[tev]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbhaub /img/forum/go_quote.gif You know what's really sad, is that here we go again letting another conductor and his ego spend a fortune re-recording the Mahler symphonies, when he has demonstrated, at least to my ears, he just isn't that good of a Mahler conductor. Meanwhile, the greatest living Mahler conductor just keeps turning out stunning performances one after the other and because no one records it, the general public is unaware. I'm speaking of James Levine in Boston. His RCA recordings from 30 years ago showed us he is a very natural and compelling Mahler conductor. Of course, the BSO turned out a really dull set with Ozawa, and they've probably never made up the cost of that set. But with Rattle, Abaddo, Zinman doing new sets that aren't getting such rave notices, it's a real shame that Levine is being overlooked. BTW: if anyone else has been collected the mammoth Henry Louis de la Grange Mahler bio for the past 35 (!!!!!) years, volume 4 is at last being released. Check out the price at Oxford Press then at Amazon.

Levine! I couldn't agree with you more. He's fabulous with Mahler, especially with vocals attached. My all time favorite Mahler performance was a live date of the 8th with Levine and the CSO back in the early 90's.

 

[Pars]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tev /img/forum/go_quote.gif Levine! I couldn't agree with you more. He's fabulous with Mahler, especially with vocals attached. My all time favorite Mahler performance was a live date of the 8th with Levine and the CSO back in the early 90's.

I'd agree from what I have heard of Levine (3rd/CSO vinyl). That must have been some performance to attend!

 

[Facade19]

My local borders has the Levine/CPO recording of Mahler's 4th on RCA for $11. I have a 30% coupon so I might add it with all the praises I have heard here for Levine so far. In addition I just acquired the Solti/CPO recording of Mahler's 8th, have the Dudamel 5th and Boulez's 6th. Dudamel's reading is ok for me, nothing outstanding really, though I am spoiled in regards to the 5th, with Chailly and Bertini. Just ordered the Double Decca pack of Solti's 1st and 2nd with the LSO, and Barenboim's 7th. Next up will most likely be Reiner's 4th.

 

[FinnishFlash]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Facade19 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am spoiled in regards to the 5th, with Chailly and Bertini.

I have not heard Chailly but agree that Bertini's 5th is extraordinary. The only fifths I own are Bertini and Bernstein/VPO/DG and I must say that despite all the praise Bernstein receives for his version, Bertini is also very, very good, and, IMHO, is actually better than Bernstein in the first two movements. From the scherzo onwards, Bernstein's more extrovert personality and the great VPO pick up more points, however, and in the finale Bernstein IMHO hits one of the greatest home-runs of his recording career. As a whole (and obviously with the caveat of not having heard that many fifths), I believe Bertini's would be regarded as one of the great fifths on record had it been issued separately and thus not suffered from "as-part-of-a-budget-box-set-it-cannot-compete-with-the-legends" prejudice.

 

[scompton]

I've been thinking about getting the Kondrashin boxed set. How is the sound quality on it?

 

[DarkAngel]

The Kondrashin Mahler box set (does not have 2,8) receives the highest praises from me, a real hidden gem that veteran Mahler collectors must own, powerful dramatic performances from the old school that have become a lost art today.......

The sound is from Melodiya masters, russian recordings that sound a bit thin and spot lit by todays highest standards, but nothing that should prevent buying the set..........if you realy want to listen to the performance. They are all stereo, they sound better than the Kondrashin Shosty set if you are familiar with that (another essential purchase)

 

[scompton]

I went ahead and bought it last night after searching the thread. I'm looking forward to it. I just finished ripping the mixed Brilliant boxed set and I'm really enjoying listening to it. It's been on the shelf for a while due to too much else to listen to. Not all of it is great, but considering I paid $25 for it on eBay and it contains the Horenstein 3rd, it was well worth it.

 

[Raptor34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pars /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'd agree from what I have heard of Levine (3rd/CSO vinyl). That must have been some performance to attend!

I just ordered the 3rd/CSO from ArchiveMusic. Been looking for it ever since the subject of Levine's early Mahler recordings began here. I had it once on vinyl. A RCA Quadradisc no less.

I can't wait to hear it again as I thought it was out of print. Hard to believe the Levine/BSO collaboration is being ignored by todays record companies. sigh....

 

[FinnishFlash]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Kondrashin Mahler box set (does not have 2,8) receives the highest praises from me, a real hidden gem that veteran Mahler collectors must own, powerful dramatic performances from the old school that have become a lost art today.......

Hidden, indeed...it seems to be virtually impossible to find any reviews of this set or of individual performances in the (western) media. That said, I am quite tempted to sample one of the separately available performances, probably the 5th or 6th. I have one worry, however, is the brass playing disturbingly vibrato-heavy on these performances? I can live with e.g. the horns on the Ancerl M9 and the brass sound on the Mravinsky/DG Tchaikovsky 4-6, but just because the high level of the playing in general makes up for it.

 

[sydneyaudio]

I have the Chailly set and enjoy all the symphonies, but something does not sound right with the 2nd.

Any recommendations for a 2nd, similar style to Chailly's approach to Mahler, sound quality being the priority?

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FinnishFlash /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hidden, indeed...it seems to be virtually impossible to find any reviews of this set or of individual performances in the (western) media. That said, I am quite tempted to sample one of the separately available performances, probably the 5th or 6th. I have one worry, however, is the brass playing disturbingly vibrato-heavy on these performances? I can live with e.g. the horns on the Ancerl M9 and the brass sound on the Mravinsky/DG Tchaikovsky 4-6, but just because the high level of the playing in general makes up for it.

FF
The weakest performances in Konrashin set are 1,4
Best is 7 (best ever for me)
3,5,6,9 are all quite excellent

I recall MB or someone before mentioning with Kondrashin how refreshing it was to hear Mahler played with Russian brass, but I didn't know exactly what they were referring to.....must be some recognizable style

Scompton
Give us some impressions when you get your Konrashin set.......will give me a good excuse to revisit it again.

 

[scompton]

For anyone interested in buying it, it shows up on eBay from Russian sellers for around $50 with $20-25 shipping. This is around $25-30 cheaper than RussionDVD.com. The seller I bought from has good feedback.

Edit: Next week I see the NSO playing the 2nd. Looking forward to it.

 

[FinnishFlash]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif FF I recall MB or someone before mentioning with Kondrashin how refreshing it was to hear Mahler played with Russian brass, but I didn't know exactly what they were referring to.....must be some recognizable style

DA,

Traditionally, Soviet/Russian brass players have used a particular kind of wide and slow vibrato that, depending on your preference, can be either appealing or irritating. Further, trumpets and trombones generally have a more piercing sound than in European orchestras. Finally, I believe the generally very good Soviet brass players used to suffer from inferior instruments in the "bad old days". I suppose the Russian style is authentic for Shostakovich but less so for Mahler (Viennese orchestras favor a more mellow and less penetrating brass sound). That said, it might be both exciting and refreshing (and at least I am not that picky about authenticism in Mahler, anyway)!

I might still venture into Kondrashin's Mahler but, for now, I think I will satisfy my urge for high-octane Mahler by downloading the Mitropoulos/Cologne M6 (unfortunately out of print on CD).

 

[DarkAngel]

The Mitropoulos/Koln M6 is the best M6 available for me, for a CD version best way to get it is the 2CD Great Conductors of 20th Century series used:

You get the M6 plus La Mer and Romeo & Juliet selections

Scompton
I saw that Russian guy on Ebay for Kondrashin set, much cheaper than I paid from Russian DVD........

 

[scompton]

I bought the Mitropoulos off of eBay, NOS, for under $20. The Great Conductors series comes up quite a bit and I've been buying quite a few.

Actually it's available in amazon z-shops for $21 new, $16 used
Amazon.com: Used and New: Great Conductors of the 20th Century: Dimitri Mitropoulos