Mahler with New Ears

[kishnevi]

There are a number of recordings I never heard,  but only two or three of M2 I don't care for from what I have heard.
Of the most recent recordings I have heard, the one I like best is actually a DVD
[asin]B005HK8KWS[/asin]

[PerfectWagnerite]

Yes, double yes to that Maderna recording
But two other recent recordings I like at least as much as the Maderna are Zinman and Dudamel.  Zinman does the finale as a perfect ascent to a serene heaven, and Dudamel lives up to his hype for a change.

Haven't heard the Dudamel. The Zinman I made it through the first 5 symphonies and thought as a whole they are rather pedestrian, fall right into the group of conductors with nothing really to say about this music. Will give the 9th a listen.

[ritter]

Not that I am recommending them, as I am familiar with almost none of the recordings, but two Mahler cycles that have been recorded since the turn of the millenium are those of Michael Tilson Thomas ⁽¹⁾ with San Francicso (on the orchestra's own label) and Jonathan Nott with Bamberg (on Tudor). They both have received very positive reviews from a variety of sources.

⁽¹⁾In the case of MTT, only Symphony No. 5 and No. 8 and Das Lied von der Erde (if you consider that one a symphony--I do  ) were recorded during the last decade.

[kishnevi]

Haven't heard the Dudamel. The Zinman I made it through the first 5 symphonies and thought as a whole they are rather pedestrian, fall right into the group of conductors with nothing really to say about this music. Will give the 9th a listen.

I thought Zinman's Third and Fourth were above average, but most of the rest fit your description, very pedestrian: except the Ninth, which is possibly the best recording he's done.  The Tenth, OTOH, is the worst recording of that symphony I've heard.

Gergiev also fell flat, except his Third: and the Fourth is the worst of his cycle.

[kishnevi]

Not that I am recommending them, as I am familiar with almost none of the recordings, but two Mahler cycles that have been recorded since the turn of the millenium are those of Michael Tilson Thomas ⁽¹⁾ with San Francicso (on the orchestra's own label) and Jonathan Nott with Bamberg (on Tudor). Thety both have received very positive reviews from a variety of sources.

⁽¹⁾In the case of MTT, only Symphony No. 5 and No. 8 and Das Lied von der Erde (if you consider that one a symphony--I do  ) were recorded during the last decade.

Tilson Thomas has a very good cycle (including a superb Second.  Don't have Nott.  But there is also Stenz/Gurzenich Orch. Koln on Oehms.  That currently sits in my not yet listened to Pile.

[ritter]

I thought Zinman's Third and Fourth were above average, but most of the rest fit your description, very pedestrian: except the Ninth, which is possibly the best recording he's done.  The Tenth, OTOH, is the worst recording of that symphony I've heard....

I bought Zinman's First (which includes Blumine) and my recation to it was a big yawn   . Didn't really have any incentive to explore his cycle any further...

[kishnevi]

I bought Zinman's First (which includes Blumine) and my recation to it was a big yawn   . Didn't really have any incentive to explore his cycle any further...

I did not exactly yawn when I heard it, but my reaction was not far from yours.  The only Zinman I would suggest seeking out is the Ninth. 

[PerfectWagnerite]

Not a big fan of Zinman in general. Don't know why he is allowed to record so much, of anything. Haven't heard the latest MTT Mahler but I thought his earlier SONY recordings were pretty good, not really in any way different but good middle of the road approaches to Mahler. If you like this approach I think the better recordings to get are Inbal/Frankfurt. Inbal just has a better orchestra, more luminous strings, better bass, brasses bolder.

Of recent vintage I like Barenboim/Staatskapelle Berlin, especially the 7th which accentuates all the odd sonorities of the piece and manages to piece it together in a very convincing way.

[Karl Henning]

There are a number of recordings I never heard,  but only two or three of M2 I don't care for from what I have heard.
Of the most recent recordings I have heard, the one I like best is actually a DVD
[asin]B005HK8KWS[/asin]

This is a temptation.  Which is to say, an opportunity to be strong in my resolve to frugality  0:)

[woofer]

There are a number of recordings I never heard,  but only two or three of M2 I don't care for from what I have heard.
Of the most recent recordings I have heard, the one I like best is actually a DVD
[asin]B005HK8KWS[/asin]

searching for the Chailly led me to medici.tv which seems to have this performance available. $20 a month for HDef seems high for the subscription though.

[woofer]

Not a big fan of Zinman in general. Don't know why he is allowed to record so much, of anything. Haven't heard the latest MTT Mahler but I thought his earlier SONY recordings were pretty good, not really in any way different but good middle of the road approaches to Mahler. If you like this approach I think the better recordings to get are Inbal/Frankfurt. Inbal just has a better orchestra, more luminous strings, better bass, brasses bolder.

Of recent vintage I like Barenboim/Staatskapelle Berlin, especially the 7th which accentuates all the odd sonorities of the piece and manages to piece it together in a very convincing way.

I listened to Inbal's recent Exton/Tokyo account of #2 last night.  Other than some slackening in the second movement, it is blow your socks off good.  Just that terrible sing along by the maestro ruins it.  I notice that for some of the series Exton has released two versions, one with a single mic.  Hopefully the single mike is no where near Inbal' piehole.  I will have to try one of those to see.

[Cato]

There are a number of recordings I never heard,  but only two or three of M2 I don't care for from what I have heard.
Of the most recent recordings I have heard, the one I like best is actually a DVD
[asin]B005HK8KWS[/asin]

WHAT is happening in that picture?!   Some sort of bizarre barbecue?  Is Joe Suburb about to die from eating ice-cream cones made on a barbecue?  Or is the one-handed Angel of Death about to end Joe's life?

[aukhawk]

oh don't be such a philistine - this is clearly High Art         

[Cato]

oh don't be such a philistine - this is clearly High Art         

  Pardon moi! 

[Pat B]

I listened to Inbal's recent Exton/Tokyo account of #2 last night.  Other than some slackening in the second movement, it is blow your socks off good.  Just that terrible sing along by the maestro ruins it.  I notice that for some of the series Exton has released two versions, one with a single mic.  Hopefully the single mike is no where near Inbal' piehole.  I will have to try one of those to see.

The discography I refer to (http://gustavmahler.net.free.fr) indicates that Inbal and the Tokyo Met SO recorded 2 and 3 for Exton in 2010, and then again in 2012 with different soloists.

[ritter]

WHAT is happening in that picture?!   Some sort of bizarre barbecue?  Is Joe Suburb about to die from eating ice-cream cones made on a barbecue?  Or is the one-handed Angel of Death about to end Joe's life?

The painting "Morgenrot" was chosen by internationally acclaimed artist Neo Rauch to feature on the cover of this release on DVD and Blu-ray.

http://accentus.com/discs/riccardo-chailly-gewandhausorchester-leipzig-mahler-2

I'm just the messenger...

[woofer]

The discography I refer to (http://gustavmahler.net.free.fr) indicates that Inbal and the Tokyo Met SO recorded 2 and 3 for Exton in 2010, and then again in 2012 with different soloists.

I listened to the 2012 release. 

[woofer]

The discography I refer to (http://gustavmahler.net.free.fr) indicates that Inbal and the Tokyo Met SO recorded 2 and 3 for Exton in 2010, and then again in 2012 with different soloists.

I have used the discography you mention but it does not list separate releases for the same performance.  On Spotify for at least some of later Inbal Exton series they list alternates of multi and single mic.  So I believe there are two cycles and multiple versions of the latter?

[jlaurson]

First post here.  Lover of just about all classical music by turns and americana/roots as well.
Decided to embark on an effort to displace from their thrones my go to Mahler symphony recordings and seek out a new (recorded in last decade) standard bearer for each.  Hope to spend about a week on each listening to some well received competitors.  Also hope to id a different conductor for each work.

So, for #1 - my listening list includes Honeck/Pitt/Exton, Lintu/Finnish RSO/Ondine and Nezet-Seguin/BRSO/BrKlassik.  What else should be on my list?

Love the project! Good and healthy approach.

Ah, Lintu/FRSO is already on there - very good. That was one that really made itself noticeable to my ears on first hearing.

...ah, and I see you've already got the first round behind you. Excellent description of the Lintu... although I think it's a little better than that on the way out, from after the first movement onward. But you nailed what's truly special about it.

Thanks for the rec.  When I get to #8 I'll give the Boulez a shot.  I set myself an arbitrary cut off that the recording must be from past decade.  I think 8 might be the last of Boulez's cycle and only one to meet that criteria.

Shame, as that's by far Boulez' worst Mahler.

Still on No.2?

How many are that young? Jaervi/Frankfurt (DVD only), Schwartz/Liverpool (someone would have to pay me to listen to that, I'm sorry to say--perhaps silly arrogance), Zander/Philharmonia (2012), Lorin Maazel/Philharmonia (2011), Mariss Jansons BRSO (DVD), Simone Young/Hamburg (ugh, another one I wouldn't listen to, if avoidable, gushing MWeb review notwithstanding), Boulez/Stakp Berlin (DVD), Stenz/Cologne, Jurowski, LPO, above-mentioned Chailly/Leipzig (DVD), the Berlin Rattle, the Jansons / RCO live, Abbado/Lucerne (DVD), Nott/Bamberg, Haitink/CSO (2008), Eschenbach/Philhadelphia (2007), Norrington/SWR (2006), Gergiev/LSO (2008) all still fit. What else?
Ozawa/Saito Kinen (2000), sadly, not.

[Cato]

http://accentus.com/discs/riccardo-chailly-gewandhausorchester-leipzig-mahler-2

I'm just the messenger...

"Neo Rauch" (New Smoke ?) is internationally acclaimed: okay, fine.  Divorced from the package, the painting will undoubtedly affect the viewer in a different way.