Recordings That You Are Considering

[André]

I have the first one. I believe they are identical, just a new jacket.

[Ratliff]

Trying to determine if this is a cost-effective way to pick up the 2nd Viennese School material. Not familiar with the Zemlinsky works.

These are very fine recordings. The Zemlinsky quartets are well worth hearing, in my opinion, and he LaSalle Quartet played a big role in the rediscovery of these works.

[Biffo]

I think I'm beginning to feel the tides of fate slowly pulling me back into a fairly serious Mahler kick... though it may be too soon to tell. 

One thing is for certain, though, and it is that I have a newfound love for Mahler's 8th symphony, which until this point I would have always said "I just don't get it". In fact, one year ago today, I didn't even like Mahler, and that was partly because I'd heard the 8th symphony, and I just "didn't get it". Well, a lot of life can happen in one year, and my opinion on his music has taken an about-face.

Preamble over... I want to get my hands on Solti's famous recording of Mahler 8. Between the Decca "Legends" and the Decca "Originals", which is the CD edition to have? I suspect it may not become my favorite, but I want it anyway on account of how ubiquitous a performance it is in the world of Mahler.

As far as it is possible to tell from the info on the packaging both are the same mastering and it was done from the original analogue tapes as long ago as 1999. The Legends disc has a booklet with the text; from my experience with other Originals releases the documentation will be pretty meagre. Currently from Amazon UK the Originals disc is cheaper.

I don't much like the Solti performance, the First Movement is strident and noisy.

[vers la flamme]

Thanks! I suspected as much. I would like to have the original cover art as it's a great picture, but I would rather have a booklet with the text. What will likely happen is I'll just get whichever is cheaper.

[André]

Thanks! I suspected as much. I would like to have the original cover art as it's a great picture, but I would rather have a booklet with the text. What will likely happen is I'll just get whichever is cheaper.

Texts here: https://www.naxos.com/sungtext/PDF/550533-34_Mahler_Texts.pdf .

I usually go the 'cheap' route when no remastering has been done  .

[vers la flamme]

Texts here: https://www.naxos.com/sungtext/PDF/550533-34_Mahler_Texts.pdf .

I usually go the 'cheap' route when no remastering has been done  .

Wow, awesome. Thanks. I've listened to Mahler's 8th at least half a dozen times, maybe 10 times or more, but I've never paid any attention to the words being sung. I'll read along w/ my next listen.

[j winter]

Anyone have this set?  Good?  Does it come with texts?

[asin]B0000B09Z6[/asin]

[Jo498]

I think I have only heard the "Dido" from this set. Not a first choice for me, partly because of the strange casting with a male singer for the sorceress. There is far less competition in the other pieces, so it could still be worth it as I would expect it too be very good. There was a similar box with Gardiner on Erato/Warner (although missing Dido). Both boxes are missing "The Fairy Queen" recorded by Gardiner for Archiv. Dido, King Arthur and The Fairy Queen are IMO clearly superior to the "lesser" theatre pieces like Indian Queen, Timon and whatnot. Probably also no texts, I have one similar DG box that lacks them (and for the Erato Gardiner I apparently printed them out myself) but I don't know for this particular one.

[vers la flamme]

Any opinions on Nagano's Mahler 3?

[Jo498]

I listened to a bunch of Mahler 3rds a couple of months ago and while good, I didn't find Nagano as extraordinary as some reviews seem to suggest. But I am not as familiar with the piece as many other listeners. Even sonically I found Gielen superior and the 1970s Levine had more of an impact, despite being somewhat rough in the sonics.

[vers la flamme]

I listened to a bunch of Mahler 3rds a couple of months ago and while good, I didn't find Nagano as extraordinary as some reviews seem to suggest. But I am not as familiar with the piece as many other listeners. Even sonically I found Gielen superior and the 1970s Levine had more of an impact, despite being somewhat rough in the sonics.

Thanks, Jo. Seems reviews are mixed at best. I liked the samples I heard, plus it's cheap, but it seems folks are saying it's too controlled. I've been meaning to check out Nagano's Mahler. I think he's a solid conductor.

[Jo498]

I think Nagano was my second recording of the piece (after Bernstein NYPO) and I also got it because it was cheap and I wanted something in more modern sound and didn't mind it to be "cooler" than Bernstein. But comparing some time ago, I think I found that I'd prefer Gielen for the "cooler" approach (and better sound).

[vers la flamme]

I think Nagano was my second recording of the piece (after Bernstein NYPO) and I also got it because it was cheap and I wanted something in more modern sound and didn't mind it to be "cooler" than Bernstein. But comparing some time ago, I think I found that I'd prefer Gielen for the "cooler" approach (and better sound).

Funny, Bernstein/NYPO is my only recording of the 3rd at the moment and I'm looking for something perhaps cooler and in more modern sound. Might have to check out the Gielen, then. But is it only available as part of his cycle, though? I understand his cycle is supposed to be one of the best, in any case.

Edit: No, looks like it can be had as an individual disc, and paired with one of my absolute favorite works, to boot; Webern's 6 Pieces for Orchestra, op.6...:



Thanks, I'll have to consider this one.

[Jo498]

I am or was in a similar boat that I had trouble connectiing with the 3rd despite having had Bernstein's NY recording since 1996 or so. There are nowadays probably recordings superior to Gielen's also in sound, but I liked this a lot when I did the comparison mentioned above (and the sound was clearly the best of the ones I had). I have the single issue shown above. Note that the Webern is "coupled" with the Schubert extraits, which might not be to everyone's taste.
I do have all of the Gielen's that appeared separately (but not some of the alternative live recordings included in the most recent boxes). They are almost all good to extremely good but also mostly rather cool. My favorites of Gielen's are probably the 3rd, 6th, 7th and 9th (two recordings).

[vers la flamme]

I am or was in a similar boat that I had trouble connectiing with the 3rd despite having had Bernstein's NY recording since 1996 or so. There are nowadays probably recordings superior to Gielen's also in sound, but I liked this a lot when I did the comparison mentioned above (and the sound was clearly the best of the ones I had). I have the single issue shown above. Note that the Webern is "coupled" with the Schubert extraits, which might not be to everyone's taste.
I do have all of the Gielen's that appeared separately (but not some of the alternative live recordings included in the most recent boxes). They are almost all good to extremely good but also mostly rather cool. My favorites of Gielen's are probably the 3rd, 6th, 7th and 9th (two recordings).

Thanks for that. It sounds like Gielen's is very consistent as an overall set. I know it likes to go on sale from time to time, so I'll look out for some super cheap bargains on it.

[MusicTurner]

I'll be unpacking the Gielen set today, looking forward to it, based on listening to mp3 samples at JPC.

Also thought I needed some supplementary CD recordings of the vocal works, though they seem somewhat uneven there.

It's the Gielen Edition box. Sent from Germany more than two weeks ago, gave it some 'quarantine'.

[Mirror Image]

Any opinions on Nagano's Mahler 3?

I'd say go for this one instead:



Nagano does have a great recording of Das klagende Lied, though. That's about it --- he's not really a conductor I flock to very often.

[vers la flamme]

I'd say go for this one instead:



Nagano does have a great recording of Das klagende Lied, though. That's about it --- he's not really a conductor I flock to very often.

I was only looking at the Nagano cuz I saw it was available very cheaply, I ended up not going for it. I'll have to check out that Abbado/Vienna. I love the VPO but this is the first I'm hearing about that particular recording, though of course Abbado is generally a highly regarded Mahlerian.

Back to Nagano for a minute: I heard last year at some point that he was to be recording a Mahler cycle with the Israel Philharmonic—anyone know any more about this? Can't seem to find much information.

[Mirror Image]

I was only looking at the Nagano cuz I saw it was available very cheaply, I ended up not going for it. I'll have to check out that Abbado/Vienna. I love the VPO but this is the first I'm hearing about that particular recording, though of course Abbado is generally a highly regarded Mahlerian.

Back to Nagano for a minute: I heard last year at some point that he was to be recording a Mahler cycle with the Israel Philharmonic—anyone know any more about this? Can't seem to find much information.

This Abbado 3rd is highly lauded from Rafael (ritter) whose tastes in music I must say mirrors my own on many occasions.

[vers la flamme]

This Abbado 3rd is highly lauded from Rafael (ritter) whose tastes in music I must say mirrors my own on many occasions.

Nice, he recently recommended the Abbado/Vienna Mahler 4 to me as well. I'll try and check out both. These symphonies are sisters in a way. I feel like a conductor's approach to one informs his approach to the other.