What concerts are you looking forward to? (Part II)

[Bunny]

Lilas, for me cowbells should be heard clearly even if from a distance. Ideally they are the pastoral equivalent of the bells of a church seen on a slope of the mountain below.  Their sound marks the time as well as the connection of the ordinary to the spiritual. I think that there is a duality in Mahler's music: he is immersed in the physical nature of the Earth, ie. The mountains, sky, etc. while at the same time he sees them in a deeply mystical way. This is, for me the heart of Mahler's vision.

It's late and I'm not really expressing this as well as I would like. I'll try again later. I only hope this doesn't read like complete drivel! 

[ChamberNut]

Not that it's a defining factor, but I'd like to know wich 6th have particularly distant cowbell sounds?

The ones with a dozen cows backstage. 

[Bunny]

The ones with a dozen cows backstage. 

hehehe

[Bunny]

Great post, Bunny !

I'm not sure about how the the 6th's cowbells ought to sound (which is another way of saying I have my own idea in the subject ). A IIRC the experience of hearing cowbells up in the mountain pastures struck him deeply. as it did with me, but I heard them from above, looking down below. We were having a snack in the Allgauern Alpen, nach Obertsdorf . Cowbells were heard very distinctly, startlingly reminiscent of the 6th symphony - I mean, although I had a long time ago read about the 6th's genesis and Mahler's love of nature sounds, hearing those in situ came as quite a shock. After a few seconds, my attempts to locate the grazing herd was fruitful and I noticed a dozen cows in the shadow of a tree, about 1000 feet below in the valley. Their sound was coming very distinctly from down there, although they appeared as tiny as ants from my viewpoint.

Now, Mahler has precisely described this section as "the last greeting from earth to penetrate the remote solitude of the mountain peaks." Well, we were quite far from the mountain peaks, so my hunch is that, if Mahler's sensations are to be translated in sounds, then the cowbells ought to sound from as far as possible - an almost ethereal feeling (as in "ether"). 'Closeup' cowbells bring me closer to Chicago's meat processing plants than to the Alp's pastures.

Not that it's a defining factor, but I'd like to know wich 6th have particularly distant cowbell sounds?

FYI, I believe only dairy cows have bells, so clear the Chicago meat processing plant from your imagination (unring that bell ). 

Cows and their bells make the most noise when the herd is moving: usually going to pasture in the morning, and returning to the barn in the evening.  I'm no farm girl, and I don't live in the mountains, but I've heard cows (a small dairy herd) on the road wearing bells as they were moved from one pasture to the another pasture on the other side of the road.  As we drove closer they made quite a racket with the bells clanging, the occasional moo, etc as they walked and settled themselves in the other pasture.  I can't imagine that Mahler was so far away that they were just barely audible.  We were able to hear the bells from a good way off, so I suspect that in the mountains with the thinner air, they would sound fairly crisply even at distance.  So, I'd like my cowbells clearly audible, not barely audible, but certainly not drowning out the orchestra.

Maybe I should hold a cowbell competition. Sooner or later I'll find the best balance between the barn door and the church door so to speak... 

[bhodges]

Don't have much to add to Bunny's good write-up of last night's Mahler Sixth with Boulez, other than that it is so far the highlight of the cycle for me.  The piece is a very good match for Boulez's temperament (as opposed to the Second), and the playing, while still a bit rocky, was better than the previous concerts. 

So tonight:

Staatskapelle Berlin
Daniel Barenboim, Music Director and Conductor
Thomas Hampson, Baritone

Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
Mahler: Symphony No. 7 

--Bruce

[Bunny]

Don't have much to add to Bunny's good write-up of last night's Mahler Sixth with Boulez, other than that it is so far the highlight of the cycle for me.  The piece is a very good match for Boulez's temperament (as opposed to the Second), and the playing, while still a bit rocky, was better than the previous concerts. 

So tonight:

Staatskapelle Berlin
Daniel Barenboim, Music Director and Conductor
Thomas Hampson, Baritone

Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
Mahler: Symphony No. 7 

--Bruce

I think my top highlights have to be Quasthoff.  He's been a miracle and I don't care if his upper register has "lost some bloom."  Nonsense!  His artistry is unrivaled and the voice is still  stunningly beautiful.  Boulez did deliver, though and I would say that the 4th, 5th, and 6th have been the best played so far despite the brass.  Did you notice that the opening trumpeter had that awful biff right at the first entrance?  It was perfect in the repeat, but I'm sure he would rather have biffed in the repeat if he had to biff than in the first entrance.  What's going on with the brass? I read somewhere that the trumpeter who did the posthorn solo in the 3rd is the son of the First Violinist.  That's keeping it in the family.

Much joy in anticipation of tonight's excellent program!  Barenboim's recording of that symphony is one of my favorites.

[bhodges]

Yes, Quasthoff has been marvelous, and I didn't really hear the "lost bloom" either: he sounded just fine to me.  And actually all three of the singers have been terrific.  (I am uncertain what to expect of Hampson tonight, since I haven't heard him recently.) 

Re: the unfortunate problems with the brass.  I don't know what's going on, but yes, they seem to be struggling. 

And I'll be glad to have a break tomorrow, before the Eighth.  0:)

--Bruce

[not edward]

I find it hard to imagine Boulez not delivering on the 6th. The times I've heard him conduct it have ranged from good to electrifying. Would love to get the chance to hear Quasthoff sing Mahler, too... the Wayfarer songs with Boulez on CD are remarkable.

I'm envious of you guys getting to hear Barenboim do the 7th... the recording I thought was nothing short of sensational.

[bhodges]

I find it hard to imagine Boulez not delivering on the 6th. The times I've heard him conduct it have ranged from good to electrifying.

The friend who went with me last night wanted to hear Boulez conduct the piece again, after hearing him awhile back do the Sixth with the London Symphony Orchestra.  I asked her, "So it was great?" and she said, "It was a life-changing experience!"    Last night wasn't quite at that level, but still very impressive.

--Bruce

[karlhenning]

And I'll be glad to have a break tomorrow, before the Eighth.  0:)

Sleeping in, eh, Bruce? 

[MishaK]

Yes, Quasthoff has been marvelous, and I didn't really hear the "lost bloom" either: he sounded just fine to me.

Anthony Tommasini is a certifiable moron. His reviews should generally be ignored.

[bhodges]

Sleeping in, eh, Bruce? 

  Honest, it will be nice to have a night off.  This festival is great fun but also time-consuming! 

Anthony Tommasini is a certifiable moron. His reviews should generally be ignored.

The Quasthoff comment made me think, "Were we even in the same room?"   

--Bruce

[MishaK]

The Quasthoff comment made me think, "Were we even in the same room?"   

I've had many "same room?" experiences reading his reviews. Same with John von Rhein at the Chicago Tribune. I can't even believe that guy's name. It's gotta be fake.

[karlhenning]

The Quasthoff comment made me think, "Were we even in the same room?"   

I've had occasion to wonder that, even at times when I knew the other fellow was not a complete nincompoop.

[Bunny]

Staatskapelle Berlin
Daniel Barenboim, Music Director and Conductor
Thomas Hampson, Baritone

Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
Mahler: Symphony No. 7 

FREUDE! 

Tonight the orchestra delivered the best sustained playing in the cycle so far.  NO BRASS PROBLEMS!  Barenboim gave a magnificent reading of the symphony, coming together in wonderful fashion.  The musicians played so beautifully I began to wonder if I had hallucinated all of the problems in the earlier symphonies.  No brass biffs, no early entrances, no problems with ensemble, no ragged or rough play.  The solo instruments, from the trumpet (formerly very problematic) to the horn, to the wonderful 1st violin, to the oboist (a real treasure), to the flutes, to the clarinets, to the harps, to the first violist (superb), to the guitarist, and the mandolin player (excellent) -- all played brilliantly without a hitch. And the percussionists were simply splendid.  If they were a slumping baseball team, I would assume the manager had called the team together for a tough love/get your ass in gear type of talk. 

Hampton may not have been in best voice, he exhibited signs of having a cold or allergies (blowing his nose and coughing). While he had some very slight, although well covered, problems only with his highest notes, he rose to the occasion with a very sensitive reading of the Lieder.  After the perfection or the previous singers, I will not quibble here.  Vocally so far, we have had a surfeit of pleasures.  Even with Hampson's problems, this was an evening when nothing could dim the brilliance of the music. 

At the end, the audience leapt to our feet and couldn't stop shouting and clapping.  It was a very happy evening.  The 7th ends in a celebratory climax.  There is not a hint of darkness as is all too common in Mahler who liked to temper his joy with something darker.  Barenboim, while pulling out all of the stops, gave one of the more disciplined readings.  Thumbs up!  I have come to feel that when he is on, and he has been on so far, everything he does has a tremendous vitality that is lost with some conductors nowadays who are afraid to venture too far from the "composer's intentions."

Another thing that was clearly in evidence tonight is how good this orchestra can sound.  The strings had tremendous warmth and fullness, the tympany had great power -- those cowbells both on stage and off were perfect.  The clarinets sounded both nostalgic and satirical in turn.  The transparency was amazing, each instrumental group was heard so clearly even during the loudest climaxes.  If the SKB plays like this on a regular basis at home, it's no wonder that the Berlin critics are always carping about the BP.  Tonight the orchestra played like a world class Mahler band.

Note: Despite the excellence of this evening, I have to remark on the fact that apparently a few members of the audience must have dozed off during the first movement.  The end of the first movement is a fairly loud climax, which apparently woke them up.  They started the applause as if the symphony had just concluded, and then I suppose with some egg on their faces, quieted down for the second movement.  Clearly Mahler rookies.  There was no other untoward interruptions by any others in the audience, so I will assume they managed to stay awake, following the lead of the rest of the Mahler Pros as to the proper time to start clapping.

Oops, secret sources have suggested that it was Tomassini asleep in the balcony...

[ChamberNut]

Lilas, for me cowbells should be heard clearly even if from a distance.

Just for my own reference, where in the Mahler 6th do the cowbells appear?  Is it in the Andante (approx. 12 minutes in)? 

[ChamberNut]

Just for my own reference, where in the Mahler 6th do the cowbells appear?  Is it in the Andante (approx. 12 minutes in)? 

Nevermind.  They are approx. 10 minutes into the Finale. 

[not edward]

Nevermind.  They are approx. 10 minutes into the Finale. 

Yes, though they appear multiple times throughout the work, and in the faster movements indicating a temporary turn away from the march rhythms to a more pastoral atmosphere.

[karlhenning]

Cow-pat Mahler?!!? 

[ChamberNut]

Yes, though they appear multiple times throughout the work, and in the faster movements indicating a temporary turn away from the march rhythms to a more pastoral atmosphere.

Much appreciated, Edward!