My non-classical friend not thrilled with Mahler 8 live (podcast here)

[MISHUGINA]

Had Gergiev flunked his Mahler? His last performance of the Eighth symphony was labelled as disaster. It was just performed yesterday. I convinced my non-classical music friend who had a trip in London to watch this performance and yesterday she just messaged me, saying it was sounded flat and so-so. Was it because of the acoustics? She sent me this podcast link. Listen and let me know what you think:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00cdcpt

[scarpia]

Had Gergiev flunked his Mahler? His last performance of the Eighth symphony was labelled as disaster. It was just performed yesterday. I convinced my non-classical music friend who had a trip in London to watch this performance and yesterday she just messaged me, saying it was sounded flat and so-so. Was it because of the acoustics? She sent me this podcast link. Listen and let me know what you think:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00cdcpt

Gergiev?  Darling of the press but everyone who has any inside knowledge dismisses him as a poser.  And what would possess someone who is "non-classical" to subject him or herself to that monstosity?

[mahler10th]

"Flat and so - so" coming from a non-classical person sounds to me that they didn't actually see it.  Even the worst conductor in the World would have a lot of difficulty making Mahlers 8th sounding flat and so - so.  Mahlers 8th in St Pauls Cathederal driven by Gergiev cannot possibly be flat and so-so.  No wonder they're a non-classical person - perhaps they should stay that way.
Gergiev is not close to my favourite Mahler conductors (but he's my favourite BY FAR for Prokofiev).  Regradless, it is crotchet crunchingly difficult to see him put in a performance of the mighty and vast Mahler 8th in a flat and so-so way.  It is not Gergievs style.  Even Joseph Krips conducting the Stoke Newington Amateur String Band and Choir at a bus stop on a rainy day near Driffield would find it hard to make Mahlers 8th flat and so-so.
Question your friend.  It might not have been a mind-popping must hear performance, but Gergiev is not capable of doing anything like flat and so-so, especially with something like Mahlers 8th (which as Scarpia indicates in his unique way, is not perhaps the best thing to go along to if you're not a Classical music lover.)
There is reference to the concert elsewhere in this forum here: http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,683.msg206420.html#msg206420

[Joe_Campbell]

No wonder they're a non-classical person - perhaps they should stay that way.

Why the elitism? What if Mahler's just not their cup of tea? They might love Prokofiev!

[mahler10th]

Er...yes...but it seems beyond the fantastic that Mahlers 8th played by a great Orchestra and a World renowned conductor at in World famous location (St. Pauls Cathederal) can be described as flat and so-so.   

[scarpia]

Er...yes...but it seems beyond the fantastic that Mahlers 8th played by a great Orchestra and a World renowned conductor at in World famous location (St. Pauls Cathederal) can be described as flat and so-so.   

I have several Mahler cycles on CD and have never gotten past the first track of symphony #8 of any of them.  Flat and so-so would be an improvement, in my opinion.

[Joe_Campbell]

Zounds! Hopefully DavidRoss doesn't read that!

[MISHUGINA]

Er...yes...but it seems beyond the fantastic that Mahlers 8th played by a great Orchestra and a World renowned conductor at in World famous location (St. Pauls Cathederal) can be described as flat and so-so.   

My friend isn't a classical enthusiast but she loved the Shostakovich "Leningrad" symphony concert I brought her the last time so I trust her judgment. From the podcast, despite fine direction and such the performance does sound "flat", the climaxes especially at recap of "Veni Creator Spiritus" and "Accende Lumen Sensibus" doesn't take off. Yes, Gergiev is World Renowned but his Mahler is light years beyond behind Horenstein, Bernstein, Klemperer or Chailly.

[Cato]

My friend isn't a classical enthusiast but she loved the Shostakovich "Leningrad" symphony concert I brought her the last time so I trust her judgment. From the podcast, despite fine direction and such the performance does sound "flat", the climaxes especially at recap of "Veni Creator Spiritus" and "Accende Lumen Sensibus" doesn't take off. Yes, Gergiev is World Renowned but his Mahler is light years beyond Horenstein, Bernstein, Klemperer or Chailly.

(My emphasis)

I assume you mean "behind" the Fantastic Four above.

I recently caught most of a Mahler Sixth on the radio with Tilson-Thomas and the SF Symphony: it was fairly awful in the opening two movements.  Too slow and yes, "flat" would not be an impossible adjective for it.  I don't have time right now to hear the above offering, but, although it would seem impossible to mangle Mahler, some have the capability to do so, especially if the performance is more about the conductor than the composer.

[MISHUGINA]

(My emphasis)

I assume you mean "behind" the Fantastic Four above.

I recently caught most of a Mahler Sixth on the radio with Tilson-Thomas and the SF Symphony: it was fairly awful in the opening two movements.  Too slow and yes, "flat" would not be an impossible adjective for it.  I don't have time right now to hear the above offering, but, although it would seem impossible to mangle Mahler, some have the capability to do so, especially if the performance is more about the conductor than the composer.

oooopssss. grammar bad. My mistake.

[hjonkers]

(...)

I recently caught most of a Mahler Sixth on the radio with Tilson-Thomas and the SF Symphony: it was fairly awful in the opening two movements.  Too slow and yes, "flat" would not be an impossible adjective for it.  I don't have time right now to hear the above offering, but, although it would seem impossible to mangle Mahler, some have the capability to do so, especially if the performance is more about the conductor than the composer.

One of the worst concerts I attended last year was Yakov Kreizberg butchering the 6th in a performance that was rushed from beginning till end. About as perfect a mangling job as it gets.

[knight66]

I was speaking to someone yesterday who has interviewed Gergiev. She produced a series of programmes for the BBC on six opera houses. She chased Gergiev around to get the interview which was eventually given in the interval to a concert whilst various people ran in, asked him things and ran out. He had no rest, no time for reflection...then straight onto the podium. She observed it is how he needs to live his life, he is incapable of slowing down.

As to the Mahler 8 and Gergiev's Mahler discs, I have reviewed them in the Mahler Rebooted thread. So, I won't repeat myself here.

Mike