Topic: Mahler 2 Ivan Fischer

[Rabin_Fan]

Thinking of adding this Mahler 2 to my collection. Any comments please? Thanks.

[hautbois]

It's rather expensive not? Just dropped by to tell you that i won Channel Classics's monthly quiz price and i chosed an OBOE cd. (HAH! That should've stucked a knife in your heart.) Stupid that i didnt chose a 2 cd set, but i am not interested in anymore Mahler at the current moment. You could sample it over the counter and decide though, but i am not so enthusiastic.

Howard

[Rabin_Fan]

It's rather expensive not? Just dropped by to tell you that i won Channel Classics's monthly quiz price and i chosed an OBOE cd. (HAH! That should've stucked a knife in your heart.) Stupid that i didnt chose a 2 cd set, but i am not interested in anymore Mahler at the current moment. You could sample it over the counter and decide though, but i am not so enthusiastic.

Howard

On sale on the net - only about GBP14.20 p&p to Malaysia - works out about under RM100 for 2 SACDs - not bad.

[Todd]

I've been contemplating this one.  I have Fischer's Mahler 6, and while it's very good, it's not in the top echelon, so I don't know if I want to spend full price for another Mahler 2 at this point.  If anyone has experience with this set, I'd be interested in knowing how it compares to others.

[BorisG]

Thinking of adding this Mahler 2 to my collection. Any comments please? Thanks.

Well recorded, but Fischer's tempi are slow, and many dynamics I listen for in Mahler 2, on this occasion are softer than I like.

For exciting, try Suitner and Berlin Staatskapelle on Berlin Classics. The 1983 analog sound with 1997? remastering is very good. A newer remastering may be available at CD Japan.

[Bunny]

I think it's a fine recording, and a good addition to anyone's collection.  I have no complaint about the sound quality in SACD which is really so natural that I could close my eyes, and imagine myself in a hall.  There are other Mahler 2nds which are better, but not very many and not in SACD multichannel sound.  The Litton which I love is actually SACD stereo not multichannel.  The MTT is good, but not as much to my taste.  I usually find myself playing the Urlicht for Lorraine Hunt Lieberson's singing rather than listening to the whole symphony.  we all know about Kaplan's SACD 2nd which is not a good as this one.  This one is also head and shoulders above the Abbado which I find underpowered no matter if I'm listening in stereo, dvd or sacd. 

I actually like his Mahler 6th also.  It's probably the only one I've heard where the Scherzo sounds okay coming after the Andante although I usually program it so that the Scherzo comes second.  Again, I find it more interesting than Abbado's Mahler 6th.

[Steve]

I only recently came about the Fischer recording, and I found it to be perfectly adequate. I generally prefer the tempi of the Bernstein. But the sound and articulation in this recording are top-notch. The SACD is an added bonus. It all depends on how you like your Mahler.

[RebLem]

I own about 14 cycles of the Mahler symphonies, and about 5-6 other stand alone perfs of the Resurrection.  In my opinion, the two best performances are among my most recent acquisitions, and unfortunately, they are unavailable outside their complete sets.  fortunately, however, both have superb performances of most of the other symphonies as well--they are the Segerstam and Kubelik performances.

[Harry]

Well recorded, but Fischer's tempi are slow, and many dynamics I listen for in Mahler 2, on this occasion are softer than I like.

For exciting, try Suitner and Berlin Staatskapelle on Berlin Classics. The 1983 analog sound with 1997? remastering is very good. A newer remastering may be available at CD Japan.

Well that is a surprise to me, that his tempi are slow, that is not the Fischer I know.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I've found Fischer's Mahler very much to my liking. I've had both his 2nd and 6th for a while and am quite happy with them.

Fischer's Mahler may lack the last ounce of profundity that some like Bernstein or Chailly bring but that's not meant as a put down. Fischer instead offers up much color, transparency, and a certain spirit that is uniquely his own.

As far as speeds, of those I own Fischer's is second fastest. Here's a rundown:

Fischer: 81.12
Tislon-Thomas: 86.82
Haitink/BPO: 86.05
Blomstedt: 79.79
Bertini: 83.62

[Harry]

I've found Fischer's Mahler very much to my liking. I've had both his 2nd and 6th for a while and am quite happy with them.

Fischer's Mahler may lack the last ounce of profundity that some like Bernstein or Chailly bring but that's not meant as a put down. Fischer instead offers up much color, transparency, and a certain spirit that is uniquely his own.

As far as speeds, of those I own Fischer's is second fastest. Here's a rundown:

Fischer: 81.12
Tislon-Thomas: 86.82
Haitink/BPO: 86.05
Blomstedt: 79.79
Bertini: 83.62

Timings are most interesting, did not know Blomstedt was that fast.
And Fischer does well in that respect.

[Bunny]

I've found Fischer's Mahler very much to my liking. I've had both his 2nd and 6th for a while and am quite happy with them.

Fischer's Mahler may lack the last ounce of profundity that some like Bernstein or Chailly bring but that's not meant as a put down. Fischer instead offers up much color, transparency, and a certain spirit that is uniquely his own.

As far as speeds, of those I own Fischer's is second fastest. Here's a rundown:

Fischer: 81.12
Tislon-Thomas: 86.82
Haitink/BPO: 86.05
Blomstedt: 79.79
Bertini: 83.62

Which of the recordings you cite do you find more profound?  The greatest Mahler 1st I've ever heard was Ivan Fischer conducting the BFO one night at Carnegie Hall.  After the performance the conductor and musicians were on such a high that they couldn't stop playing.  They not only did their encores but continued with folk music and dancing (or maybe it was just moving and swaying with the music), with Fischer clapping in rhythm.  Profound is where you find it, and it's always serendipitous.

Timings are most interesting, did not know Blomstedt was that fast.
And Fischer does well in that respect.

Klemperer also has a very fast Mahler 2nd; it actually fits on one cd.  Of course, the composer wished a lengthy pause between the first and second movements, but I suppose it's easy enough to stop the music and wait.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Which of the recordings you cite do you find more profound?  The greatest Mahler 1st I've ever heard was Ivan Fischer conducting the BFO one night at Carnegie Hall.  After the performance the conductor and musicians were on such a high that they couldn't stop playing.  They not only did their encores but continued with folk music and dancing (or maybe it was just moving and swaying with the music), with Fischer clapping in rhythm.  Profound is where you find it, and it's always serendipitous.

Suddenly you're defending Fischer?

How soon you've forgotten your own words from the old board:

I also have the Fischer Mahler 6th, but it hasn't caught my imagination the same way it's caught Donwyn's.

Certainly the 6th can be a much more intense, frenzied work than it is in the hands of Abbado and Fischer, or Zander and Michael Tilson Thomas for that matter.

The link for the entire post (post #123) is here.

BTW, nothing in my previous post is intended to pan Fischer in any way.

[Iago]

.  This one is also head and shoulders above the Abbado which I find underpowered no matter if I'm listening in stereo, dvd or sacd. 

If  you're talking about the performance with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, you don't know what you're talking about. It boasts one of the finest orchestras on record, and Abbado is really inspired. Howeever, the soloists could be alot better.

[Bunny]

If  you're talking about the performance with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, you don't know what you're talking about. It boasts one of the finest orchestras on record, and Abbado is really inspired. Howeever, the soloists could be alot better.

Not just the soloists.  The sound of the orchestra is so recessed or maybe the strings are so thin, that even when I bump the volume up it just doesn't have the requisite power and fullness.  I've wasted money getting it on dvd and sacd so please don't suggest it's a problem with my player or the cds.  This is one recording where I fully understand how it could be termed Mahler-lite.  It's like the low calorie version of the symphony, and I really crave those high carb, creamy, plummy, thick tones that Abbado doesn't seem to want from his orchestras.

Just put it on to make sure about it, and I have to say that there's not much bass presence or tympani either.