Mahler Mania, Rebooted

[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

The previous release of symphonies only set from the DG set required 13 CDs, so it will be interesting to see how they divide them up now to fit on only 11 Cds.......

[jlaurson]

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 require 2 CDs:

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

If that was the case, I'd hate it. I hate starting a disc on something other than track 1... and it's not necessary. An additional disc costs less than the translator's fee.
Perhaps the DG engineers, who know how to put 83.5 minutes on one disc (see Thielemann's Bruckner 5), have managed to get the 6th??, well possibly the 7th, maybe the 8th on one disc?

[DarkAngel]

If that was the case, I'd hate it. I hate starting a disc on something other than track 1... and it's not necessary. An additional disc costs less than the translator's fee.
Perhaps the DG engineers, who know how to put 83.5 minutes on one disc (see Thielemann's Bruckner 5), have managed to get the 6th??, well possibly the 7th, maybe the 8th on one disc?

That would surely help.......
I wonder how they manage to go beyond the 80 minute mark for CD format, what is the trick?

[Drasko]

Perhaps the DG engineers, who know how to put 83.5 minutes on one disc (see Thielemann's Bruckner 5), have managed to get the 6th??, well possibly the 7th, maybe the 8th on one disc?

No.

Track List    CD 1: Mahler: Symphonies Nos.1 & 2, Movement 1

      Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911)
   Symphony No.1 in D
1      1. Langsam. Schleppend   [16:28]    
2      2. Kräftig bewegt   [9:01]    
3      3. Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen   [10:27]    
4      4. Stürmisch bewegt   [20:10]    
      Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, Leonard Bernstein   

   Symphony No.2 in C minor - "Resurrection"
5      1: Allegro maestoso (Totenfeier)   [25:01]    
      New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein   

Total Playing Time [1:21:07]

   CD 2: Mahler: Symphony No.2, Movement 2 - 5

      Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911)
   Symphony No.2 in C minor - "Resurrection"
1      2: Andante moderato   [12:19]    
2      3: (Scherzo)   [11:26]    
      New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein   

   4: "Urlicht"
3      Sehr feierlich, aber schlicht - "O Röslein rot"   [6:19]    
      Christa Ludwig, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein   

4      5: Im Tempo des Scherzo   [38:42]    
      Barbara Hendricks, Christa Ludwig, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein, The Westminster Choir, Joseph Flummerfelt   

Total Playing Time [1:08:46]

   CD 3: Mahler: Symphony No.3, Movement 1 - 3

      Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911)
   Symphony No.3 in D minor
   Part 1
1      1. Kräftig. Entscheiden   [34:52]    
   Part 2
2      2. Tempo di minuetto. Sehr mäßig   [10:46]    
3      3. Comodo. Scherzando. Ohne Hast   [18:32]    
      New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein   

Total Playing Time [1:04:10]

   CD 4: Mahler: Symphonies Nos.3, Movement 4 - 6 & 6, Movement 1 + 2

      Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911)
   Symphony No.3 in D minor
   Part 2
1      4. Sehr langsam. Misterioso: "O Mensch! Gib acht!" 'O Mensch! Gib acht'   [9:32]    
      Christa Ludwig, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein   

2      5. Lustig im Tempo und keck im Ausdruck: "Bimm Bamm. Es sungen drei Engel"   [4:07]    
      Christa Ludwig, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein, New York Choral Artists, Joseph Flummerfelt, Brooklyn Boys Chorus, James McCarthy   

3      6. Langsam. Ruhevoll. Empfunden   [27:59]    
      New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein   

   Symphony No.6 in A minor
4      1. Allegro energico, ma non troppo. Heftig aber Markig   [23:12]    
5      2. Scherzo (Wuchtig)   [14:17]    
      Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein   

Total Playing Time [1:19:07]

   CD 5: Mahler: Symphonies Nos.6, Movement 3 + 4 & 9, Movement 1

      Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911)
   Symphony No.6 in A minor
1      3. Andante moderato   [16:20]    
2      4. Finale (Allegro moderato)   [33:06]    
      Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein   

   Symphony No.9 in D
3      1. Andante comodo   [29:58]    
      Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, Leonard Bernstein   

Total Playing Time [1:19:24]

   CD 6: Mahler: Symphony No.9, Movement 2 - 4

      Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911)
   Symphony No.9 in D
1      2. Im Tempo eines gemächlichen Ländlers. Etwas täppisch und sehr derb -   [17:31]    
2      3. Rondo. Burleske (Allegro assai. Sehr trotzig -   [11:51]    
3      4. Adagio (Sehr langsam)   [29:43]    
      Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, Leonard Bernstein   

Total Playing Time [59:05]

   CD 7: Mahler: Symphony No.5

      Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911)
   Symphony No.5 in C sharp minor
1      1. Trauermarsch (In gemessenem Schritt. Streng. Wie ein Kondukt - Plötzlich schneller. Leidenschaftlich. Wild - Tempo I)   [14:35]    
2      2. Stürmisch bewegt. Mit größter Vehemenz - Bedeutend langsamer - Tempo I subito   [15:05]    
      Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein   

3      3. Scherzo (Kräftig, nicht zu schnell)   [19:05]    
      Friedrich Pfeiffer, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein   

4      4. Adagietto (Sehr langsam)   [11:16]    
5      5. Rondo-Finale (Allegro)   [15:02]    
      Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein   

Total Playing Time [1:15:03]

   CD 8: Mahler: Symphony No.7, Movement 1 - 4

      Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911)
   Symphony No.7 in E minor
1      1. Langsam (Adagio)   [21:38]    
2      2. Nachtmusik (Allegro moderato)   [17:08]    
3      3. Scherzo   [10:32]    
4      4. Nachtmusik (Andante amoroso)   [14:47]    
      New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein   

Total Playing Time [1:04:05]

   CD 9: Mahler: Symphonies Nos.7, Movement 5 & 4

      Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911)
   Symphony No.7 in E minor
1      5. Rondo - Finale (Allegro ordinario - Allegro moderato ma energico)   [18:24]    
      New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein   

   Symphony No.4 in G
2      1. Bedächtig. Nicht eilen - Recht gemächlich   [17:37]    
3      2. In gemächlicher Bewegung. Ohne Hast   [10:12]    
4      3. Ruhevoll (Poco adagio)   [20:32]    
      Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, Leonard Bernstein, Jaap van Zweden   

5      4. Sehr behaglich: "Wir genießen die himmlischen Freuden"   [8:44]    
      Helmut Wittek, Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, Leonard Bernstein, Jaap van Zweden   

Total Playing Time [1:15:29]

   CD 10: Mahler: Symphonies Nos.10 & 8, Part 1

      Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911)
   Symphony No.10 in F sharp (unfinished)
1      Andante - Adagio   [26:03]    
      Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein   

   Symphony No.8 in E flat - "Symphony of a Thousand"
   Part One: Hymnus "Veni creator spiritus"
2      "Veni creator spiritus"   [1:31]    
      Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Walter Hagen-Groll, Wiener Singverein, Helmut Froschauer   

3      "Imple superna gratia"   [3:16]    
      Margaret Price, Kenneth Riegel, Judith Blegen, Trudeliese Schmidt, Agnes Baltsa, Hermann Prey, José van Dam, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Walter Hagen-Groll, Wiener Singverein, Helmut Froschauer   

4      "Infirma nostri corporis"   [2:44]    
      Margaret Price, Judith Blegen, Trudeliese Schmidt, Agnes Baltsa, Kenneth Riegel, José van Dam, Hermann Prey, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Walter Hagen-Groll, Wiener Singverein, Helmut Froschauer   

5      Tempo I. (Allegro, etwas hastig)   [1:14]    
      Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz   

6      "Infirma nostri corporis"   [3:15]    
      José van Dam, Kenneth Riegel, Trudeliese Schmidt, Agnes Baltsa, Hermann Prey, Margaret Price, Judith Blegen, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz   

7      "Accende lumen sensibus"   [4:24]    
      Margaret Price, Judith Blegen, Trudeliese Schmidt, Agnes Baltsa, Kenneth Riegel, Hermann Prey, José van Dam, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz, Wiener Sängerknaben, Uwe Theimer, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Walter Hagen-Groll, Wiener Singverein, Helmut Froschauer   

8      Veni, creator spiritus   [4:27]    
      Margaret Price, Judith Blegen, Trudeliese Schmidt, Agnes Baltsa, Kenneth Riegel, Hermann Prey, José van Dam, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Walter Hagen-Groll, Wiener Singverein, Helmut Froschauer, Wiener Sängerknaben, Uwe Theimer   

9      "Gloria sit Patri Domino"   [3:22]    
      Margaret Price, Judith Blegen, Trudeliese Schmidt, Agnes Baltsa, Kenneth Riegel, Hermann Prey, José van Dam, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz, Wiener Sängerknaben, Uwe Theimer, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Walter Hagen-Groll, Wiener Singverein, Helmut Froschauer   

Total Playing Time [50:16]

   CD 11: Mahler: Symphony No.8, Part 2

      Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911)
   Symphony No.8 in E flat - "Symphony of a Thousand"
   Part Two: Final scene from Goethe's "Faust"
1      Poco adagio   [6:26]    
2      Più mosso (Allegro moderato)   [3:05]    
      Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz   

3      "Waldung, sie schwankt heran"   [4:32]    
      Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Walter Hagen-Groll, Wiener Singverein, Helmut Froschauer   

4      "Ewiger Wonnebrand"   [1:36]    
      Hermann Prey, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz   

5      "Wie Felsenabgrund mir zu Füßen"   [4:30]    
      José van Dam, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz   

6      "Gerettet ist das edle Glied" - "Hände verschlinget"   [1:06]    
      Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Walter Hagen-Groll, Wiener Singverein, Helmut Froschauer, Wiener Sängerknaben, Uwe Theimer   

7      "Jene Rosen, aus den Händen"   [1:50]    
      Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Walter Hagen-Groll   

8      "Uns bleibt ein Erdenrest"   [2:23]    
      Trudeliese Schmidt, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz, Wiener Singverein, Helmut Froschauer   

9      "Ich spür' soeben" - "Freudig empfangen wir" - "Hier ist die Aussicht frei"   [1:22]    
      Kenneth Riegel, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Walter Hagen-Groll, Wiener Sängerknaben, Uwe Theimer   

10      "Höchste Herrscherin der Welt"   [4:24]    
      Kenneth Riegel, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Walter Hagen-Groll, Wiener Singverein, Helmut Froschauer   

11      "Dir, der Unberührbaren" - "Du schwebst zu Höhen"   [3:56]    
      Judith Blegen, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Walter Hagen-Groll, Wiener Singverein, Helmut Froschauer   

12      "Bei der Liebe" - "Bei dem Bronn" - Bei dem hochgeweihten Orte"   [4:50]    
      Margaret Price, Trudeliese Schmidt, Agnes Baltsa, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz   

13      "Neige, neige, du Ohnegleiche"   [1:13]    
      Judith Blegen, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz   

14      "Er überwächst uns schon"   [3:57]    
      Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz, Wiener Sängerknaben, Uwe Theimer   

15      "Komm! hebe dich zu höhern Sphären"   [1:23]    
      Gerti Zeumer, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz   

16      "Blicket auf zum Retterblick"   [6:01]    
      Kenneth Riegel, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Walter Hagen-Groll, Wiener Singverein, Helmut Froschauer, Wiener Sängerknaben, Uwe Theimer   

17      "Alles Vergängliche"   [6:28]    
      Margaret Price, Judith Blegen, Trudeliese Schmidt, Agnes Baltsa, Kenneth Riegel, Hermann Prey, José van Dam, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Scholz, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Walter Hagen-Groll, Wiener Singverein, Helmut Froschauer, Wiener Sängerknaben, Uwe Theimer   

Total Playing Time [59:02]

[DarkAngel]

Drasko thanks for that info.......what a mess 

[Lilas Pastia]

The Bertini cycle is also rather messy in that regard.

Milos, what it Jaap van Zweden  doing in the 4th? - solo violin ?

5      4. Sehr behaglich: "Wir genießen die himmlischen Freuden"   [8:44]   
      Helmut Wittek, Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, Leonard Bernstein, Jaap van Zweden   

BTW, were it not for Master Wittek's raw singing and faulty intonation, the concept of a boy soprano might have worked. Mahler knew the Vienna Boy's Choir and he would have thought of it as an alternative if it had made real musical sense. Note that many sopranos who have sung the M4 part are also able exponents of Strauss' 4 Last Songs, Mozart's Countess and other high-lying roles that require exceptional intonation and breath control.

[mahler10th]

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

I watched that wee video.
He gave character to his entire repertoire through his on-podium antics.
One of the most unbelievably talented, intelligent and open minded conductors ever.  History remains to etch out a furrow for his own symphonic works.  Wont be long.

[Lilas Pastia]

I went to the concert because I wanted to see him conduct.... He conducts like an epileptic, in the lyric passages he makes faces as if he ewas going to come, conducts without baton, poses all the time, everything for the public, nothing for the men [the musicians]. In his music for ballet he actually dances. He is a show !

Pierre Monteux, writing in 1945.

Today I listened to an unusually sensitive and eloquent reading of the 9th by the SWF Baden-Baden Orchestra under Hans Rosbaud. Clear and well-balanced 1954 sound. The orchestra sounds well, if rather meagre in numbers. The outer movements came out best, flowing and lyrical, Walter-style. Timings are  roughly 23-16-13-22. Many conductors today take between 25-30 minutes for the bookend slow movements. Rosbaud imparts great logic to tempo relationships in those long movements. One episode flows into another seamlessly (a stumbling block in many readings of the first movement). It's all very sweet and radiant. A very valid POV that complements rather than opposes those of more saturnine, anguished exponents.

[kishnevi]

Drasko thanks for that info.......what a mess 

There is a better format, and with more music, to boot!.
I have this set of Symphonies 5-7.

The second disc of Symphony 6 is filled out by Kindertotenlieder, and the second disc of Symphony 7 is filled out by Ruckert Lieder (Hampson was the singer.)
There are two companion sets, for Symphonies 1-4, Fahrenden Gesellen, Knaben Wunderhorn in the first,  and Symphonies 8-10 and LvdE in the other set.
No smooshing of symphonies together, other than the Adagio of 10 is the first track of the CD containing the Part I of 8.
Total Amazon pricing for the three together is about $115 USD, with a total of 16 CDs.



It's merely pure laziness that I have yet to get the other two volumes (although I have the individual recording of the 2nd).

Edit:  oopsie.  just realized that Drasko posted about these sets a page ago .

[Scarpia]

This is starting to bring back Memories of the Bernstein DG recordings.  I was actually in Avery Fisher Hall when they recording #3, and left impressed by the histrionics on the podium, but unimpressed by what sounded like a sloppy, unenthusiastic performance.  I was curious enough to listen to the DG recording and it was clear they fixed an anticlimactic end to the final movement in the editing room.  With these recovered memories, I've deleted the set from my shopping card.  I agree with those who say the earlier Columbia set was better, with the proviso that the Columbia set is nothing special.   

[jlaurson]

Milos, what it Jaap van Zweden  doing in the 4th? - solo violin ?

He was the concertmaster of the RCO at the time, hence the solo violin part.

Fortunately the later DG set was well documented on film...

But the Unitel recordings are not the same as the Deutsche Grammophon Recordings.

[DarkAngel]

But the Unitel recordings are not the same as the Deutsche Grammophon Recordings.

Thanks for pointing that out......

These DVDs actually give us a third complete Mahler set of performances falling between the 1960s Sony CD set and the 1980s DG CD set offering yet another variation on Bernstein's Mahler journey

DVD set for symphonies 1,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 are with VPO and symphony 2 features LSO at Ely Cathedral. These date from 1970s, I have DVD volume I set with performance dates:

S1 - 10/1974
S2 - 9/1973 (Janet Baker, Sheila Armstrong)
S3 - 4/1972 (Christa Ludwig)

[DarkAngel]

As long as we are talking Mahler DVDs, I placed an order for one of Abbados new series with Lucerne.
He seems to be as good as any active conductor today with Mahler and these are widescreen format, will start with Mahler 2nd of course.........

[mc ukrneal]

As long as we are talking Mahler DVDs, I placed an order for one of Abbados new series with Lucerne.
He seems to be as good as any active conductor today with Mahler and these are widescreen format, will start with Mahler 2nd of course.........

I was never a huge Mahler fan...until I saw some of the Abbado performances with Luscerne Orchestra. I loved them.

Speaking of Mezzo, for those interested, I read that the Mezzo channel would be showing Mahler symphonies tonight (#8 and #9) and it looks like they will show #2 (same one from above I think) and perhaps another after that on Thursday as well. Not sure if they show the same programs in every region, so you may want to check the progeam in your area before getting too excited. They also sometimes show the wrong schedules. Still, figured it was worth a mention...

Edit: Looks like Thursday is indeed the 2nd symphony, but Boulez, not Abaddo and a little earlier...

[DarkAngel]

  I have DVD volume I set with performance dates:

S1 - 10/1974
S2 - 9/1973 (Janet Baker, Sheila Armstrong)
S3 - 4/1972 (Christa Ludwig)

Here we have conclusion of 2nd symphony from Ely Cathedral, perhaps the greatest moment in all of classical music, man meets his creator.......an essential Mahler DVD!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf5fM1i3MGQ&feature=related

[Papy Oli]

released March 1st (amazon UK)

[DarkAngel]

As long as we are talking Mahler DVDs, I placed an order for one of Abbados new series with Lucerne.
He seems to be as good as any active conductor today with Mahler and these are widescreen format, will start with Mahler 2nd of course.........

Very happy with new Abbado Lucerne DVD series, widescreen format upscaled to 1080p using my Oppo Blu Ray player looks fabulous on 52" LCD screen. The camera work is very professional with many interesting shots/angles.....I will be buying these are they are released. As I said before I think Abbado is currently best living Mahler conductor, so it is fortunate we can collect these for reasobable price

I find these DVDs to be extremely useful for discovering all kinds of inside info/details about Mahlers music world and makes your CD listening sessions much more enjoyable as you can recall these images, plus the subtitles allow you to actually understand the words being sung.....

[Renfield]

Very happy with new Abbado Lucerne DVD series, widescreen format upscaled to 1080p using my Oppo Blu Ray player looks fabulous on 52" LCD screen. The camera work is very professional with many interesting shots/angles.....I will be buying these are they are released. As I said before I think Abbado is currently best living Mahler conductor, so it is fortunate we can collect these for reasobable price

I find these DVDs to be extremely useful for discovering all kinds of inside info/details about Mahlers music world and makes your CD listening sessions much more enjoyable as you can recall these images, plus the subtitles allow you to actually understand the words being sung.....

I still have their 3rd unwatched. But the Abbado/Lucerne partnership, as is well-reported by critical opinion, is indeed something special. Indeed, rather more special than most of the rest of his Mahler, to my ears.

(Though I also consider his 'late' Berlin Mahler of a very high standard, if a little uneven by comparison to his Lucerne work.)

[DarkAngel]

I still have their 3rd unwatched. But the Abbado/Lucerne partnership, as is well-reported by critical opinion, is indeed something special. Indeed, rather more special than most of the rest of his Mahler, to my ears.

When watching DVD you get to see/know the musicians which is cool..........many are younger than usual and about 20% female so very integrated. Abbado is more animated on podiium than I expected (which is good)

[Renfield]

When watching DVD you get to see/know the musicians which is cool..........many are younger than usual and about 20% female so very integrated. Abbado is more animated on podiium than I expected (which is good)

You might be on to something about the added visual effect, even as regards one's musical enjoyment.

I certainly know I feel more motivated to explore a given reading's minutiae when exposed to it live.