Mahler Mania, Rebooted

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Which recording of Barshai's orchestration of 10 do you recommend?

I believe there is only his, but happily it is not just my favorite for the version but also the playing.

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2011/06/gustav-mahler-symphony-no10-part-2.html

[Ainsi la nuit]

I believe there is only his, but happily it is not just my favorite for the version but also the playing.

There is also Ashkenazy conducting the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, a recording from 2012. I haven't heard it myself, but just thought to let you know!

[Maestro267]

Listening to Mahler 1 currently (CBSO/Rattle), and I always feel like the first movement never really gets into full stride. It starts slowly and then begins to accelerate, but never feels like it has reached full speed. It's in a constant state of acceleration, if that makes any sense.

Meanwhile, I've literally just now noticed how similar the main theme of the 2nd movement is to the theme blared out by the brass in the middle of the scherzo of Symphony No. 2.

[Mahlerian]

Listening to Mahler 1 currently (CBSO/Rattle), and I always feel like the first movement never really gets into full stride. It starts slowly and then begins to accelerate, but never feels like it has reached full speed. It's in a constant state of acceleration, if that makes any sense.

I think that Mahler was going for an effect of alternating stasis and animation.  Tonally, too, the movement spends most of its time in the environment of D minor and major, and the development section, which unusually begins by returning to the tonality as well as the atmosphere of the introduction, only really starts moving quite late into the movement.

If I could speculate, I think that Mahler wants the first movement to not gain too much internal momentum so that its conflicts can be resolved later with the finale (which recapitulates large chunks of the first movement).

Meanwhile, I've literally just now noticed how similar the main theme of the 2nd movement is to the theme blared out by the brass in the middle of the scherzo of Symphony No. 2.

Yeah, they're both triadic horn call figures of a pretty standard type.  I think the scherzo of the Second is a much more interesting movement, though.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

There is also Ashkenazy conducting the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, a recording from 2012. I haven't heard it myself, but just thought to let you know!

Oh, yes, I had not realized that before. Thanks much for pointing it out!

[bwv 1080]

Think I may have posted some of this before, but Jazz pianist Uri Caine has done two albums of Mahler arrangements that often reveal some of the roots of the music, for example here is the Funeral March from the 5th Symphony done by a Klemzer band

https://www.youtube.com/v/urtnR6iFDpE

and the march from the first symphony

https://www.youtube.com/v/x3efe-G2mxo

[André]

This recording of the 10th is quite an experience:



The Musicweb reviewer was moved to write at great length on it, going so far as getting a score of Ganzou's realization to fully understand the conductor's intent:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2016/Nov/Mahler_sy10_WER51222.htm

In his own writing on the work Ganzou states that we'll never know how the work would have sounded, therefore any realization is a matter of conjecture. It does at times sound wild and garish, but I'd rather have that than the 'skeletal' impression I have alluded to in another post.

This performance is a one-off and, as Marc Bridle (Musicweb) correctly states, « a performance today would no doubt sound very different ». My own reaction throughout was one of awe and total adherence. I was sucked in the listening experience as I rarely am. When listening to a performance of the 10th I usually have the feeling of watching a documentary. It was emphatically not the case here. Recorded in concert at the Philharmonie, Berlin. With the sound turned up, the impact was tremendous.

[knight66]

Thank you Andre, I had no idea of this version. I have ordered it as it sounds fascinating.

Mike

[bhodges]

Noting this with great interest as well. "Wild and garish" in this case might be pluses.

--Bruce

[Sergeant Rock]

This recording of the 10th is quite an experience:

Thank you Andre, I had no idea of this version. I have ordered it as it sounds fascinating.

Yes, thank you for uncovering this M10. I've also ordered it (although I have doubts it will eclipse Cooke/Levine).

Sarge

[André]

Geez, I feel some heat... 

[calyptorhynchus]

I'm sure one of you will be able to answer this question.

My first recording of Das Lied was a cassette bought around 1982 from one of those budget labels of the time. The only thing i remember about it was that the cover was black with white lettering and some red.

Can anyone tell me the performers?

[Mahlerian]

I'm sure one of you will be able to answer this question.

My first recording of Das Lied was a cassette bought around 1982 from one of those budget labels of the time. The only thing i remember about it was that the cover was black with white lettering and some red.

Can anyone tell me the performers?

Best I can do is send you to this list.  Hopefully one of the covers looks familiar:
http://gustavmahler.net.free.fr/daslied.html

[relm1]

This recording of the 10th is quite an experience:



The Musicweb reviewer was moved to write at great length on it, going so far as getting a score of Ganzou's realization to fully understand the conductor's intent:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2016/Nov/Mahler_sy10_WER51222.htm

In his own writing on the work Ganzou states that we'll never know how the work would have sounded, therefore any realization is a matter of conjecture. It does at times sound wild and garish, but I'd rather have that than the 'skeletal' impression I have alluded to in another post.

This performance is a one-off and, as Marc Bridle (Musicweb) correctly states, « a performance today would no doubt sound very different ». My own reaction throughout was one of awe and total adherence. I was sucked in the listening experience as I rarely am. When listening to a performance of the 10th I usually have the feeling of watching a documentary. It was emphatically not the case here. Recorded in concert at the Philharmonie, Berlin. With the sound turned up, the impact was tremendous.

I found this online and am listening now.  Not convinced it is special but holding out hope.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe3spGupjro

[Madiel]

I'm sure one of you will be able to answer this question.

My first recording of Das Lied was a cassette bought around 1982 from one of those budget labels of the time. The only thing i remember about it was that the cover was black with white lettering and some red.

Can anyone tell me the performers?

Google image searching and discogs suggest this Klemperer version as a slight possibility. https://www.discogs.com/master/view/529369

Because:

1. Discogs records it as having being released in Australia on World Record Club/World Cassette Club on a couple of occasions in the 1970s, and

2. At least some issues of the recording would fit your description. However it's difficult to tell because these things get reissues SO many times in so many covers.

[calyptorhynchus]

Google image searching and discogs suggest this Klemperer version as a slight possibility. https://www.discogs.com/master/view/529369

Because:

1. Discogs records it as having being released in Australia on World Record Club/World Cassette Club on a couple of occasions in the 1970s, and

2. At least some issues of the recording would fit your description. However it's difficult to tell because these things get reissues SO many times in so many covers.

It might have been that one, but I should have said that in 1982 I was located in the UK. I know these recordings get repackaged when reissued, but there haven't been that many recordings of DLvdE, or there hadn't by 1982. I'm surprised myself that a google image search didn't bring up the image.

Perhaps this is the question to ask, in the early 1980s in the UK there were two budget classical labels, one was Classics for Pleasure (and the recording I have in mind wasn't the CfP Gibson recording) and there was another one, can anyone remind me what it was called?

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Not one of these, was it?


George Solti, Lied von der Erde,  Chicago Symphony, René Kollo, Yvonne Minton

[knight66]

It might have been that one, but I should have said that in 1982 I was located in the UK. I know these recordings get repackaged when reissued, but there haven't been that many recordings of DLvdE, or there hadn't by 1982. I'm surprised myself that a google image search didn't bring up the image.

Perhaps this is the question to ask, in the early 1980s in the UK there were two budget classical labels, one was Classics for Pleasure (and the recording I have in mind wasn't the CfP Gibson recording) and there was another one, can anyone remind me what it was called?

One of the other bargain lables was Ace of Clubs and it was owned by Decca, but I don't recall any Das Lied and the obvious candidate, Ferrier/Walter was kept as a premium recording for decades. The BBC went through a phase of issuing live recordings at bargain price. They had a Leppard Das Lied with Janet Baker. I don't know whether they ever issued cassettes.

All the big lables had cheap offshoots. But as you don't recall any names from the version you had, I don't suppose looking at the big name catalogue listings will ring bells.

Mike

[knight66]

This recording of the 10th is quite an experience:



The Musicweb reviewer was moved to write at great length on it, going so far as getting a score of Ganzou's realization to fully understand the conductor's intent:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2016/Nov/Mahler_sy10_WER51222.htm

In his own writing on the work Ganzou states that we'll never know how the work would have sounded, therefore any realization is a matter of conjecture. It does at times sound wild and garish, but I'd rather have that than the 'skeletal' impression I have alluded to in another post.

This performance is a one-off and, as Marc Bridle (Musicweb) correctly states, « a performance today would no doubt sound very different ». My own reaction throughout was one of awe and total adherence. I was sucked in the listening experience as I rarely am. When listening to a performance of the 10th I usually have the feeling of watching a documentary. It was emphatically not the case here. Recorded in concert at the Philharmonie, Berlin. With the sound turned up, the impact was tremendous.

Got it and listened yesterday. It certainly tests the HiFi system with the extremes of dynamics. I could barely hear the opening, then almost blew the windows out. I need to get better acquainted with it. Although I enjoyed that first run through, I was not keen on the much repeated thwacking of the bass drum.

Mike

[knight66]

As an aside, tonight i will be in chorus for piano rehearsals of the Mahler 8 with Daniel Harding. I think he has only conducted it twice before. His first performance was live streamed and I felt quite encouraged, as he allowed the music to breathe without it becoming sluggush. I am looking forward to it. Orchestral rehearsals are on Sat/Sun, with the performance closing the Edinburgh Festival on Sunday evening.

Mike