4th is very fine.

[DavidW]

Oh yeah that's right!   I had a little Ancerl craze after that, got some of his Dvorak and I think Janacek.  He is a great conductor.