Mahler Symphonies Favorite Recordings - Page 184

I have to agree with DarkAngel about the Abbado M6. It's not one of my favorites because he puts the Scherzo 3rd. I find much of Abbado's late Mahler to be problematic: He makes Mahler so introspective and restrained when I want to hear that music pouring out in complete abandon. I don't doubt the depth of Abbado's feelings, but they are just a trifle too "stiff, upper lip" for my taste.

Mb,

I know it won't be at the top of your heap as the Scherzo is third instead of 2nd, but you can reprogram it to play the "correct" way on your cd player if necessary.

While listening to Gatti's 5 today, I dug out other Mahler 5's in my CD collection, for comparison and one was conducted by Wyn Morris, on the IMP label. The recorded sound is pleasantly reverbrant, and well balanced, too. The orchestra is probably a pickup one, called the Symphonica of London. Morris's Adagietto is probably among the most brisk on record, only 8'11", but sounds incredibly impassioned. Compared to the micro-managed Gatti, Morris's account seems much more coherent and flowing beautifully especially in the grand finale.

I picked up a hybrid SACD copy last night at Symphony Hall (we saw Joshua Bell with Herbert Blomstedt conducting Beethoven's violin concerto and then Blomstedt conducting Nielsen's 5th symphony). We were at one of the nights this disc was recorded last year--I think member Spektrograf was there too, and maybe others. I am listening to it right now, which is why I looked for this thread. It sounds great so far, although I am listening to the CD layer only. The performance we saw was extraordinary, so I assume this disc will be as well. I am looking forward to the more knowledgeable folks in this thread to post their impressions on this recording in its own right and versus other recordings of the 5th.

Happy listening folks, and I hope yours arrives soon Yikes!

I'm not sure I would call Hurwitz a big fan of MTT. He's been pretty lukewarm to many of the releases in MTT's Mahler cycle and has been pretty critical of the fact that they are letting him record one. DH has been complimentary of MTT in other repertoire, however.

I've been listening to the new Mahler 6th with Eschenbach and Philadelphia on Ondine for the past two days. Twice with a score in sacd surround, once with no score, last with headphones. Here goes...

Sound: puts you right there in the front row. Amazing transparency, detail and dynamics. I heard details I never noticed before. Surround sound with the volume cranked way up is the only way to go. Probably the best sounding 6th I've ever heard -- and I've heard a lot of them.

Orchestral playing: when it was over, the audience clapped. Until then I had only one hint it was live, but to think that the orchestra can play this incredibly well live is good news indeed. Maybe the Ormandy days are back! Seriously, there was only one brief lapse in intonation in the whole performance. I heard no wrong notes, no wrong entrances (I've got to check one think in the celeste part again), no cracked horn notes. Eschenbach has sure drilled precision back in to the Philly which has been so sadly lacking the last 20 years or more.

Conducting: what can I say? It is fabulous. It isn't as over the top as Bernstein, and not at all as plain and faceless as Haitink/Berlin. He plays it for what it is: Mahler's most classical symphony. Yet it is a deeply felt, strong, driven performance. He knows exactly when and where to relax and let the tension subside, and how to put the screws to it when he wants. The sections following each hammer blow in the finale are demonically driven. I cannot imagine the Andante being better played, or more poignant. The scherzo is all one could ask. Tempos all the way around seem ideal.

Edition: First movement repeat observed. Scherzo-Andante order.

Verdict: This one's a keeper, and is near the top of a very high stack. For sound alone, this one's the best. The nearest version I can think of off hand is the Barbirolli. It sure surprised me and it is encouraging. If the same team can do a whole cycle, it will be the 21st century version to beat in sacd. I didn't expect it frankly, as I didn't care for Eschenbach's M1 with Houston on Koch a few years back. But this 6th is dynamite!

I, too, ordered this from Arkiv. I've only heard 5 or 6 different versions of the 6th -- I have yet to hear the new Abbado or the MTT -- but this one is the best I've heard to date.

Did you guys notice that Arkiv is now selling out of print CDs on CD-Rs? Will these be the same sound quality as the originals? If so, this will is spectacular news for classical music fans.

I'm so happy to hear this! I've subscribed to the Philadelphia Orchestra series at Carnegie hall and will be hearing Eschenbach conducting both the 4th and the 2nd this season. Btw, Eschenbach has some Mahler recordings with the Houston SO which are quite good as well.

I'm going to get this recording to compare it to the Oué, which currently is my favorite. Btw, the sound in the Oué is also amazing in SACD/surround, and that also is a live performance.

The new release of Eschenbach M6 interests me, because of the performance Eschenbach/Paris Orchestra of Dalbavie's compositions. Including a cycle of Mahler, I hope Eschenbach/Philadelphia record contemporary works. An excellent review is encouraging.

A Philadelphia Aside

In 2001, after 101 years, the Philadelphia Orchestra moved from the oldest orchestra hall in America, the Academy of Music, and into Verizon Hall. Eschenbach recorded Mahler's 6th in Philadelphia's beautiful new concert hall.


Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA (opened 2001)

A unique feature of this new hall is that it has doors throughout that open in to a large reverberation chamber. With this, the reverberation time is tunable. Longer reverb for a richer, fuller sound, shorter for clarity. Only a few concert halls have such acoustic chambers. Another one of note is the Culture and Congress Center Concert Hall in Lucerne, Switzerland.

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Another image revealing a cello-shaped interior.


ARTEC consultants: Verizon Hall


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There's a pretty good deal for the Gielen set on ebay right now. $78 (+10 for shipping from Japan). Gielen Many people rave about this set.

Not anymore. Thanks for the heads-up. I had been contemplating buying this set for quite some time, but I wasn't going to fork over the $120 - $180 that other stores/sellers wanted. I have his version of the 10th, and it is outstanding. I hope the rest of the set lives up.

-Jay

You're welcome; I'm so glad one of "us" got it. All I ask in return is a review.

Sure thing. I'm sure it will take some time for me to work through the set without neglecting all the other stuff in my "to listen" pile, but I'll give impressions as I go. Hopefully it won't take too long to make it her from Japan.