[scottder]

Yeah, I think I may pick that up next time I am at Barnes and Noble (which seems to hjave the best selection of classical CDs locally).

Scott

 

[scottder]

Nice budget disc of Mahlers 5th:

Mahler 5th Conlon/EMI

PS - Only version of the 5th I hav heard, so your milage may vary of course.

 

[Canman]

Quote:

Originally posted by Masonjar $110 ??? that's the cheapest?? The cheapest in Cleveland at Severance Hall are around $27 for top row balcony.. and I consider THAT expensive. Still sounds pretty nice up there though

At the time the website was only showing $110 tickets but now there are $55 seats (second tier) as well. Still pretty expensive but at least I can swing it now.

More exciting for me is MTT conducting the San Francisco Orchestra performing Mahler 5 in Philadelphia on March 24th.

Mahler 5 has become one of my favorite classical pieces and I can't wait to see it live.

 

[DarkAngel]

Bumpies for Gustav
Got two more Mahler CDs to add to mix:

Litton/Delos Mahler 3 (used)
Maazel/CBS Masterworks Mahler 4

Will have to check them out in more detail next few days......somehow I keep buying Mahler 3 even though it's not really one of my favorites. Symphony 4 can never have too many of these, he he.

NP Maazel/CBS Mahler 4

 

[DarkAngel]

Alas..........the Maazel/CBS Mahler 4 fell short of expectations built up by near universal raves of penguin etc.

If I had never heard a great 4th like Szell, Bernstein, Rattle etc this would seem pretty good but Maazel plays it too safe smooths off the corners and in the process lacks energy, mystery,
thrust of the prime choices especially in 4th movement. The sound quality is pretty good, Maazel gives an average performance.......but Kathleen Battle gives stellar vocal performance, one of the best I have ever heard for this work.

I would glady substitute Battle's vocals for those currently on Szell/Sony and Bernstein/DG to create the ultimate Mahler 4,
a dream performance.

(especially Bernstein/DG who uses young boy vocals in an otherwise great performance)

 

[scottder]

Szells 4th along with the Berstein 1st and 5th are next on my list. Can't wait to hear these.

Scott

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally posted by scottder Szells 4th along with the Berstein 1st and 5th are next on my list. Can't wait to hear these. Scott

I had to pay full price for each Bernstein/DG 1 & 5 CD when they first came out many years ago

That's why it is so much cheaper to buy classical CDs now, all the labels have mid/budget priced offerings that are many times the best available performance.

 

[scottder]

Quote:

Originally posted by DarkAngel I had to pay full price for each Bernstein/DG 1 & 5 CD when they first came out many years ago That's why it is so much cheaper to buy classical CDs now, all the labels have mid/budget priced offerings that are many times the best available performance.

Well as long as you are happy with them, that's the important thing. No way to know what titles will get knocked down to "budget" level. One thing I've learned is that some budget stuff can be very good.

Scott

 

[danaa]

scottder,

Think you're going to love that version of the No. 4. It sounds so beautiful to my ears.

Dark Angel,

Sorry to hear about your not liking the Maazel No. 4. I've never heard it myself. More than other composers, I think Mahler is open to interpretation. For me, the Bernstein No. 9 with the Berlin orchestra is kind of grueling to listen to because the emotions are laid on too thick for my tastes. For others, it is the cat's meow as far as No. 9's go. This especially seems true of the tempo different conductors use to pace his music. I think I read that that particular No. 4 is very slow in spots.

 

[Masonjar]

Quote:

Originally posted by danaa scottder, Think you're going to love that version of the No. 4. It sounds so beautiful to my ears. Dark Angel, Sorry to hear about your not liking the Maazel No. 4. I've never heard it myself. More than other composers, I think Mahler is open to interpretation. For me, the Bernstein No. 9 with the Berlin orchestra is kind of grueling to listen to because the emotions are laid on too thick for my tastes. For others, it is the cat's meow as far as No. 9's go. This especially seems true of the tempo different conductors use to pace his music. I think I read that that particular No. 4 is very slow in spots.

Yes, it is very slow in spots. I've always though his opening to the 1st movement was especially wintery. Though it's hard to beat Kathleen Battle in the 4th movement. She's one of the reason's I've always enjoyed Leonard Slatkin's No. 2 on Telarc. Kathleen Battle AND alto Maureen Forrester, who also sang with Bruno Walter when he recorded the 2nd. For the most part, I like Slatkin's tempos above almost anyone else, though for the last movement, Mehta does a great job too. It's been a while since I've listened to Walters, though I do remember the recording bothered me for some reason, that's not normally the case with the 60's Columbia recordings. Walters 1st is recorded pretty well, though there's some spots where you can hear the hiss pretty loud. Walter's 1st was my first Mahler. A pretty good way to start out if you ask me. Though back in 1984, the pickings were much more limited than they are today. The main cycles that we listened to were Solti, Tennstedt, Inbal, Bernstein's 1st cycle (I've never liked Bernstein's Mahler much, except for the 3rd, which is one of the best), Sinopoli, Levine, Karajan and Abbado. Since then there have been dozens more and it's just so hard to keep up. The recordings I have from Tennstedt's EMI cycle are all pretty even.. 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th and 9th.. his 9th was the first one I heard of that work, and his 6th is still among my favorite 6ths.

-jar

 

[danaa]

Dark Angel: It would be interesting to burn a CD transplanting Battle's soprano onto one of the favorite fourths you have.

 

[DarkAngel]

Danaa & MJ
I am not a big Opera fan but first became aware of Kathleen Battle in 1987............PBS had annual New Years program of Strauss music from Vienna, this year Karajan was conductor.
KB came out and did vocal part of "voices of spring" I was not even aware that there was a vocal part but I was completely mesmorized. KB's glorious tone beautifully capturing the Vienese "lilt", facial and hand expressions, elegant red dress where a thing of beauty I will never forget........I purchased this as soon as it was available as CD.

It must be out of catalog because I can't find it anywhere new or used to show you.

 

[danaa]

My first acquaintance with Ms. Battle came with her in The Magic Flute. Very impressive!!!

 

[scottder]

I'll need to check out some stuff by Ms Battle, was a ton of stuff at the library by her (I dare say more than any other single performer).

Scott

 

[scottder]

Grabbed this last night:

All I can say is wow, EMI Great Recordings of the Century never lets me down.