[Masonjar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel These versions on the surface sound good but are pretty faces with no heart or soul......I find them lacking any real sense of passion or energy compared to my references.

Levi's 5th leaves me pretty cold. Pretty Telarc sound, very soulless performance.

-jar

 

[DarkAngel]

Gracky
Looks like you are a Mitropoulos fanatic

Have you been able to compare the NYPO Mitropoulos Mahler set vs the Music & Arts set? I would really like to add a Mitropoulos 1,5,9 to my fabulous 6th.

 

[gracky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel Gracky Looks like you are a Mitropoulos fanatic Have you been able to compare the NYPO Mitropoulos Mahler set vs the Music & Arts set? I would really like to add a Mitropoulos 1,5,9 to my fabulous 6th.

NYP Broadcasts set is not a Mitropoulos set, but a complete symphonies set from various conductors. However AFAIK it's the only way to listen to Mitropoulos' M6/NYP and the purgatorio mov. of M10 on CDs. Other recordings are worth to note also, especially Kubelik's M7, Tennstedt's M5 and Boulez' M3 are. As you know the price is high, so it is a hard question whether to get it for Mitropoulos only or not.

M&A set contains M6 from Koeln RSO (same to the Great conductors series) and NYP performances of other symphonies mostly from the 1960 Mahler festival (except M8, with VPO at Salzburg, same to the Orfeo issue). The recordings are the most broadly circulated Mahler recordings of his. Transfer of the set is very good. The drawback of this set is that it was Mitropoulos' last year with NYP, and at that time the ensemble of the orchestra was quite poor; Mitropoulos was not an orchestra builder and he was too good to force the orchestra the perfect ensemble. So in the perspective of the performance only, I usually recommand other recordings than the M&A set. However the set is of a good value. Very good transfer of classical performances for a reasonable price.

In the case of M6, IMHO, NYP performance is the best, in 1955 the orchestra hasn't been so corrupted, and the reading is probably the most coherent one ever recorded. Choice of tempi is perfect. A more coherent and full of tension performance than Koeln one.

For M5, AFAIK the one in the M&A set is the only surviving recording. Well, it's my favorite recording of M5, but I must warn you that it is far from the technical perfection. The orchestral playing is simply poor. Nevertheless it conveys the spirit of Mahlerian ambivalence most effectively.

Koeln M3 (Tahra) and Vienna M9 (Andante) are of quite unique and special characteristic. They are from the last days of the conductor (Koeln M3 is from the last concert of his) and readings are extremely pessimistic. Vienna M9 is only available as the Andante VPO set. Its price is high, but the couplings are also great performances, especially Bohm's Heldenleben is. I'm sorry that I can't find an economic way of collection.

 

[scottder]

Mitropoulos on the 6th is wonderful, that symphony never clicked for me until I heard that version (I have the Great Conductors version, sound on those is always good - given the source material).

Scott

 

[Doc Sarvis]

I could be wrong, but I don't think this has been addressed anywhere else in this thread:

Kaplan and others have expressed the opinion that the M5 adagietto should be played faster than the old tradition dictated, to express more of a love poem feel as opposed to melancholy. In Kaplan's opinion the movement should run about eight minutes, as opposed to the eleven or so that Bernstein recorded.

My question is, what complete M5 reflects the "fast" adagietto?

 

[gracky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Sarvis My question is, what complete M5 reflects the "fast" adagietto?

Walter/NYP will be an example.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...979302-7139147

 

[Doc Sarvis]

This has to be one of the best threads in the history of the internet!

I'm amazed by the range of opinion on Mahler symphonies here and elsewhere. I think one's love for a particular perfomance has something to do with the circumstances in which a particular Mahler symphony first "hit" you. Following that first lightning bolt of emotional connection, one seeks out works that expand on the emotional ties already in place - it's highly personal, thus the range of opinion.

So here's a new challenge, that breaks all of the Mahler rules. Pick one set, priced under $75 new, that would be your choice if NO augmentation were possible. In other words, if this set would be the only set of Mahler recordings you can ever listen to again. No fair mix-and-matching or adding additional single discs to make up for weaknesses. And, it needs to be something you can buy now as a box set (again, under $75 new). What would it be? Bernstein/Sony? Kubelik? Solti? Something else?

Thank heaven we don't really need to do this, but it's a fun exercise.

 

[scottder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Sarvis So here's a new challenge, that breaks all of the Mahler rules. Pick one set, priced under $75 new, that would be your choice if NO augmentation were possible. In other words, if this set would be the only set of Mahler recordings you can ever listen to again. No fair mix-and-matching or adding additional single discs to make up for weaknesses. And, it needs to be something you can buy now as a box set (again, under $75 new). What would it be? Bernstein/Sony? Kubelik? Solti? Something else? Thank heaven we don't really need to do this, but it's a fun excercise.

For best all around, Bernstein wins for me, the energy and passion for Mahler just clicks for me.

 

[jamont]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottder For best all around, Bernstein wins for me, the energy and passion for Mahler just clicks for me.

Bernstein/Sony you mean? That would be my choice, for the intensity and excitement he brings to the music. This set has exceptionally strong performances of my favorites - 2,3,6 and 7.

 

[scottder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamont Bernstein/Sony you mean? That would be my choice, for the intensity and excitement he brings to the music. This set has exceptionally strong performances of my favorites - 2,3,6 and 7.

Exactly, for the money if some asked me to it all in one shot, I'd say the Bernstein/Sony set is it.

Scott

 

[DarkAngel]

There are actually not that many complete Mahler 1-9 (10) sets by one conductor and very few would be under $75 new, I can only think of 3-4 and Bernstein/Sony would be best (only obvious weakness is 5th which is much better in later DG version) with Solti/London close 2nd. (Solti very strong in 1,2,6,7,8,9)

Inbal/Brilliant Classics
Tennstedt/EMI Classics
Bernstein/Sony
Solti/London

 

[Bunnyears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel There are actually not that many complete Mahler 1-9 (10) sets by one conductor and very few would be under $75 new, I can only think of 3-4 and Bernstein/Sony would be best (only obvious weakness is 5th which is much better in later DG version) with Solti/London close 2nd. (Solti very strong in 1,2,6,7,8,9) Inbal/Brilliant Classics Tennstedt/EMI Classics Bernstein/Sony Solti/London

The DG Kubelik: Mahler: 10 Symphonies (compares well to the Sony Bernstein) is available from Caiman for $55.00 -- factory sealed, one of the Amazon partners. Kubelik's Audite recordings are not available as a set, if anyone is interested.

The Mahler cycle from various conductors and one orchestra (NYPO) that is on my Lust List is ofcourse, the NYPO Mahler cycle which only they sell from their Lincoln Center shop. That goes for about $225! It's called The Mahler Broadcasts. It features all nine symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde, Songs of a Wayfarer and the Adagio and Purgatorio from the unfinished Tenth Symphony. Stellar performances by Barbirolli, Boulez, Kubelik, Mehta, Mitropoulos, Solti, Stokowski, Tennstedt, and Walter. Soloists include Kathleen Battle, Kathleen Ferrier, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Maureen Forrester, George London, Yvonne Minton, Set Svanholm, and Frances Yeend.

Please note that there are no Bernstein Mahler performances there, perhaps because of the Sony set.

 

[Doc Sarvis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Sarvis This has to be one of the best threads in the history of the internet! I'm amazed by the range of opinion on Mahler symphonies here and elsewhere. I think one's love for a particular perfomance has something to do with the circumstances in which a particular Mahler symphony first "hit" you. Following that first lightning bolt of emotional connection, one seeks out works that expand on the emotional ties already in place - it's highly personal, thus the range of opinion. So here's a new challenge, that breaks all of the Mahler rules. Pick one set, priced under $75 new, that would be your choice if NO augmentation were possible. In other words, if this set would be the only set of Mahler recordings you can ever listen to again. No fair mix-and-matching or adding additional single discs to make up for weaknesses. And, it needs to be something you can buy now as a box set (again, under $75 new). What would it be? Bernstein/Sony? Kubelik? Solti? Something else? Thank heaven we don't really need to do this, but it's a fun exercise.

So what would you choose if cost were no object, but the set had to be currently available - as a set - and no augmentation with other discs would be possible?

 

[Bunnyears]

Doc,

I have both the Kubelik and the Bernstein/Sony sets, so for me, those are the complete sets (under $75) that were best. I'm still waiting for the ultimate under $75 set, but I think the ultimate will be higher priced because it will have to be in SACD or DVD-A format. Mahler really benefits from the new surround sound and higher bit technologies.

MTT/SFSO and Riccardo Chailly/Concertgebouw are about to issue complete sets. I don't know how much of the Chailly cycle will be in SACD, but the MTT cycle has been recorded in surround sound. The only problem with SACD and Mahler is that once you have heard it, you crave it.

For me the real exercise is putting together the best Mahler cycle in the new format! Listening in 5.1 surround sound with all of the dynamics clear is not the same as a live concert, but it certainly incredibly better than the old stereo format.

 

[scottder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears MTT/SFSO and Riccardo Chailly/Concertgebouw are about to issue complete sets. I don't know how much of the Chailly cycle will be in SACD, but the MTT cycle has been recorded in surround sound. The only problem with SACD and Mahler is that once you have heard it, you crave it.

Is the Chailly set going to be ALL SACD? That would be very sweet! I hadn't heard bout the MTT being released as a set either.

Scott