Mahler Mania, Rebooted

[Mahlerian]

You pedant

I do like the original Part 1, but I don't know the piece well enough to know the difference between the original and revised versions of 2 and 3, thanks for making me aware of this

Once you've heard the original, you won't forget the differences.  One section has the off-stage band playing in a key a semitone away from the main orchestra, and the percussion scoring of Part 3 is heavier.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Once you've heard the original, you won't forget the differences.  One section has the off-stage band playing in a key a semitone away from the main orchestra, and the percussion scoring of Part 3 is heavier.

Gosh I need to hear this then...I don't even think I have even heard Nagano's recording or not

[Sergeant Rock]

Okay Mahlerians. Rather than re-read 180+ pages, I would appreciate recommendations for:

Das Klagende Lied

The 14 Lieder "aus der Jugendzeit"

Symphony No.1

(for the Symphonies I might still just go ahead and buy a box, either Bernstein or Kubelik, but humour me right now).

As long as you choose a version that includes the Waldmärchen (must have that!) you can't go wrong. I have Sinopoli, Rattle, MTT, Chailly, Boulez (Sony). Chailly has the best sound. Sinopoli has Studer. Boulez has the best interpretation (for my taste). MTT has magic. Boulez would get my vote if it had better sound--not that it's bad but there is some congestion in heavily scored passages, limited dynamic range, and voices too forwardly balanced. Even so, it still might get my vote   But Chailly is the safe recommendation.

The Lieder: I only have Reynolds/Parsons so I can't really make an informed comment.

Symphony No.1:  Honeck/Pittsburgh has won my heart. I still like, though, Maazel/Vienna, Bernstein/Concertgebouw, Abbado/Berlin and Horenstein/LSO. Kubelik not so much these days. If you want Blumine too, Jeffrey's Judd/FL is a good choice...or Levi/Atlanta (keeping the choices in the South  )

Sarge

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Okay Mahlerians. Rather than re-read 180+ pages, I would appreciate recommendations for:

Das Klagende Lied

Symphony No.1

Das Klagende Lied

I'll second and tenth everyone else with suggesting Chailly:


Mahler: Das Klagende Lied & Lieder
Riccardo Chailly

If I didn't think that it was better to have the whole shebang, i.e. including the Third Movement, I'd go with Blunier / Braun Guera on MDG, though:


Das Klagende Lied / Blumine / Adagio Sy. No.10

Symphony No.1

Here's some reading on that, with recommended & compared versions... and the results (updated):
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2013/09/gustav-mahler-symphony-no1-part-1.html


1. Rafael Kubelik, BRSO, Audite

2. Pierre Boulez, CSO, DG

3. Manfred Honeck, Pittsburgh, Reference

4. Otmar Suitner, Staatskapelle Dresden, Berlin Classics

5. Rafael Kubelik, BRSO, DG

5. Bernard Haitink, CSO, CSO Resound

5. Michael Tilson Thomas, SFS, SFSMedia

Notably, this list does not include a Titan, the symphony as it originally stood... with the Blumine movement and considerably different in orchestration. Just adding Blumine to the Vienna version kind of doesn't do the trick... though Judd/Florida is certainly a good first that does just that.

The Budapest and esp. Hamburg & Weimar Versions are legitimately called "Titan"; they both include Blumine. Good options here are Jan Willem de Vriend (Challenge) (Hamburg 1893) and Hermus (Hagen Phil.; oop). Wyn Morris, Hiroshi Wakasugi, Ole Kristian Ruud, Roger Norrington [?], and Antony Hermus also recorded that or the "Weimar" version.

[aukhawk]

Boulez didn't record the true first version.  He recorded the original Part 1 together with the revised Parts 2 and 3, as did Chailly and most others.

You pedant

Just to raise the pedantry stakes, actually he recorded Parts 2 and 3 (but labelled as parts 1 and 2 - tut!), and then recorded Part 1 some time later, issued coupled with the Symphony 10 Adagio..

[Mirror Image]

The discussion of Das Klagende Lied is an interesting one as this is one work I don't know well at all. Thankfully, I have the Chailly performance on the way to help familiarize myself with the work. I do own Boulez's as well, but I suppose I'd just like to wait for the Chailly and let that be my refresher.

[Mirror Image]

As long as you choose a version that includes the Waldmärchen (must have that!) you can't go wrong. I have Sinopoli, Rattle, MTT, Chailly, Boulez (Sony). Chailly has the best sound. Sinopoli has Studer. Boulez has the best interpretation (for my taste). MTT has magic. Boulez would get my vote if it had better sound--not that it's bad but there is some congestion in heavily scored passages, limited dynamic range, and voices too forwardly balanced. Even so, it still might get my vote   But Chailly is the safe recommendation.

The Lieder: I only have Reynolds/Parsons so I can't really make an informed comment.

Symphony No.1:  Honeck/Pittsburgh has won my heart. I still like, though, Maazel/Vienna, Bernstein/Concertgebouw, Abbado/Berlin and Horenstein/LSO. Kubelik not so much these days. If you want Blumine too, Jeffrey's Judd/FL is a good choice...or Levi/Atlanta (keeping the choices in the South  )

Sarge

A question, Sarge, since you mentioned MTT: what do you think of his SFSO cycle overall?

[Sergeant Rock]

A question, Sarge, since you mentioned MTT: what do you think of his SFSO cycle overall?

I haven't heard the whole cycle but what I have heard makes me seasick. Or, maybe it's motion sickness. His, to me, excessive rubato (which, I admit, may be how Mahler conducted) and his extreme tempo fluctuations, are not attractive to me. The Second is actually painful to listen to. The First and Fourth are less a problem but would not be considered favorites. Klagende is the best Mahler I've heard from him...the fairy tale atmosphere palpable. There may be other performances I could relate to. I know some think well of his Ninth.

Sarge   

[Mirror Image]

Makes me seasick. Or, maybe it's motion sickness. His, to me, excessive rubato (which, I admit, may be how Mahler conducted) and his extreme tempo fluctuations, are not attractive to me. The Second is actually painful to listen to. The First and Fourth are less a problem but would not be considered favorites. Klagende is the best Mahler I've heard from him...the fairly tale atmosphere palpable. But I haven't heard the whole cycle and there may be other performances I could relate to. I know some think well of his Ninth.

Sarge

Thanks, I suppose why I haven't bothered with MTT's Mahler, or really a lot of MTT's performances in general, is what I perceive to be a superficiality in his music-making. He's done a smashing Janacek recording of Glagolitic Mass and his Ives and Copland are generally well-liked, but when it comes to Germanic repertoire, I just can't take him seriously. Perhaps my own perception is off the mark? Could very well be, but that's how I perceive his Mahler performances to be like.

[Jay F]

If I didn't think that it was better to have the whole shebang, i.e. including the Third Movement, I'd go with Blunier / Braun Guera on MDG, though:


Das Klagende Lied / Blumine / Adagio Sy. No.10

I might get this just because of the Klimt painting of Adele Bloch-Bauer.

[Mirror Image]

I might get this just because of the Klimt painting of Adele Bloch-Bauer.

That seems like a strange motivation to buy a recording or are you just humoring us?

[Jay F]

That seems like a strange motivation to buy a recording or are you just humoring us?

No. Not humoring. I know I like the music, and I know I like "The Woman in Gold." It has quite a history. My mother's father was from Austria, which enhances my level of interest, I suppose. My mother would have had a a brother, and I an uncle, but he died in Dachau early in WWII.

http://www.neuegalerie.org/content/gustav-klimt-and-adele-bloch-bauer-woman-gold

[Madiel]

Hmm. I've seen enough separate nominations of Kubelik on Audite as first choice for Symphony No.1 that it might be the winner...

Heck. Even David Hurwitz loves it.

EDIT: Although, no exposition repeat in 1st movement. Why do people do that?

[Mirror Image]

No. Not humoring. I know I like the music, and I know I like "The Woman in Gold." It has quite a history.

http://www.neuegalerie.org/content/gustav-klimt-and-adele-bloch-bauer-woman-gold

Quite a history indeed. Can't say I like that particular painting from Klimt, though.

[Jay F]

Quite a history indeed. Can't say I like that particular painting from Klimt, though.

Well, you didn't always like Mahler, either.

[Mirror Image]

Well, you didn't always like Mahler, either.

Okay...

[Mahlerian]

Quite a history indeed. Can't say I like that particular painting from Klimt, though.

You know that there was a Hollywood movie recently about that painting featuring Ryan Reynolds playing Schoenberg's grandson?

[Mirror Image]

You know that there was a Hollywood movie recently about that painting featuring Ryan Reynolds playing Schoenberg's grandson?

Nope, I had no idea. What was the name of the film?

[Mahlerian]

Nope, I had no idea. What was the name of the film?

Woman in Gold: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2404425/

Needless to say, Reynolds looks very little like Randy Schoenberg...

[Mirror Image]

Woman in Gold: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2404425/

Needless to say, Reynolds looks very little like Randy Schoenberg...

Cool thanks.