What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Lilas Pastia]

I generally feel that way in II of 1, II and III of 2, and II of 3. And patches of V of 5, and II of 8 as well. As for the 7th, I feel only III is an unmitigated success. I'm still unconvinced by most of the reconstructed parts of 10, the weakest of the lot IMO. It could very well be that only 4, 6, 9 and Das Lied sound entirely successful to my ears.

That being said, it doesn't mean Mahler's symphonies are failures. Even the least convincing of them is way above most of Tchaikovsky's output (and I love Tchaikovsky!). In the end, it has to be experienced whole, warts and all. I have a distinct feeling that the interpretations that succeed best in engaging my undivided attention are those that attempt the least to stun and wow me. The purely 'symphonic' and unaffected interpretations of Bruno Walter or Bernard Haitink (with the COA) score mightily in that respect. This weekend I was listening to Walter's 1 and 2 after a decade long hiatus. I was held in its thrall throughout. The purity of Walter's singing line (in I of 1, II of 2 for example) made my ears perk up in enchantment. And I didn't expect such fine, wide ranging recordings. The might of the bass drum in 1 and the organ part that crowns 2 were astounding.

Sometimes - but only sometimes - I fall for an idiosyncratic view of those works. Like Barbirolli's 6th for example. Mahler is not overrated. But he is definitely overplayed and way over-recorded.

[karlhenning]

. . . Mahler is not overrated. But he is definitely overplayed and way over-recorded.

I have that feeling often, too, André.  Though I am still willing to judge Mahler by the best of the performances.

[Bulldog]

Mahler is not overrated. But he is definitely overplayed and way over-recorded.

The same could easily be said about any of the most popular composers: Bach, Vivaldi, Beethoven, etc.  For me, Vivaldi is overplayed, but that's because I don't have much affection for his music.

[karlhenning]

Well, Beethoven is greater than Mahler, but he's way over-recorded, too.

[mahler10th]

Aye.  
The underrecorded greats.

[not edward]

Two delightful, and in my opinion underrated symphonies:

Berwald: Symphonie singuliere (RPO/Bjorlin)
Beethoven: Symphony #4 (Leningrad/Mravinsky)

And then something a lot darker, in a devastating performance:

Prokofiev: Symphony #6 (Leningrad/Mravinsky)

[George]

PC 2
Movement one

Listened at lunchtime, or I certainly would have listened to the whole thing. This is great! I wonder why I hadn't heard of this recording before. 

[Brian]

Been a favorite of mine since its release in 2006.

[DavidRoss]

Mahler 7th, Sinopoli/Philharmonia

Artistically I think it's better to leave them wanting more rather than thinking there was a bit too much of a good thing.

[Solitary Wanderer]

I'm enjoying this more and more...

[Brian]

DEBUSSY | Orchestrations by Caplet, Ansermet, Stokowski, etc.
Orchestre symphonique de Quebec
Yoav Talmi

Goodness, this is a total delight! Currently playing: Ernest Ansermet's lovely orchestration of the six Epigraphes antiques.

[Fëanor]

Brian Ferneyhough:

• Kurze Schatten II, for solo guitar (1994)
• Terrain, for violin and wind octet (1993)

Ferneyhough is going to take some work on my part.

[karlhenning]

Ferneyhough is going to take some work on my part.

Playing, listening, or both?

[DavidRoss]

Mendelssohn & Bruch VCs, Midori/Jansons/BP 

As sweet, lovely, and refined as the album photo suggests

[Coopmv]

The same could easily be said about any of the most popular composers: Bach, Vivaldi, Beethoven, etc.  For me, Vivaldi is overplayed, but that's because I don't have much affection for his music.

In addition to many single CD's, I have 2 complete sets of his concertos, 18-LP set by I Musici and 18-CD set by I Solisti Veneti.  Vivaldi's Four Seasons is definitely overplayed but I do not feel much of his other works are necessarily overplayed ...

[Coopmv]

Now playing this CD, the best Bach Sonatas for Viola da gamba und Cembalo I have heard to date ...

[Bogey]

Discs 1-4

[Coopmv]

Now playing this CD, which covers essentially the same works as the previous CD by Savall and Koopman, BWV 1027 where the piano replaced the harpsichord ...

[Bogey]

Now playing this CD, which covers essentially the same works as the previous CD by Savall and Koopman, BWV 1027 where the piano replaced the harpsichord ...

I like that pairing Stuart, but how are they with Bach?  Is it too heavy?

[Coopmv]

I like that pairing Stuart, but how are they with Bach?  Is it too heavy?

Very lyrical performance with excellent interpretation and execution ...