What are you listening 2 now?

[vers la flamme]

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.6 in A minor. Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic

First listen to this recording. It seems to be a very popular one, though I do recall a certain Mahlerian former member of this board hated it with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. I personally like it a lot. The first two movements are crushing, weighty accounts; the andante which now plays is very tender. I can't help but suspect that Karajan's approach here is informed by his own interpretations of the adagio of Beethoven's 9th. I haven't heard the 6th in well over a year, probably closer to two years. It's good to get back to it. I must admit I find it a difficult work to listen to sometimes.

[Mirror Image]

Thanks John - I've not listen to Hough in a while, SO will pick a few of the concerti and preview all three - I'd rather have just 2 sets, so Hough may be culled despite some outstanding reviews.  Dave

Out with the Hough!

NP:

Szymanowski
Litany to the Virgin Mary, Op. 59
Aleksandra Kurzak, soprano
Warsaw Philharmonic & Choir
Jacek Kaspszyk

[Mirror Image]

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.6 in A minor. Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic

First listen to this recording. It seems to be a very popular one, though I do recall a certain Mahlerian former member of this board hated it with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. I personally like it a lot. The first two movements are crushing, weighty accounts; the andante which now plays is very tender. I can't help but suspect that Karajan's approach here is informed by his own interpretations of the adagio of Beethoven's 9th. I haven't heard the 6th in well over a year, probably closer to two years. It's good to get back to it. I must admit I find it a difficult work to listen to sometimes.

A fabulous set! All of the performances are magnificent. It might be the member Mahlerian who didn't like the Karajan, but who cares. I love the performance and many others do, too.

[Madiel]

Good to see you getting into some Mahler, Madiel. Is this a set you own in your collection or are you streaming it?

I own it.

I mean, it's taking me about 3 years to get THROUGH it because there are limits to how much Mahler I can dose on (and it seems that parts of pandemic lockdown/home situation made me completely disinterested), but the 2 versions of Symphony 10 are the endpoint.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Vaughan Williams
Symphony No. 8 in D minor
LPO
Boult

From this Tower Records/Warner Japanese hybrid SACD set -



Sounds phenomenal and probably will be the best this Boult cycle will ever sound. Spotted Horses said he didn't want to pay more money for tape hiss, but the tape hiss isn't even noticeable, so stick that in your pipe and smoke it. I'm telling you people that these Tower Records/Warner remasters are the real deal and the proof is in the listening and making comparisons. Anyway, the performance itself is without question Boult at his best. Such a superb RVW conductor.

[Mirror Image]

I own it.

I mean, it's taking me about 3 years to get THROUGH it because there are limits to how much Mahler I can dose on (and it seems that parts of pandemic lockdown/home situation made me completely disinterested), but the 2 versions of Symphony 10 are the endpoint.

I'm not too fond of Gielen's conducting --- I often equate him to be a poor man's Boulez, but he's done some good work.

[Madiel]

Beethoven: Middle Period Sonatas Op. 53 - Review by James Manheim

"Recordings of Beethoven's sonatas on a historically appropriate piano are seldom encountered. This one, part of a series by Dutch pianist Paul Komen, features a piano from 1825, some two decades after the famous sonatas of Beethoven's middle period were composed. Pianos from this far along in the instrument's development sound close to later grands in many respects, but the rate of decay of a note, once sounded, is much more rapid that the modern listener is used to. The result is extreme clarity of texture, even in a big, virtuoso work like the "Waldstein" Sonata in C major, Op. 53. Hear the point a couple of minutes into the Rondo finale where Beethoven shifts into overdrive with sweeping two-octave scales in the left hand accompanying the restated theme in the right -- Komen exploits to the hilt the instrument's ability to bring out these scales. And if his interpretation of the Piano Sonata No. 22 in F major, Op. 54, misses the scampering quality of Beethoven's humor, his "Appassionata" sonata, No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57, is as intense and dramatic as one could wish, with the tinkling high notes of the instrument deployed with appropriately unearthly effect at several junctures.

The chief disadvantage of this disc as compared with, say, Komen's recording of Beethoven's last three sonatas is that the piano isn't very closely matched with the repertory here. Pianos changed rapidly over Beethoven's lifetime, and he not only soaked up technical innovations but demanded them from manufacturers, partly but not completely as a result of his encroaching deafness. A piano from 1805 rather than 1825 would have shown Beethoven really struggling against an instrument's limitations. Sample, if you can find it, a cycle by American fortepianist Malcolm Bilson and his students that uses instruments very close in time to the works played.; it's on Switzerland's Claves label. In the absence of that set, the listener will find much of interest in this very fresh set of some endlessly played Beethoven works."

This is the kind of thing that frustrates me about obsessing over recreating history. Why oh why, if Beethoven was struggling against an instrument's limitations, would you insist on forcing Beethoven to struggle all over again?

I mean, Beethoven might have been thrilled in 1825 to get a new piano that solved the problems with the 1805 one. You've got a reviewer SAYING that Beethoven demanded technical improvements from manufacturers, at the same as being disappointed that the recording has a piano with those improvements? Good grief.

People invented better things precisely because they wanted them to be better. James Manheim is sitting in a comfy 21st century home listening to a recording, on technology that's developed for an extra century since recording became a thing, and frankly he's a bit of a fool to pretend that what he really wants is to recreate 1805. He wants to fetishise it.

[Madiel]

I'm not too fond of Gielen's conducting --- I often equate him to be a poor man's Boulez, but he's done some good work.

The Mahler box regularly got recommended for its consistency. Which, as a person unlikely to get 5 versions of everything (although you never know), was an efficient recommendation.

[Mirror Image]

The Mahler box regularly got recommended for its consistency. Which, as a person unlikely to get 5 versions of everything (although you never know), was an efficient recommendation.

Yeah, his Mahler is rather good. That set also contains a lot of music besides the symphonies, so it would be a good introduction to the composer for many, but there's one performance in that set that I absolutely detest and it's Das Lied von der Erde. This particular recording has an unusual history in that it's actually two different performances spliced together and I'm sure they were remixed for correct balances. Anyway, it's a dud.

[vers la flamme]

Gustav Mahler: Des Knaben Wunderhorn. Christian Gerhaher, Magdalena Kožená, Pierre Boulez, Cleveland Orchestra

First listen—so far so good. I know Jan didn't like this recording, but I think it sounds very good so far.

[Karl Henning]

You are so correct. That is the mistake that most people make when they come to the full work after hearing the opening movement. It is not surprising really, though. One really has to listen to the rest of the work to fully appreciate it.

Thoroughly correct. Queerly ironic that the repute of the piece as a whole should suffer from the opening having become a sonic pop icon.

[Madiel]

Yeah, his Mahler is rather good. That set also contains a lot of music besides the symphonies, so it would be a good introduction to the composer for many, but there's one performance in that set that I absolutely detest and it's Das Lied von der Erde. This particular recording has an unusual history in that it's actually two different performances spliced together and I'm sure they were remixed for correct balances. Anyway, it's a dud.

I already own the Haitink version so no risks there.

[vers la flamme]

Gustav Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen. Frederica von Stade, Andrew Davis, London Philharmonic

Hey, this is filler, but it's actually a REALLY good performance! (And I normally prefer men singing this song cycle.)

[Mirror Image]

I already own the Haitink version so no risks there.

Wunderbar!

[Traverso]

A fabulous set! All of the performances are magnificent. It might be the member Mahlerian who didn't like the Karajan, but who cares. I love the performance and many others do, too.

indeed, probably Mahlerian, he hated Karajan's performances, he made that clear several times, mainly on another forum. If I remember correctly, he didn't think Karajan was true to the score.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Total fabulousness.

Lovely disc !

[Mapman]

Maiden-Listen Monday
Finzi: Grand Fantasia and Toccata
Fowke; Hickox: Liverpool

[JBS]

Final CD to be played from the Peter Serkin set

Lieberson is represented by three cycles [Bagatelles, Fantasy Pieces, Garland], Takemitsu by three pieces [Les yeux clos II, Rain Tree Sketch, Rain Tree Sketch II], Knussen, Berio, Henze, Goehr, and Kirchner by one each. All were written for Serkin. (The Henze in fact is entitled Piece for Peter)

[Madiel]

I decided my morning could do with some early, sparkly Beethoven.

Piano sonata no.3 to be precise.

[Mirror Image]

indeed, probably Mahlerian, he hated Karajan's performances, he made that clear several times, mainly on another forum. If I remember correctly, he didn't think Karajan was true to the score.

He was a rather knowledgeable member and it's too bad he doesn't post here anymore. It seems this is the case on the other forum, too. Anyway, what conductor who has made his name with Mahler (or any composer) is true to the score? There will always be liberties taken to some degree or another.