Mahler symphonies - help

[Greta]

And here, I'm about to begin on this one:



Thoughts? I'm really excited, I like his conducting. Are they eccentric readings? Which ones does he shine on?

[Drasko]

Thoughts? I'm really excited, I like his conducting. Are they eccentric readings? Which ones does he shine on?

I was least impressed with 1st & 4th, 6th is touch eccentric, other range from very good to excellent (2, 3, 5, 7, 9) and beyond excellent (Das Lied). Haven't heard 8th yet.

But they are always very interesting, not the most propulsive but very transparent and willing to bring the unexpected detail to the front.

[PerfectWagnerite]

Kubelik, Karajan, Klemperer, Kaplan, Kleiber, Bernstein, Abaddo, Tennstedt, Blomstedt, Bertini, Solti, Mehta, MTT,  Barbriolli, Walter, Haitink, Boulez, Horrenstein, Barshai, Zinman, etc etc...and those are just a few that comes out the top of my head right now

You mean Erich or Carlos Kleiber? Which Mahler recordings do you have made by either one of them?

Inbal may not be my Mahler cycle of choice but let's be fair, he is a better Mahlerian than Zinman or Horrorstein.

[M forever]

I thought Inbal was an Israeli citizen. Is there a country named Mahleria?

[PerfectWagnerite]

I thought Inbal was an Israeli citizen. Is there a country named Mahleria?

Sure, it's right next to Bulgaria.

[Drasko]

Sure, it's right next to Bulgaria.

No, it isn't. I know, I live there right next to Bulgaria.

[PerfectWagnerite]

No, it isn't. I know, I live there right next to Bulgaria.

Sh*t you caught me !

[PSmith08]

You mean Erich or Carlos Kleiber? Which Mahler recordings do you have made by either one of them?

Isn't there a 1967 Das Lied von der Erde? Beyond that, I didn't think Carlos Kleiber did much (if any) Mahler.

Thoughts? I'm really excited, I like his conducting. Are they eccentric readings? Which ones does he shine on?

There is a really nice 1997 Mahler 9th recently out as part of Profil's "Edition Staatskapelle Dresden," which got a very favorable review from David Hurwitz - who panned the DGG cycle. Beyond that, I would second the assertion that Sinopoli's Mahler is interesting and transparent. By way of that precision and clarity, it reminds me of Boulez' Mahler - but Sinopoli's broader tempi create a different sensibility. You might find a different opinion of his Mahler, and I like his Sinopoli, so I might not be the best source.

[Lethevich]

There is a really nice 1997 Mahler 9th recently out as part of Profil's "Edition Staatskapelle Dresden," which got a very favorable review from David Hurwitz - who panned the DGG cycle. Beyond that, I would second the assertion that Sinopoli's Mahler is interesting and transparent. By way of that precision and clarity, it reminds me of Boulez' Mahler - but Sinopoli's broader tempi create a different sensibility. You might find a different opinion of his Mahler, and I like his Sinopoli, so I might not be the best source.

To add another source - Gramophone didn't like it (the Profil 9th), both the interp and the recording.

[Steve]

And here, I'm about to begin on this one:



Thoughts? I'm really excited, I like his conducting. Are they eccentric readings? Which ones does he shine on?

His rendition of the 8th is absolutely superlative. Otherwise, the 7th is also rather good. Like most large box sets, quality isn't altogether consistent (as evidenced by the entirely unconvincing recordings of Nos. 1 and 9) Still the conducting was a welcome departure from the likes of Tennstedt and Kubelik, providing a more charged, less deliberate recording. Very useful contrast, in my opinion. What other cycles have you acquired?

[BorisG]

Sinopoli was clean-shaven prior to most of these symphonies.

[MishaK]

Sinopoli was clean-shaven prior to most of these symphonies.

Are we supposed to infer some sort of cause-and-effect from that statement?

[mahlertitan]

Sinopoli was clean-shaven prior to most of these symphonies.

"Sinopoli was clean-shaven prior to most of these symphonies", now he is not, therefore the quality of this mahler cycle is ___ (you fill in the blank)

[M forever]

I have never seen a picture of him without the beard, even from the 70s.

[Greta]

There is some reference there, I'm not sure to what...  But it reminds me of a comment about Gergiev, from somewhere (here?), that the amount of beard-growth he had was directly proportionate to the resulting interpretation.  Wish I could find that quote, very funny!

[Que]

A prealable remark: could somebody do something about the duplicate Mahler threads - it's sooo untidy!  (and confusing).

OK, now seriously: what I really wanted to do is point out this DVD issue, which got a rave review at Classicstoday France.
(A search on jpc revealed the existence of two others: symph. no 3 and 4 & 7.)



Q

[Greta]

Very useful contrast, in my opinion. What other cycles have you acquired?

Steve, I have the Solti/CSO set. (Oh yes, that one.) And I'm ashamed to say I haven't finished the whole thing.  Because I got it along with another cycle cobbled together in an estate sale and got sidetracked on those, and then pursued others and never got back to his 6th, 7th and 9th.

Actually I began with the 5th Symphony as far as getting to know Mahler, and had a not good experience with Solti here. I had Levi/Atlanta first. While he's not really a risk-taker there, the playing is great and very sensitive at times. But then I listened to the Solti, and I just didn't connect with it at all. I don't even have a favorite 5th now, but it wouldn't be either of those, there's just so many totally different, interesting, and well-played ones. And then I liked Dohnanyi/Cleveland better on the 4th, and went from there. But I'm going to come back on the Solti now that I know the pieces better, though because if I didn't like something I want to know why. I did recently get the Bernstein DG Complete Works set and am working on that, I like it so far a lot.

The rest of the symphonies I have a mix of either solid, highly-recommended or cracking, unusual performances. I wonder if we shouldn't have a thread again on separate symphonies, we had an M6 thread that turned up some interesting ones in that vein, such as the Mackerras/BBC Phil live one that amazed some of us, and Eiji Oue/Osaka Phil live, gorgeous.

I have mostly complete sets of Chailly and Rattle and definitely want to complete those. And now I want Boulez. I mean, it just never ends!  But I'm going to be away this weekend and plan to take Sinopoli's 5th, and 7th and probably 3rd. I also haven't heard the Philharmonia yet in Mahler, though a favorite orchestra of mine. Should be fun.

[Hector]

And here, I'm about to begin on this one:



Thoughts? I'm really excited, I like his conducting. Are they eccentric readings? Which ones does he shine on?

Piss on, more like.

Avoid.

Ignore the above. Buy them all. Why not? Ebay the sets you do not like!

[MishaK]

Steve, I have the Solti/CSO set. (Oh yes, that one.)

1, 6 and 8 are the good ones in that set. The rest is variable.

[Greta]

Absolutely, that 8th is great. My favorite from the set. 1 also really good, 2 and 3 have their moments too. 4 and 5 just didn't work for me though. 6th is next on my list of his.