Mahler Mania, Rebooted

[Daverz]

What's everyone's favorite Mahler 5? I've only heard Bernstein so far

I always liked Levine/Philadelphia.  Of recent recordings, I really enjoyed Payare.

EDIT: Just listened to Paavo Jarvi with the Tonhalle, and really enjoyed that one, too.

[LKB]

What's everyone's favorite Mahler 5? I've only heard Bernstein so far

Mahler's Fifth has always been a bit prickly for me, as much as I love his music. I normally just check in with the Scherzo and Adagietto, and move on.

That being said, Bernstein's filmed performance with the VPO for DG is about as good as any, imho.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

What's everyone's favorite Mahler 5? I've only heard Bernstein so far

Which Bernstein?

To answer your question: I have several favorites --- Bernstein (DG), Solti/CSO (70s), Tennstedt, Barshai, Abbado (CSO) and Karajan.

[Jo498]

Bernstein/DG is a favorite, but it was my first recording and one of my first 2 or 3 Mahler CDs, so this might be early imprinting. It has a slow adagietto which is historically "wrong". But I am not sufficiently obsessed with that to avoid or keep systematically track of slow vs. flowing adagiettos. Kubelik is also good and idiomatic, but the dryish DG sound is not great.

A dark horse candidate is Wyn Morris with a fast adagietto but slowish everywhere else which allows a strong characterization of contrasts. Beware the Collins CD issue that might be affected by bronzing, hopefully the IMP CDs are not (I don't know).

[Valentino]

I like the Barshai M5 best. Runner up I think the first (analog) CSO Solti.

[brewski]

DG Bernstein is my favorite. But I can also highly recommend Gielen, Kubelik (either the DG studio or the Audite live), and Haitink's Christmas concert.

Though I haven't heard the Kubelik versions, I can sign on with all the others. Will also put in a good word for Chailly/Concertgebouw, for pacing, resplendent playing, and recorded sound. 

[Daverz]

A peak-listening-experience Fifth that I forgot is the live Tennstedt with the NDR.  That one, however, does take some time to warm up, but once it does, it is transcendent.



Also in Profil's Tennstedt Edition box.

[Florestan]

DG Bernstein is my favorite. But I can also highly recommend Gielen, Kubelik (either the DG studio or the Audite live), and Haitink's Christmas concert.

Wait a minute! Mahler 5 in a Christmas concert? Blimey, I never knew Haitink was a madman. 

[Jo498]

AFAIK the "Kerstmatinee" is a Concertgebouw tradition; it's on the afternoon of Christmas Day but usually not Christmas-themed.

[Herman]

AFAIK the "Kerstmatinee" is a Concertgebouw tradition; it's on the afternoon of Christmas Day but usually not Christmas-themed.

Those concerts were emphatically NOT christmas-themed.

[Daverz]

Wait a minute! Mahler 5 in a Christmas concert? Blimey, I never knew Haitink was a madman. 

I know it starts with a Funeral March and the 2nd movement is "Stürmisch bewegt, mit größter Vehemenz",but... the Adagio is contented love music (despite the use at JFK's funeral, it's not elegiacal) and the FInale seems quite joyful.  Of course, I don't celebrate Christmas, so it doesn't matter to me.

[lordlance]

Is... Mahler 10 supposed to be a significantly more difficult nut to crack than the Ninth? I know (or have read rather) that Mahler's language was evolving in the direction of what eventually became the Second Viennese School. 

I don't know. 17 minutes into the first movement and I just find it downright unlistenable. 

I love 1, 5, 6 and 9 (2, 3, 7 need to revisit) though.

[relm1]

Is... Mahler 10 supposed to be a significantly more difficult nut to crack than the Ninth? I know (or have read rather) that Mahler's language was evolving in the direction of what eventually became the Second Viennese School.

I don't know. 17 minutes into the first movement and I just find it downright unlistenable.

I love 1, 5, 6 and 9 (2, 3, 7 need to revisit) though.

Well, it's the outburst chord in the 10th.  https://youtu.be/6hHKjS8X4I8?t=1086. He's pushing harmony.  My opinion is you should listen to the whole work because he completed it, died when orchestrating it.  There is a short score so guidance on how to handle the orchestration though the full score is only finished in the first two movements.  Anyway, the reason why you should hear the whole thing is it becomes radiant and reflective, not angry. 

[Roasted Swan]

Wait a minute! Mahler 5 in a Christmas concert? Blimey, I never knew Haitink was a madman. 

Those Christmas Day Mahler broadcasts were an absolute 'staple' of Christmas TV on the BBC before the brave new world of streaming and the like.  The playing was predictably epic - mainly stuck with the non-vocal/choral symphonies as I recall.  I've got the DVD box of them and apart from the hairstyles(!) they wear their age with grace.

[Brian]

It appears that critical consensus for recordings of the completed 10th still focuses on Chailly, Gielen, and Rattle/Berlin? And some folks here (esp. DavidW) love the new Vanska too.

[Skogwald]

Thanks for all the recs, I need to listen to all of them since Mahler 5 kinda still eludes me (outside of the gorgeous adagietto)

Today I got lost in a forest while listening to Mahler 3 on my IEMs!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XvLWLZHH6nJUrFFu6

[lordlance]

Well, it's the outburst chord in the 10th.  https://youtu.be/6hHKjS8X4I8?t=1086. He's pushing harmony.  My opinion is you should listen to the whole work because he completed it, died when orchestrating it.  There is a short score so guidance on how to handle the orchestration though the full score is only finished in the first two movements.  Anyway, the reason why you should hear the whole thing is it becomes radiant and reflective, not angry. 

That... explains things. Thanks.

[Crudblud]

What's everyone's favorite Mahler 5? I've only heard Bernstein so far

Barshai is my overall favourite. Walter '47 is great if you can put up with orchestral music in mono.

[Spotted Horses]

What's everyone's favorite Mahler 5? I've only heard Bernstein so far

Haitink, Concertgebouw (around 1970?)

[krummholz]

Well, it's the outburst chord in the 10th.  https://youtu.be/6hHKjS8X4I8?t=1086. He's pushing harmony.  My opinion is you should listen to the whole work because he completed it, died when orchestrating it.  There is a short score so guidance on how to handle the orchestration though the full score is only finished in the first two movements.  Anyway, the reason why you should hear the whole thing is it becomes radiant and reflective, not angry. 

Minor nit/question: did Mahler actually finish orchestrating Scherzo I (2nd mvt)? My understanding was that he finished orchestrating only the first movement, and got a bit more than halfway through the Purgatorio (3rd mvt). I thought I read that Cooke needed a fair amount of guesswork in orchestrating Scherzo I. That from a liner note to, I think, the Ormandy rendition of Cooke I - which I no longer possess, so have no way to check.