Blind Comparison: Mahler Symphony no.1

[Lisztianwagner]

 

Yes, it almost sounds a neurotic mess.

[trung224]

Yes, although the Furtwängler is very good as a whole.
I don't think it was because of the war; if you listen to his 37' recording, he chose the same tempo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjXlY3bRFeo

   Furtwängler always take the accelerando at the end of Beethoven 9 or Brahms 4 (but take the heaven slow just before). For me, it makes sense because after the long piece, one need the impressive conclusion and accelerando is the good choice to highlight the triumph (better than ritardando).

[zauberflöte]

(Does anyone else wonder whether he grasped the irony of playing Beethoven's ode to the brotherhood of man at that time and place?)

I'm sure he did. The hall was filled with Nazis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqff1F0Ijn0
That's Goebbels he's shaking hands with.

This is both amazing and obsessive. Someone compiled the finales of every recorded performance by Furtwangler he could find. I had no idea there were so many:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSfZQEWDBCQ

[Sergeant Rock]

I liked them all and have to stop listening and finally make some decisions before my mind descends completely into cognitive dissonance 

1)  B1  Trio beautifully paced with prominent and characterful first chair wind playing. I like the slightly sour bass with the cheesy vibrato at the beginning of the march, and when the bassoon enters, it imitates the bass perfectly. Attention to detail! Mahler wanted an imitation of bad playing here, and this version delivers. Cool. The Klezmer music is played with great contrast to the preceding march in speed and schmaltz.

2)  B8  Another relatively fast trio (nice) but could swoon a little more.  I prefer the greater sense of mystery back to the Scherzo (the horns) in B1. But the movement ends with a great raucous wallop. Wonderful. This march has the greatest sense of the funereal but sounds less ironic than B1. The Klezmer portion is just about perfect.


3)   C6  Lovely slowish Trio with schmaltzy and delicious taffy pulling. I think this is what Mahler should sound like. I like the pace of the Scherzo proper too ( a Landler is supposed to be slow; it ain't a slam dance)  The march is extremely mournful and the Klezmer interjections don't alleviate the mood so much as contribute to it (some great wailing bassoon near the end of the clip). Not enough contrast then? Too serious? Perhaps. But a compelling approach.


4)   C2  For the Trio and Scherzo the same comments as B8 but with some great swooning. Love the end; the trilling trumpets fantasitc! March a shade too fast and the Klezmer not terribly convincing (convincing symphonically but not as village band music). The sound of the recording is less pleasing to me than the other versions in this group

5)  A5  I don't mind slow Mahler, and the Trio is very seductive. But the Klezmer is too tame and doesn't provide enough contrast to the march.

6)  A8  Acceptable as a middle-of-road performance and interpretation. Basically it's just right, I suppose, and I can see it being a favorite of some....but there's less sense of individuality relative to the other versions in this group.



Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

Y group results so far, and they are all over the place!...except for poor C6, which most of you hated. Four last places!

Sarge   TimH     zauberflöte   mc urkneal  jwinter  DavidRoss  trung  lisztianwagner

B1        A5          A8                   C2            A8            B8           B1           A5
B8        C2          B8                   B1            C2            A8           C2          C6
C6        B8          B1                   C6            B1            B1           B8           A8
C2        B1          A5                   B8            A5            A5           A5           B8
A5        A8          C2                   A8            B8            C2           C6           B1
A8        C6          C6                   A5            C6           C6            A8          C2

[mc ukrneal]

Y group results so far: results all over the place!...except for poor C6, which most of you hated. Four last places!

Sarge   TimH     zauberföte   mc urkneal  jwinter  DavidRoss

B1        A5          A8                   C2            A8            B8
B8        C2          B8                   B1            C2            A8
C6        B8          B1                   C6            B1            B1
C2        B1          A5                   B8            A5            A5
A5        A8          C2                   A8            B8            C2
A8        C6          C6                   A5            C6           C6

What's even stranger is that those of us who didn't put it in last, put in the top 3 (me and you). I also think we are not so far apart on C2. Had I considered sound, it might have been lower (here we differ in our criteria). Interestingly, we are the most similar this time (or at least least different).

[DavidRoss]

I liked them all and have to stop listening and finally make some decisions before my mind descends completely into cognitive dissonance 

I never would have suspected that too much Mahler was the underlying reason for such widespread irrationality.

Y group results so far: results all over the place!...except for poor C6, which most of you hated. Four last places!

Your favored B1 is faring well, with 5 out of 6 rankings in the top 3.

[Sergeant Rock]

Interestingly, we are the most similar this time...

Shocking, isn't it    I noticed too how close we are (although not twins like zauberflöte and DavidRoss  )  I initially had C2 higher, above C6. I kept flip flopping actually. So we're even closer than it appears in the final tally.

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

I never would have suspected that too much Mahler was the underlying reason for such widespread irrationality.

Your favored B1 is faring well, with 5 out of 6 rankings in the top 3.

And your B8 is doing well too with 4 of 6 in the top 3.

Sarge

[trung224]

Group Y ranking
  1. B1
  2. C2
  3. B8
  4. A5
  5. C6
  6. A8

[Sergeant Rock]

Group Y ranking
  1. B1
  2. C2
  3. B8
  4. A5
  5. C6
  6. A8

I'll add it to my tally above.

Sarge

[madaboutmahler]

Thank you very much for your votes! Very interesting indeed!

Does everyone who hasn't voted yet think they will be able to post their votes before tonight? (voting deadline) Can be extended if you need it to be.

[North Star]

C8
A4
C5
B6
B7
A1

[Lisztianwagner]

Like in the first round, I extremely enjoyed this group too, such a massive fun!! The choices of tempo in the Scherzo made me be able to recognize B8. I was particularly impressed by the perfect rythm kept in C6, which anyway showed a too marked sound of brass in the finale of the second movement.

In order:
A5
C6
A8
B8
B1
C2

[madaboutmahler]

Thank you for your votes, Ilaria and Karlo!

[johndoe21ro]

Wait forrr meee, pls....  0:)

[madaboutmahler]

Wait forrr meee, pls....  0:)

Will do, don't worry! How long do you think you will need?

[johndoe21ro]

Will do, don't worry! How long do you think you will need?

A couple of hours?
I'm working on an article and I must finish at least a part of it... Then listening and giving the 'prizes'...

[madaboutmahler]

A couple of hours?
I'm working on an article and I must finish at least a part of it... Then listening and giving the 'prizes'...

That's absolutely fine. I think there are a few more people who haven't posted their votes yet, I shall try and get into contact with them and see how long they will be.

[DavidRoss]

That's absolutely fine. I think there are a few more people who haven't posted their votes yet,

I hope so. I'm a bit surprised at the relatively small number of participants. Not Mahler fans? Or just not fanatical enough to pursue blind listening to a couple of dozen recorded versions of the same symphony?