Mahler Mania, Rebooted

[JBS]

Cross posting from WAYL2:

Thoughts on JB's Mahler? The Warner budget box with symphonies 1, 5, 6 & 9 (plus the Lieder with Baker) can be had for REALLY cheap right now, and it's tempting.

I urge you to give into temptation. I'vd always liked them. [Tangentially, the budget Sibelius set is also worth getting.]
In fact, I'm gearing up to order some Barbirolli Society CDs of Mahler (among others) he didn't record for HMV/Pye--Symphonies 2 and 7, and an alternate performance of Symphony 1 (Czech Philharmonic).

[Spotted Horses]

Research points to it pretty much unequivocally being Andante-Scherzo, what Mahler signed off on his final transcript. Some confusion with Mengelberg, consulting Alma, and a rogue publisher changing the order back to the first edition shouldn't be the definitive version IMO.

Having said that I prefer S-A as well lol, the balance with the lighter Andante sounds more right before the finale.

My preference is for A-S. The scherzo seems like a continuation of the mood of the first movement. I find it more convincing for the andante to break the mood of the first movement, then have it return before the summation of the finale.

[vers la flamme]

I'm not usually the biggest fan in the world of Lorin Maazel's conducting but his Mahler 4th with the VPO is just stellar. Must be one of the best I've ever heard. Are any of the other recordings in his cycle this good?

[vers la flamme]

The Chailly/RSO Berlin 10th sounds really good. Any fans?



Are any of the non-Cooke completions worth checking out?

[bhodges]

The Chailly/RSO Berlin 10th sounds really good. Any fans?



Are any of the non-Cooke completions worth checking out?

Oh hell, yes!

*cough cough* I mean, yes. 

(And sorry, can't weigh in on the non-Cooke query; I've only heard that version.)

--Bruce

[Lisztianwagner]

The Chailly/RSO Berlin 10th sounds really good. Any fans?



Are any of the non-Cooke completions worth checking out?

Sure, definitely! As for Chailly's Mahler in general.

[Wanderer]

The Chailly/RSO Berlin 10th sounds really good. Any fans?

It's my favourite version by far.

[Spotted Horses]

I'm not usually the biggest fan in the world of Lorin Maazel's conducting but his Mahler 4th with the VPO is just stellar. Must be one of the best I've ever heard. Are any of the other recordings in his cycle this good?

I've made the comment somewhere around here, but No 2 is remarkable (the original release was my first Mahler CD). I think the cycle is generally outstanding (although I have not listened all of it yet). But then, I'm a big fan of Maazel.

[staxomega]

I'm not usually the biggest fan in the world of Lorin Maazel's conducting but his Mahler 4th with the VPO is just stellar. Must be one of the best I've ever heard. Are any of the other recordings in his cycle this good?

That 4th is one of the very best. VLF how about getting Bruckner mania going, I'm having a hard time breaking through with the first three symphonies in this new cycle, and my brain won't allow me to hear it out of order and jump to my favorites 

[LKB]

" Bruckner mania "... < ears perk up >

[vers la flamme]

That 4th is one of the very best. VLF how about getting Bruckner mania going, I'm having a hard time breaking through with the first three symphonies in this new cycle, and my brain won't allow me to hear it out of order and jump to my favorites 

Check the what are you listening 2 thread 

Still more in a Mahlerian mood but it's good to get back to a bit of Bruckner.

Remind me, though what cycle are you listening to?

[Mirror Image]

Another open ended question: Do you all like Das klagende Lied? I have to admit it never did much for me.

Das klagende Lied is an alright piece --- it's certainly not a work I listen to with any frequency. The first, and, for me, best recording of the work is Boulez's on Columbia (Sony), but I also enjoyed Chailly and Nagano. There's something about this work that does feel incomplete to me and I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that it's earlier work and lacks a certain confidence that he would no doubt exhibit later. Still, there are some nice sections, but I find it to be rather unmemorable overall.

[Wanderer]

Another open ended question: Do you all like Das klagende Lied? I have to admit it never did much for me.

I don't dislike it, if that answers your question. And if I had the choice to book tickets for a concert of either Das klagende Lied or almost anything else, I'd probably book almost anything else.

[vers la flamme]

Yeah I'm not crazy about DKL; but I suppose I owe it another chance.

Wow, the MTT/LSO 7th is such a killer performance. Really, really enjoying it.

[ritter]

I must admit I don't hold Das klagende Lied in high regard. Of course there are some interesting passages, and glimpses of the mature Mahler to come, but taken as a whole it strikes me like an adolescent attempt to "out-Wagner" Wagner. "Ach, Spielmann, lieber Spielmann mein" 

[vers la flamme]

I know Antoni Wit's recording of Mahler's 8th has quite a few fans here. I wanted to ask if any of his other Mahler recordings are of the same stature? How is his 2nd?

[Roasted Swan]

I know Antoni Wit's recording of Mahler's 8th has quite a few fans here. I wanted to ask if any of his other Mahler recordings are of the same stature? How is his 2nd?

Wit's Resurrection has many of the same virtues as his "Symphony of a Thousand".  Very well played and sung - I don't think any choirs beat German/Eastern European groups for the sheer focus and power of their singing.  The soloists are good but not anyhting more than that. The engineering is remarkably successful too.  Wit is a centre-ground Mahlerian - nothing to take offense at but not really much to get you reaching for the stars either.  But given you can find this on Amazon UK for just £1.24 + p&p it is certainly well worth that.

[not edward]

The Chailly/RSO Berlin 10th sounds really good. Any fans?



Are any of the non-Cooke completions worth checking out?

My favourite 10th by a long way, though I've not heard too many. Chailly doesn't try to milk the emotion in it, and the tenderness of the flute/strings passage in the finale--surely the emotional core of the work--is exactly what it needs, IMO.

[not edward]

Cross posting from WAYL2:

Thoughts on JB's Mahler? The Warner budget box with symphonies 1, 5, 6 & 9 (plus the Lieder with Baker) can be had for REALLY cheap right now, and it's tempting.

If you've not bought it yet, I encourage you to. IMO the 9th is one of the finest on record (I probably prefer Ančerl, but only by a touch), and the 5th and 6th are excellent (though more controversial). And perhaps it's just me, but I think the Lieder disc with Baker is literally one of the finest recordings ever made--not just of Mahler, but of anything.

There's also a number of very interesting live JB recordings out there. The live 6th with the BPO (my copy is on Testament) is astonishing and in many ways a polar opposite to the studio 6th; white-hot, fast, intense and never letting up.

[vers la flamme]

If you've not bought it yet, I encourage you to. IMO the 9th is one of the finest on record (I probably prefer Ančerl, but only by a touch), and the 5th and 6th are excellent (though more controversial). And perhaps it's just me, but I think the Lieder disc with Baker is literally one of the finest recordings ever made--not just of Mahler, but of anything.

There's also a number of very interesting live JB recordings out there. The live 6th with the BPO (my copy is on Testament) is astonishing and in many ways a polar opposite to the studio 6th; white-hot, fast, intense and never letting up.

The reason I've held off so far is because I realized that I already have most of the recordings with the exception of 5 and 6. But, if you or anyone else can convince me that the Warner set has a new remaster that's worth hearing...