[Bunnyears]

Zander Mahler 6 and Slatkin Mahler 2 (both SACD/hybrid) finally have arrived! Hopefully I'll have time to listen sometime today.

If anyone has had a chance to listen to these recently, let me know your impressions.

 

[cannedheat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot My favorite Mahler recording is Bruno Walter's 1938 performance of the ninth with the Vienna Philharmonic. Walter had assisted Mahler when he was conducting the Vienna Philharmonic, and Mahler gave him the score before he died because he knew he wouldn't live to conduct it. The whole orchestra was aware that the Nazis were close to taking over Austria... and once that happened, the Vienna Philharmonic would never be the same again. Walter described the ninth as "the farewell", and this particular recording captures the end of an era. I produced a restoration of it from an original shellac pressing. You can find an MP3 sample at... http://www.vintageip.com/records/vipcl1005.html See ya Steve

I have the Dutton Laboratories CD of this famous 1938 recording. I must agree that it is an amazing performance and recording, given the conductor, the orchestra, the era in which it was recorded, and the historical significance of this moment in time.

 

[DarkAngel]

Who will be first to order complete Gielen/Hanssler Mahler set?
(Tyson has deep pockets, Scott has new job with signing bonus

)

I did pick up the Gielen Mahler 1 from yourmusic.com, very good with excellent sound but not quite replacing any in my top Mahler list.


I have owned the Slatkin/Telarc Mahler 1,2 symphonies for long time but not really too excited about them. The only thing really unique about them is the trademark Telarc bass response which produces sesmic earthmoving moments especially if you have sub/speakers capable of accurate 25-30hz sound. For me this is more of a distraction and doesn't help to elevate these performances overall into the elite status.........still keep these but don't really ever listen to them.

 

[Bunnyears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel Who will be first to order complete Gielen/Hanssler Mahler set? (Tyson has deep pockets, Scott has new job with signing bonus ) I did pick up the Gielen Mahler 1 from yourmusic.com, very good with excellent sound but not quite replacing any in my top Mahler list. I have owned the Slatkin/Telarc Mahler 1,2 symphonies for long time but not really too excited about them. The only thing really unique about them is the trademark Telarc bass response which produces sesmic earthmoving moments especially if you have sub/speakers capable of accurate 25-30hz sound. For me this is more of a distraction and doesn't help to elevate these performances overall into the elite status.........still keep these but don't really ever listen to them.

the Slatkin SACD M2 is excellent, but much in the style of Litton/Delos. Ofcourse, the multichannel treatment really enhances it. It is a leaner M2 and the cds break just before the Urlicht which is something that is very annoying and detracts from the whole symphony. Right now, I think that the Mehta and the Kaplan/VPO really suit my moods a little better. I also have been listening to the Levi/Atlanta M2, M4, M6. The M2 is also of excellent quality and definitely in the top tier, but the real sleepers are the 4 and 6. The 4 is as good as any (Frederica von Stade is in excellent voice) and the 6th has really crept up my list of favorite 6ths.

As the to the Gielen cycle (hehe), well it's a bit pricey. If I'm spending that type of money, I'll get the NYPO cycle of historic recordings. I'll bet that the Gielen eventually all show up at yourmusic the way the Norrington Beethoven did. They won't be boxed as a set, but if you can get each individually at that price, who cares?

 

[Bunnyears]

Sorry, but have been listening to the Levi M6 and must note that it skips an expositional repeat (maybe to fit it on one disc??). anyway, I still love this interpretation of the work and take comfort in the fact that Mahler might have cut that out himself if he had lived longer, and it's no different from the way he decided to rewrite Bruckner and Bach. Would he have approved of any change he didn't make? No way, the man had a monster ego to along with his monster genius, but somehow, after listening to some other 6ths, the Levi just seems to hold together and tell the story. I still love the Barbirolli M6 best, but Levi does it for me too.

 

[bigshot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel especially if you have sub/speakers capable of accurate 25-30hz sound.

What speakers are capable of accurately reproducing sound that low? Most speakers don't get below 35hz.

See ya
Steve

 

[PSmith08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears the Slatkin SACD M2 is excellent, but much in the style of Litton/Delos. Ofcourse, the multichannel treatment really enhances it. It is a leaner M2 and the cds break just before the Urlicht which is something that is very annoying and detracts from the whole symphony.

Lean is a good way to describe the Slatkin. It is not as florid or purple as the Bernstein '88 outing, it lacks the monumentality of Klemperer, and it isn't as neutral as Kaplan. It is very precise. He reminds me quite a bit of Boulez, who, unfortunately, has not added a M2 to his DGG cycle. I don't want to call it dry, but it is not the most emotional M2 out there.

It is well-played and well-recorded, so I have no real complaint. I suppose Kaplan and I will be friends for some time to come.

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot What speakers are capable of accurately reproducing sound that low? Most speakers don't get below 35hz. See ya Steve

Look at my profile...........HSU VTF3 Sub (350 watt internal amp) will do it no problem

VTF3

With VTF3 during final apocalyptic scence of Mahler 2nd when organ bass kicks in the heavens will part and all will be revealed.......you are powerless to resist

 

[Bunnyears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot What speakers are capable of accurately reproducing sound that low? Most speakers don't get below 35hz. See ya Steve

Try the Canton Vento speakers with good amping. Their Karat Reference series also does the job. I'll bet Magnepan will also do it. Just because this is a headphone forum doesn't mean that many of the posters don't have really good speaker systems.

 

[bigshot]

The reason I am curious is because the distance a single speaker has to travel to reproduce lower frequencies at the same volume level as the rest of the spectrum increases exponentially as the frequency goes lower.

Just about any bass speaker can *respond* to frequencies down to 1hz... but "frequency response" isn't the same as actually making that sound. The cones may move back and forth 20 times a second, but that doesn't mean that you can hear anything. Accordion surrounds connecting the cone to the basket can allow a little more flexibility, but no driver I know of that's currently being made can put out lower than around 35hz by itself. I haven't done the math to figure out how far a single 18 inch cone would have to travel to put out 20hz balanced with the rest of the frequencies, but I'm sure it would have to be flapping back and forth far enough to blow your hair back in the breeze!

The only way I know to get that low is to use multiple drivers chained together. That combines the surface area of all the drivers, reducing the distance any individual cone has to travel. This can cause phase cancellation problems, but if all the speakers are joined together behind a horn it solves that... A horn loaded subwoofer system is likely going to be as big as a large refrigerator though.

I'll read up on this particular subwoofer and see how they are accomplishing it. I suspect that they might be talking about "accurate response" down to 20hz and not actual "accurate sound".

Thanks
Steve

 

[scottder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel (Tyson has deep pockets, Scott has new job with signing bonus )

Signing bonus? What planet are YOU on???

Good to be working again though.

Gilulini M5 in route....

 

[mbhaub]

Giulini recorded M5? I thought he only did 1 & 9, and Das Lied commercially. M1 with Chicago on EMI suffered from terrible sound (on the LP), and the M9, also Chicago but on DG was fine. Das Lied, DG with Berlin, was fine -- one of the best. So what about this M5?

 

[Bill Ward]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottder Signing bonus? What planet are YOU on??? Good to be working again though. Gilulini M5 in route....

Barbirolli maybe?

BW

 

[scottder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Ward Barbirolli maybe? BW

Yes, that's what I meant. Yikes....first week of new job has been rough, sooo much to learn in a short time, forgetting things....like how to tie my shoes.

Scott

 

[Bunnyears]

Scott,

I'm glad that you are now gainfully employed, as you certainly kept me busy this afternoon. After searching all over the internet for the Giulini, it's a relief to know I have the recording in question right here.