Mahler Mania, Rebooted

[LKB]

Now, the moment rapidly approaches - I must get into concert dress. My friends will pick me in twenty minutes, and we'll head for today's concert venue.

In exactly four hours, it will all be over. But there's a celebratory dinner afterward, and another radiant memory will come into being, and be added to a collection which began in 1967.     

[relm1]

Now, the moment rapidly approaches - I must get into concert dress. My friends will pick me in twenty minutes, and we'll head for today's concert venue.

In exactly four hours, it will all be over. But there's a celebratory dinner afterward, and another radiant memory will come into being, and be added to a collection which began in 1967.     

We expect a thorough report!

[André]

Is there a greater symphonic work than Mahler's 9th ? And a more heartfelt performance than Walter's, captured in superb stereo ? Every time I listen to the 9th it takes me some time before I get up and take the disc out.

[Crudblud]

I found nothing in my copy of Fischer. The mammoth four volume La Grange is probably the place to look, but at over £100 a volume it's perhaps not such an appealing prospect.

As it turns out my university library has the complete four volume La Grange. I had a look through them today but Reger is only mentioned in passing as someone who happened to be at various concerts and events. There seemed to be nothing on Reger in the extensive section of the fourth volume collecting Mahler's opinions of others' music either.

[LKB]

Is there a greater symphonic work than Mahler's 9th ? And a more heartfelt performance than Walter's, captured in superb stereo ? Every time I listen to the 9th it takes me some time before I get up and take the disc out.

Walter also recorded M9 with the VPO during ( I think ) the 1930's. I have heard that recording, many years ago, and found it fascinating.

Is there a greater symphonic work? I think that is an impossible determination to make, objectively speaking. Consider this:

All music-lovers have their specific priorities, prejudices, and preferences regarding style, genre and emotional content. Some will undoubtedly find the greatest fulfillment in listening to one of Haydn's London symphonies, and while I may not consider FJH to represent the " acme " of symphonic composition, he was undoubtedly crucial to the development of the form, and produced symphonies which still give audiences ( including me ) pleasure to this day.

Looking beyond Mahler, one finds composers such as Shostakovich, who ( at a higher personal risk than Mahler ever faced ) produced symphonies which communicated messages that challenged both Soviet authority and legitimacy. While I  owe a more personal debt to Mahler for freeing me emotionally as a young man and for allowing me to develop in relative emotional safety, in the objective light of 20th-Century music it would seem that Shostakovich produced works of greater urgency and import. So, any sort of designation as the " greatest " remains elusive, and contingent on personal variables which affect the listener.

[LKB]

As to the performance of the Resurrection on Sunday in which I participated, it probably went better than it should have.

Two members of the orchestra which should have been present were not: the second timpanist and the bass clarinet. The second timpanist was replaced by the assistant conductor, whereas the clarinetist ( who called in sick Sunday morning ) was replaced by a high school student, the only player who was available on very short notice. Both of the substitute players rose to the challenge - I heard no errors from either, so: Kudos! 

My director has been effusive in his praise for the chorus. He had to endure the unexpected death of his mother only three weeks ago, which resulted in his missing a rehearsal, subsequently overseen by our chorus's Assistant Director. So the Resurrection was made personal, in the most pertinent sense.

All in all, a big win. I made no mistakes, was an asset to the chorus and - once again - was able to participate in a momentous musical event.   

[relm1]

As to the performance of the Resurrection on Sunday in which I participated, it probably went better than it should have.

Two members of the orchestra which should have been present were not: the second timpanist and the bass clarinet. The second timpanist was replaced by the assistant conductor, whereas the clarinetist ( who called in sick Sunday morning ) was replaced by a high school student, the only player who was available on very short notice. Both of the substitute players rose to the challenge - I heard no errors from either, so: Kudos! 

My director has been effusive in his praise for the chorus. He had to endure the unexpected death of his mother only three weeks ago, which resulted in his missing a rehearsal, subsequently overseen by our chorus's Assistant Director. So the Resurrection was made personal, in the most pertinent sense.

All in all, a big win. I made no mistakes, was an asset to the chorus and - once again - was able to participate in a momentous musical event.   

Congratulations to all involved!  You've climbed Mt. Everest.

[Mapman]

whereas the clarinetist ( who called in sick Sunday morning ) was replaced by a high school student, the only player who was available on very short notice. Both of the substitute players rose to the challenge - I heard no errors from either, so: Kudos! 

That must have been an incredible experience for that high school clarinetist! I'm glad you were pleased with the performance.

[LKB]

That must have been an incredible experience for that high school clarinetist! I'm glad you were pleased with the performance.

I expect you're right on target regarding that student. While I don't know any more than I've already related, I'm certain that whether they have a lifetime in music or not, they'll remember their " emergency engagement " forever.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Is there a greater symphonic work than Mahler's 9th ? And a more heartfelt performance than Walter's, captured in superb stereo ? Every time I listen to the 9th it takes me some time before I get up and take the disc out.

Oh absolutely. A devastatingly powerful and emotive symphony. And that Walter performance is superb in all respects. I bought the Walter Mahler box set that was issued by Sony Japan that contains his 1st, 2nd, 9th and Das Lied several years ago and I'm convinced these are some of the most spectacular Mahler performances ever committed to record. Truly special.

The box set in question:

[JBS]

The press release accompanying Paavo Jarvi/Zurich Tonhalle's release of their Mahler 5 recording says Jarvi plans to record the complete cycle.  So this will be the ZTO's second complete Mahler cycle.

This sparks a question: how many orchestras have done more than one complete cycle? Chicago has done it under Solti and Abbado. Any others?

[Jo498]

Concertgebouw? Haitink and Chailly?
I'd have guessed Vienna Philharmonic but the only complete one seems Maazel. Bernstein, Abbado, Boulez used the Vienna for some but not all.
I also don't think that there is a complete Abbado/Chicago from the 70s/80s. It's 1,2,5,6,7 only. 3,4,9 are with Vienna, and the 8th is later with Berlin. He re-did some with vienna, Berlin and Lucerne festival but there doesn't seem one Abbado/Mahler cycle with one orchestra.

[JBS]

Concertgebouw? Haitink and Chailly?
I'd have guessed Vienna Philharmonic but the only complete one seems Maazel. Bernstein, Abbado, Boulez used the Vienna for some but not all.
I also don't think that there is a complete Abbado/Chicago from the 70s/80s. It's 1,2,5,6,7 only. 3,4,9 are with Vienna, and the 8th is later with Berlin. He re-did some with vienna, Berlin and Lucerne festival but there doesn't seem one Abbado/Mahler cycle with one orchestra.

Thanks for the correction.
What increases confusion is the multiplicity of German RSO Orchestras (in this case RSO Frankfurt with Inbal, and RSO Koln with Bertini) and cities with two orchestras (the RSO Koln and Gurzenich Koln with Stenz, plus LPO/Tennstedt and LSO/Gergiev).

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

The press release accompanying Paavo Jarvi/Zurich Tonhalle's release of their Mahler 5 recording says Jarvi plans to record the complete cycle.  So this will be the ZTO's second complete Mahler cycle.

This sparks a question: how many orchestras have done more than one complete cycle? Chicago has done it under Solti and Abbado. Any others?

The Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks recorded the Mahler cycle twice: the first with Kubelik on DG and then Jansons on BR-Klassik.

[Jo498]

Thanks for the correction.
What increases confusion is the multiplicity of German RSO Orchestras (in this case RSO Frankfurt with Inbal, and RSO Koln with Bertini) and cities with two orchestras (the RSO Koln and Gurzenich Koln with Stenz, plus LPO/Tennstedt and LSO/Gergiev).

This should not cause any more confusion that many orchestras having "philharmonisch" or "philharmonic" or "symphony" etc. in their name. These are all totally different orchestras that have in common that they belong to a German radio station. As these are local, roughly aligned with federal states, there are lots of them.
Their full names would be like "Sinfonieorchester des Westdeutschen Rundfunks Köln"; "RSO" stands for Rundfunksinfonieorchester (radio symphony orchestra). AFAIK the Gürzenich orchestra is (or at least was) distinct from the WDR orchestra, the "Gürzenich" (this name sounds strange and funny in German as well, maybe not in Cologne) is a concert hall in Cologne.

[Herman]

Is there a greater symphonic work than Mahler's 9th ?

Many, even within Mahler's own output.

[Valentino]

We don't like euphoria do we?

[Cato]

I placed this on the "Chat" topic, but in case you missed it: a good number of Mahler articles are included in this journal from 1960: of special interest to me was Bruno Walter's essay on Bruckner and Mahler.

See also Dika Newlin's essays!

Note the Mahler Festival of 1960!!!  That was truly a turning point for the performance and recording of Mahler's works!

I am unsure where to place this: while going through the archives of the journal Chord and Discord for my comment on the Bruckner Composer topic, I recalled that the 1960 issue had a prodigious number of fascinating articles, including several by student-of-Schoenberg Dika Newlin and an essay by Bruno Walter.

Newlin wrote articles on Bruckner, Mahler, and Berg's Wozzeck.


To download a copy for free:


Chord and Discord 1960 issue

[brunumb]

The press release accompanying Paavo Jarvi/Zurich Tonhalle's release of their Mahler 5 recording says Jarvi plans to record the complete cycle.  So this will be the ZTO's second complete Mahler cycle.

This sparks a question: how many orchestras have done more than one complete cycle? Chicago has done it under Solti and Abbado. Any others?

Maazel and Sinopoli with the Philharmonia?

[brewski]

Available through April 15 (recorded in January), this performance of Mahler 2 with Andrés Orozco-Estrada and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra is available online (free). Soloists are Elizabeth Watts (soprano) and Karen Cargill (mezzo-soprano), with two choirs, the Göteborgs Symfonikers Vokalensemble and Göteborgs Symfoniska Kör.