Mahler Mania, Rebooted

[jlaurson]

(2010: Preview of Major Upcoming Releases by David Hurwitz, Classicstoday.com) 

Except it's not funny, it's disrespectful shite; even lower than the crap Lebrecht writes. That's what happens, if you never get out of your apartment: distorted character.
I read a lot of BS by that guy and figure... "it's his shtick". But this was just inane.

Anyway, on-topic:

Mahler Cycle | Concertgebouw | Jansons | M3
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2010/02/ionarts-at-large-mahler-cycle.html

[DavidRoss]

Except it's not funny, it's disrespectful shite; even lower than the crap Lebrecht writes. That's what happens, if you never get out of your apartment: distorted character.
I read a lot of BS by that guy and figure... "it's his shtick". But this was just inane.

This is a new low, indeed, for that pompous turd.  He's sinking into the territory of bottom-feeders like AC/DC Dougie and the Corkster.  Must have gone off his meds.  (Just what is the proper medication protocol for fatheads these days?) 

[Christo]

I'm surprised. I find David Hurwitz sometimes opiniated, but always entertaining and never short of arguments. As about my compatriot Haitink ... he's simply right, imho

(runs away)

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

This is a new low, indeed, for that pompous turd.

I find David Hurwitz sometimes opiniated, but always entertaining and never short of arguments.

I have mixed feelings about the Hurwitzer. Sure, he's obnoxious, but sometimes he hits the nail on the head. Plus, I'm grateful for some of his recs of composers and discs.

He wrote some good stuff when he was with Fanfare ages ago, before he started up his website.

As for the Haitink bit, it's satire. Heavy-handed as is his style, but I'm not going to get outraged over it.

[jlaurson]

I have mixed feelings about the Hurwitzer. Sure, he's obnoxious, but sometimes he hits the nail on the head. Plus, I'm grateful for some of his recs of composers and discs.

How is 'hitting the nail on the head sometimes' an excuse or even mitigating circumstance for being obnoxious? As if somehow he had to be obnoxious to be correct a few times? We're not complaining about everything about him... just the obnoxious part.

As for the Haitink bit, it's satire. Heavy-handed as is his style, but I'm not going to get outraged over it.

No shit, Sherlock. Satire? Like the satire of Rush Limbaugh. Worse. It's not funny. And it's not even correct in the sense that it mis-assumes underlying causes and motivations (as if it was Haitink who wanted his interpretations recorded; that's BS right there). And satire that  is not rooted in truth but snarkiness alone, and then manages to be unfunny...

By the way, this is just one entry in a string of 10 or 12 other bits all along those line, painfully, excruciatingly shitty pseudo-satire.

[Papy Oli]

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Gustav-Mahler-Symphonien-Nr-1-10/hnum/1113907

[DavidRoss]

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Gustav-Mahler-Symphonien-Nr-1-10/hnum/1113907

Put this in big bold letters!  One of the best bargains I've ever seen.  Lenny's DGG cycle, for which I paid more than twice as much and still thought it a bargain!

Anyone who does not own these recordings should jump on this one.

[Scarpia]

Put this in big bold letters!  One of the best bargains I've ever seen.  Lenny's DGG cycle, for which I paid more than twice as much and still thought it a bargain!

Anyone who does not own these recordings should jump on this one.

To the US MDT might be cheaper, in view of generally high shipping costs from Germany to the US.

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//4778668.htm

[Papy Oli]

Put this in big bold letters!

YES SIR ! 

[DavidW]

Actually I'm glad that Dave did put it in bold, I don't have those recordings anymore but they are superb a bargain priced rerelease is just what the Dr ordered.   Well it would be anyway if I had a shrink that was also a Mahlerian.

[Scarpia]

I checked.  jpc wants 12.99 Euros to ship, MDT 4.50 pounds.   All told, $57 from jpc, $53 from mdt (to the US) taking into account taxes, shipping and currency conversion.

I notice that Amazon lists the set as a pre-order at $59.99.  When it is finally released, I expect marketplace sellers to undercut that by a substantial margin.   I might spring for it, depending on how low it goes.

[Lilas Pastia]

Some of these recordings are inspired, but the set as a whole is very uneven. In a few instances Bernstein doesn't quite recapture the excitement and elation of previous NY recordings (2, 3, 6, 7). Elsewhere, some strange choices relegate his recording to an apendix to one's collection (4). In 8 the technical shortcomings are too pronounced to be ignored. Listen to the level of hiss  at the beginning of part II, or the absurdly high level at which the soloists have been recorded ("Blicket auf" is much too loud, as far as could be from what it really sounds like in the concert hall). That's a pity, because Bernstein has great things to say, and he is at a stage in his carreer where his love of the music transcends his love for himself. Symphonies 1 and 9 have a sort of distinction that puts the whole production on a special plane, one where interpretive choices cease to be a matter of discussion.

Chailly's cycle comes at about 40-45$ if one is willing to pick it up at the record store. But admittedly it's not as characterful.

[DavidW]

Some of these recordings are inspired, but the set as a whole is very uneven. In a few instances Bernstein doesn't quite recapture the excitement and elation of previous NY recordings (2, 3, 6, 7).

Agree on 2, but actually think that #3 doesn't vary that much between the two cycles.  And #6 and 7 are revelatory, the deepest recordings of these pieces that exist.  He might have adopted slow tempos, but it would be hard to find more dramatic readings.

[DarkAngel]

Some of these recordings are inspired, but the set as a whole is very uneven. In a few instances Bernstein doesn't quite recapture the excitement and elation of previous NY recordings (2, 3, 6, 7). Elsewhere, some strange choices relegate his recording to an apendix to one's collection (4). In 8 the technical shortcomings are too pronounced to be ignored.

Quite right my friend, the only 1980s Bernstein DG versions that equal or surpass the original Sony set are symphonies 1,5 and those can easily and cheaply be picked up on a 2CD DG panorama release. Perfect example of late period Bernstein excess is the glacial pacing of DG 9th at 89 minutes vs Sony 9th at 80 minutes



I do like the art deco artwork for the individual DG releases but musically I prefer Sony performances
(except 1,5 as noted)

Also mention I kinda like Bernstein's choice of boy to sing "childs view of heaven" in DG 4th, although many are critical of this liberty

[DavidRoss]

Agree on 2, but actually think that #3 doesn't vary that much between the two cycles.  And #6 and 7 are revelatory, the deepest recordings of these pieces that exist.  He might have adopted slow tempos, but it would be hard to find more dramatic readings.

Agree, except for your evaluation of 2, which I think one of the finest in the entire catalog.

the only 1980s Bernstein DG versions that equal or surpass the original Sony set are symphonies 1,5 and those can easily and cheaply be picked up on a 2CD DG panorama release.

Also mention I kinda like Bernstein's choice of boy to sing "childs view of heaven" in DG 4th, although many are critical of this liberty

Agree about 1 & 5, disagree about the rest.  I like the RCO 4th except for Helmut Wittek.

Note these preferences are all matters of opinion.  To me, if you're gonna go for Lenny's interventionist heart-on-sleeve milk-it-for-all-it's-worth interpretations, then go all the way, as he did in the later recordings.  Others' preferences may differ...but they are still just preferences!

[Drasko]

Put this in big bold letters!  One of the best bargains I've ever seen.  Lenny's DGG cycle, for which I paid more than twice as much and still thought it a bargain!

Twice as much but for box one third bigger, 16 CDs as opposed to 11 CDs. The new box I believe doesn't include any of the lieder, nor Das Lied von der Erde. 

[DarkAngel]

Btw my preference for the Bernstein/NYPO/Sony set does not diminish the overall greatness of the DG set, which if Sony set did not exist DG set would still have to rank as one of the top 2-3 complete sets of all time, a magnificent acheivement.........

Fortunately the later DG set was well documented on film, I love watching the mad scientist Lenny completely in his element unleashing the hounds for final movement of 7th symphony.....no one today is this animated on the podium, where have the great ones gone?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjsF9a96I0k&feature=related

[Sergeant Rock]

Obviously, the true Mahlerite needs both cycles    No, seriously. I prefer the DG 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8, the Sony 3, 4, 7 and 9.

Sarge

[jlaurson]

Obviously, the true Mahlerite needs both cycles    No, seriously. I prefer the DG 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8, the Sony 3, 4, 7 and 9.

Sarge

I agree on all those. And regardless of what one's final preference is, Lennie's DG 7 is still an important (ought-to-have-heard) recording, too.

[DarkAngel]

It's not all good news, there is a catch.........

In order to compress the DG set down to 11 CDs they will have to resort to putting segements of two symphonies on 1 CD for most of the discs, I never like that but that's the only way to fit them on 11 CDs, will be kinda helter skelter

These DG symphonies usually require 2 CDs:

S2 - 93 minutes
S3 - 106
S6 - 84
S7 - 82
S8 - 83
S9 - 89