Who's The Greatest Mahlerian On GMG?

[Sergeant Rock]

Concerning the topic: Bruckner led me to Mahler in the early 1960's, and I recall looking desperately for - and not always finding - a recording

My problem with hearing Mahler in the mid to late 60s was not only the cost of LPs (if there were Mahler recordings on budget labels, they weren't stocked in the small classical sections in my area) but the lack of records in the Barberton library. They only had Klemp's 2 and Lenny's 1. I did own an intriguing snippet of the 10th (the great "Alma" string melody in the finale, included on a Columbia sampler LP that had cost a buck) but it wasn't until 1971 that I had the means to start a serious Mahler collection. You were way ahead of me 

Sarge

[Cato]

My problem with hearing Mahler in the mid to late 60s was not only the cost of LPs (if there were Mahler recordings on budget labels, they weren't stocked in the small classical sections in my area) but the lack of records in the Barberton library. They only had Klemp's 2 and Lenny's 1. I did own an intriguing snippet of the 10th (the great "Alma" string melody in the finale, included on a Columbia sampler LP that had cost a buck) but it wasn't until 1971 that I had the means to start a serious Mahler collection. You were way ahead of me 

Sarge

Dayton's library - looking back at it now - was phenomenal.  Whoever the music librarian was, s/he had no fear of buying Stockhausen, Boulez, Messiaen, etc. and basically the entire DGG and Columbia catalogs!  The library also had a marvelous collection of scores, which I used very often. 

[Sergeant Rock]

Dayton's library - looking back at it now - was phenomenal.

The difference in the life of a poor village (country) boy compared to the privileged city slicker 

Sarge

[Karl Henning]

Ah, the fleshpots of Dayton!

[Cato]

Ah, the fleshpots of Dayton!

Heh-heh! 

My problem with hearing Mahler in the mid to late 60s was not only the cost of LPs (if there were Mahler recordings on budget labels, they weren't stocked in the small classical sections in my area) but the lack of records in the Barberton library. They only had Klemp's 2 and Lenny's 1. I did own an intriguing snippet of the 10th (the great "Alma" string melody in the finale, included on a Columbia sampler LP that had cost a buck) but it wasn't until 1971 that I had the means to start a serious Mahler collection. You were way ahead of me 

Sarge

I do not recall the name of the company, but a mail-order firm offered the complete DGG Bruckner symphonies (the Eugen Jochum set).  It cost about $40.00, a large amount back then (and also today, in my opinion!), but I still rather vividly recall the day it arrived! 0:) 

Bliss ensued! 0:)

[Papy Oli]

I'm not to be trusted on this - but my vote is for Olivier.

Thanks Brian. The cheque is in the post 

Whatever happened to Olivier?

Dude! Where ya been?

I have been scouting the world to try and find a great bronze bust of Gustav for my mantelpiece 

(serious answer: Reached a complete burnout on classical music since the beginning of the year with the (relative) accumulation of CD boxsets last year that killed the enjoyment of it all. Only been dabbling back into it in the last few weeks with a couple of CD's a week. Main Pro: mind and ears refreshed and rediscovering the collection and works should make it enjoyable again.) 

[Papy Oli]

Who's the Greatest Mahlerian of All?

Someone should define "greatest" 

[Sergeant Rock]

Someone should define "greatest" 

"chortle" (...pre-empting Karl)

Sarge

[Parsifal]

My acquaintance for Mahler started with this LP.



I was enthralled. The ninth remains my favorite work by Mahler.

Staking no claim myself, I'd say Sarge is the dean of Mahlerians on the board.

[Parsifal]

(serious answer: Reached a complete burnout on classical music since the beginning of the year with the (relative) accumulation of CD boxsets last year that killed the enjoyment of it all. Only been dabbling back into it in the last few weeks with a couple of CD's a week. Main Pro: mind and ears refreshed and rediscovering the collection and works should make it enjoyable again.)

When I get a box set, I consider my obligation to it fulfilled when I've listened to one disc.  For just that reason.

[Sergeant Rock]

My acquaintance for Mahler started with this LP.



I was enthralled. The ninth remains my favorite work by Mahler.

Is that the 1980 studio or the 1982 live? I don't have Karajan's M9 on LP but do have the '82 performance on CD, my favorite M9.

Sarge

[Parsifal]

Is that the 1980 studio or the 1982 live? I don't have Karajan's M9 on LP but do have the '82 performance on CD, my favorite M9.

Sarge

That's the studio recording released in '80 (recorded in '79). I preferred it to the '82 (which was the only one available on CD for many years) perhaps because of imprinting.

[Sergeant Rock]

That's the studio recording released in '80 (recorded in '79).

If I didn't already love the '82 (and didn't have 30 other M9s), I might be tempted. But at my age, you just have to stop collecting  at some point

Sarge

[Cato]

I was enthralled. The Ninth remains my favorite work by Mahler.

If I didn't already love the '82 (and didn't have 30 other M9s), I might be tempted. But at my age, you just have to stop collecting  at some point

Sarge

I once knew a priest who said that he had every recording of the Mahler Ninth, and who would attend any live concert with that work played within a boundary of Detroit to Cincinnati and Chicago to Pittsburgh.  (He lived in Toledo.)

[Tritone]

I once knew a priest who said that he had every recording of the Mahler Ninth, and who would attend any live concert with that work played within a boundary of Detroit to Cincinnati and Chicago to Pittsburgh.  (He lived in Toledo.)

He must have a HUGE garage.

[Parsifal]

If I didn't already love the '82 (and didn't have 30 other M9s), I might be tempted. But at my age, you just have to stop collecting  at some point

Sarge

They're not that different.

But stop collecting? Can that be?  Makes me imagine an alternate ending to Strauss' Four Last Songs:

O vast, tranquil peace,
so deep in the sunset!
How weary we are of collecting records--
Is this perhaps death?

Sorry to be maudlin. 

[Sergeant Rock]

 

I once knew a priest who said that he had every recording of the Mahler Ninth, and who would attend any live concert with that work played within a boundary of Detroit to Cincinnati and Chicago to Pittsburgh.  (He lived in Toledo.)

I wonder if he was in the audience when I heard Haitink conduct the M9 with the Cleveland at Severance in 1973.

Sarge

[Parsifal]

I wonder if he was in the audience when I heard Haitink conduct the M9 with the Cleveland at Severance in 1973.

Gasp!

[Sergeant Rock]

But stop collecting? Can that be?  Makes me imagine an alternate ending to Strauss' Four Last Songs:

"Im Abendrot" just got personal 

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

He must have a HUGE garage.

I could certainly use a spare garage at this point.

Sarge