Purchases Today

[TheGSMoeller]

Just bought:

I really enjoy this recording, ranks high among the many 7ths I've heard.

[Karl Henning]

Ahoy, Greg!

[aligreto]

Just bought:

Lovro von Matacic is a new name for me.

[André]

I need to give Klemperer's Mahler a listen. I've always read good things about his Mahler performances. As you may or may not know the Bernstein DG set is my favorite complete cycle, how would you rate this partial cycle, Jeffrey?

Jeffrey made a good assessment of these interpretations. Like his Mozart and Bruckner performances, any thought of 'ranking' has to be forsaken. You rightly use the term 'rate' instead. They rate mostly high, even very high, but even when I am left unconvinced (the M7 is a case in point), I am certain I did not lose any second of my time listening to his vision of a work. Klemperer's work leaves me often skeptical or unconvinced, but still count as a 'musical experience' in my book. Which I can't say of a lot of what is interpreted by today's conductors.     

[André]

Lovro von Matacic is a new name for me.

Wiki article, really worth reading : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovro_von_Matačić.

Matacic had a long, distinguished, but mostly european career, often in the theatre. Well worth hearing in practically anything he recorded.

[ritter]

I have long admired Klemperer's Mahler Resurrection and DLvdE, and more recently I got to know his Ninth, which impressed me very much ("expressionistic" is the word that sprang to mind at first listen). I have also owned his recording of the Fourth for many, many years, and must say that although in general it is a great rendition, it is seriously marred by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf's appearance in the closing lied; her mannered singing and matronly sound are not suited at all to the piece IMHO, eliminating any hint of the innocence and naïveté the text and the music call for. Such a pity.  In any case, that set Jeffrey bought contains Mahler performnaces of the highest calibre (I myself still have to sample the Seventh)..

[Mirror Image]

What I've heard of it
2 good but not great
9 very good, but not among my top tier.
DLvdE very good
Lieder good but not great

This was an effective way of getting 4 and 7 which I do not have.
The Ninth btw is coupled with the best Strauss Metamorphosen I know of, if you get the GROC issue.

Very nice to hear, Jeffrey. Thanks for the feedback. I do own Klemperer's Metamorphosen on an all-Strauss recording:

I really enjoy this recording, ranks high among the many 7ths I've heard.

Holy smokes! It's Monkey Greg! Welcome back buddy. We've missed you around here.

[Mirror Image]

Jeffrey made a good assessment of these interpretations. Like his Mozart and Bruckner performances, any thought of 'ranking' has to be forsaken. You rightly use the term 'rate' instead. They rate mostly high, even very high, but even when I am left unconvinced (the M7 is a case in point), I am certain I did not lose any second of my time listening to his vision of a work. Klemperer's work leaves me often skeptical or unconvinced, but still count as a 'musical experience' in my book. Which I can't say of a lot of what is interpreted by today's conductors.     

Yeah, Klemperer is a very good conductor. I wish I could get onboard with his Bruckner however. I believe my dad owns a good bit of his Mahler. I'll have to check these out at some point. Kudos!

[Mirror Image]

Lovro von Matacic is a new name for me.

I knew of the name and had heard good things about his Bruckner, so this seemed like as good of a place to start as any. It'll be interesting to hear the Czech Philharmonic in Bruckner as well.

[Mirror Image]

For those interested, here is Matacic's Bruckner 7th:

https://www.youtube.com/v/bLiGxCTKWiY

[PerfectWagnerite]

Lovro von Matacic is a new name for me.

NEVER heard of him, but must be somewhat competant if they let him conduct the CPO.

I have long admired Klemperer's Mahler Resurrection and DLvdE, and more recently I got to know his Ninth, which impressed me very much ("expressionistic" is the word that sprang to mind at first listen). I have also owned his recording of the Fourth for many, many years, and must say that although in general it is a great rendition, it is seriously marred by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf's appearance in the closing lied; her mannered singing and matronly sound are not suited at all to the piece IMHO, eliminating any hint of the innocence and naïveté the text and the music call for. Such a pity.  In any case, that set Jeffrey bought contains Mahler performnaces of the highest calibre (I myself still have to sample the Seventh)..

Well you can't really blame Schwarzkopf, as that movement in its conception is a caricature in itself. I have not heard a single recording where the soloist is convincing. It is just one of those movements that the harder you try the worst off you sound. At which point I put the blame square with the composer.

[kishnevi]

Could not resist the sale at Amazon France
[asin]B00KN15P56[/asin]
$140 US more or less, with shipping added and VAT deducted.
H/T Discophage

[Brian]

NEVER heard of him, but must be somewhat competant if they let him conduct the CPO.

Matacic also has an interesting collector-worthy Tchaikovsky 5/6 twofer with the Czech PO on Supraphon. And I believe a highly acclaimed Mahler 4?

[Pat B]

Matacic also has an interesting collector-worthy Tchaikovsky 5/6 twofer with the Czech PO on Supraphon. And I believe a highly acclaimed Mahler 4?

You are probably thinking of Kletzki's Mahler 4.

The only Matacic I have is his Beethoven 9, sung in Czech. Aside from the novelty factor it's a very good performance, though not among my absolute favorites.

[Daverz]

Matacic also has an interesting collector-worthy Tchaikovsky 5/6 twofer with the Czech PO on Supraphon. And I believe a highly acclaimed Mahler 4?

I don't remember a Matacic Mahler 4.  Are you thinking of Sejna or Kletzki?

[aligreto]

I knew of the name and had heard good things about his Bruckner, so this seemed like as good of a place to start as any. It'll be interesting to hear the Czech Philharmonic in Bruckner as well.

That is a good point. I will give your clip a listen later; thank you 

[Jo498]

NEVER heard of him, but must be somewhat competant if they let him conduct the CPO.Well you can't really blame Schwarzkopf, as that movement in its conception is a caricature in itself. I have not heard a single recording where the soloist is convincing. It is just one of those movements that the harder you try the worst off you sound. At which point I put the blame square with the composer.

Have you heard Davrath/Abravanel? This is probably the best I know in this respect. Very natural. Reri Grist with Bernstein is at least inoffensive and rather unmannered and so is Ruth Ziesak with Gatti.
(I could also imagine Rita Streich or Anneliese Rothenberger doing a reasonable job (in the 1960s) but I do not know if there are recordings by them
But I have not heard several famous ones (e.g. no Von Stade). There is also a supposedly good one by Nanut with Cencic as a boy soprano (presumeably much better than the boy on Bernstein/DG)

[ritter]

But I have not heard several famous ones (e.g. no Von Stade).

Do listen to the Abbado / WP / von Stade on DG if you have a chance, Jo498. One of the greatest Mahler recordings I know, and certainly my favourite Fourth. Frederica von Stade is just perfect in Das himmlische Leben (surprisingly so, I venture to say, as one wouldn't expect a mezzo to be so succesfull in this piece).

[TheGSMoeller]

Ahoy, Greg!

Hola, Karl.

Holy smokes! It's Monkey Greg! Welcome back buddy. We've missed you around here.

Thanks, John.


Matacic also has a very solid recording of Bruckner's 5th, closing the finale by using the Schalk edition that's quite percussion heavy.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Lovro von Matacic is a new name for me.

His version of Puccini's Fanciulla del West with Birgit Nilsson is the best I know, marred only by one small cut in Act One.