[scompton]

Seeing the 9th live is what hooked me.

 

[nealric]

Quote:

Which 7th did you listen to? The Solti is very electrifying.

Solti.

Maybe it will grow on me- the 5th is quickly doing so.

 

[nealric]

Just checking back in to say that I am officially an addict now. I've spent the last two days listening to Mahler for 8 hours straight.

It just took a few tries before I understood the magnitude of what I was listening to.

Where has Mahler been all my life?

 

[Lex2]

Congratulations! A Mahler convert! Here, read this

The Mahler Symphonies: A synoptic survey by Tony Duggan

Time to get some good Mahler recordings!

(and sorry for your wallet)

 

[radiohlite]

I just heard the Boulez/CSO 9th and the Barshai 10th. I think they're both my new reference recordings! especially the Boulez.

 

[mbhaub]

Isn't the Barshai 10th kind of amazing? He goes and makes his own version then makes a superb recording on a relatively unknown label. And it works wonderfully. So many conductors look only to Cooke II, which is too bad since other arrangers have certainly added a lot.

I'm glad you like the Boulez. It is a very level headed, sane, and magnificently played version. But if you want to hear something truly memorable, and deeply profound, you've got to check out the new Bis release with Alan Gilbert. It is wrenching. The last page is just devastating. And the sacd sound is breathtaking. It's now my top choice for the 9th. The old Karajan has finally been displaced.

 

[stokitw]

Actually, "other arrangers have certainly added a lot" is the main reason I like Cooke version.

Mazzetti, Charpenter, and Barshai all add too much in the sound so that their no.10s sound too modern.

Wheeler is on the opposite side, he add to little so the symphony sounds too slim and unMahler-like.

I like the fact that Cooke trying to make no.10 as an extension from no.9 and he did a good job to make it sounds like an extension from no.9 rather than jumping into Scheonberg and Webern's age.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbhaub /img/forum/go_quote.gif Isn't the Barshai 10th kind of amazing? He goes and makes his own version then makes a superb recording on a relatively unknown label. And it works wonderfully. So many conductors look only to Cooke II, which is too bad since other arrangers have certainly added a lot.

 

[mbhaub]

I hope there's someone out there still interested in this thread. It hasn't seen much action lately. Maybe the Head-Fi changes have turned people off. I hope not. Anyway, the Mahler 150/100 anniversary year continues to bring wonderful treasures, and now EMI has a doozy: the COMPLETE works. (Well, not really. More later.) But there were some good choices for the big works:
 
No.1: Chicago/Guilini. Still a great recording made during the Solti years by the most sensitive Guilini. Great performance, but I hope the sound has been improved over the LP incarnation.
 
No. 2: The legendary Klemperer. It's not my favorite, but likely the best EMI has.
 
No. 3: Rattle. Ok choice. Gielen would have been better.
 
No. 4: Horenstein! What a great choice. Of course, the EMI catalog is loaded with great 4ths, Kletzki being one.
 
No. 5: Tennstedt. Should have been Barbirolli, but this is ok.
 
No. 6: Barbirolli. Expected. Great, great reading.
 
No. 7: Rattle. EMI doesn't have much choice here. The Klemperer is dreadful, and Tennstedt is earth bound.
 
No. 8: Tennstedt. Fine choice, but other labels clearly beat it.
 
No. 9: Barbirolli. There was no other choice in my opinion.
 
No. 10: Rattle. Spectacular version.
 
Das Lied: Klemperer. This did surprise me. But there are so many fine ones in their library. Would have been a nice tribute to Kletzki to have his there.
 
Add to it songs & etc. by Szell, Furtwangler, and others and you've got a winning set. For people new to Mahler I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this set. No price yet on Amazon, but if recent budget boxes from EMI are any indication, this 16-disk set won't be too much at all.
 
Now, as to completeness. Every work is there, yes. But not in all versions. Mahler wrote most of the songs, as well as Das Lied in both piano/voice and orchestral/voice versions. There is no piano/voice version of Das Lied, for example. But since most listeners would prefer the orchestral, who's to argue.
 
Here the link to EMI's site: http://www.emiclassics.com/releaseabout.php?rid=49764

 

[pbarach]

I highly recommend the newly released live Tennstedt London Philharmonic performance (on LPO Live) of Mahler's 2nd. The orchestral playing is outstanding. The third movement is by far the most rhythmically pointed version I've ever heard. The sound is very good for a 20 year old live performance.

 

[mbhaub]

I've recently read some reviews that your suggestion confirms, so I'll put it on the buy list. If anyone gets to hear the new P. Jarvi recording, please let us know how that is.

 

[Henry Flower]

 
Quote:

No price yet on Amazon, but if recent budget boxes from EMI are any indication, this 16-disk set won't be too much at all.
 

The box is 36 pounds on amazon.co.uk.

 

[FinnishFlash]

Thanks, mbhaub for the heads up on the EMI box and for your views on the contents. I'm sure there is an interest in this thread although things have been quiet lately. I for my part have been lurking around with interest every time this thread is bumped.
 
There are some very good choices in the box and for the sake of discussion, I'll add my own humble two cents as to alternative EMI recordings that I personally would have included. Please note that I have not heard all of the relevant recordings, but have included some that I as a prospective buyer would find appropriate/interesting to include in a box like this, based on reviews and reputation. 
 
1. Giulini/CSO. Interesting and, to me, a somewhat surprising choice. Personally, I would perhaps have picked Bertini.
2. Klemperer/Philharmonia. Safe choice but I feel the live 1965 recording with the Bavarian RSO would have been a better choice as it is out of print and the chosen Philharmonia recording is already available as a single disc. 
3. Rattle. Agreed, although Bertini is not too shabby either. 
4. Horenstein. Good pick by EMI.
5. Tennstedt. I agree with mbhaub, EMI should have picked Barbirolli instead. Or perhaps Bertini.
6. Barbirolli. Good choice. Or EMI could have re-released the Mitropoulos recording previously issued on their deceased sub-label (I think) Great Recordings of the Century.
7. Rattle. I am no fan of the 7th but can't argue here. 
8. Tennstedt. I would have picked Bertini, without a doubt. 
9. Barbirolli. Good pick by EMI.
10. Rattle. Good (no-brainer) pick by EMI.
DLVDE: Good pick by EMI.

 

[mbhaub]

Well, hot on the heels of the EMI complete Mahler edition, now DG is getting in on the action:
 

 

This time  we have:
 
No 1: Kubelik -- always my #1 choice
No. 2: Mehta - sensational with VPO
No. 3: Haitink -- one of his better things.
No. 4: Boulez -- really? Well I guess they needed him represented somewhere.
No. 5: Bernstein -- at least the DG version is better than his Sony.
No. 6: Abbado -- Which one? Chicago or Berlin? Both are superb.
No. 7: Sinopoli -- eccentric version, but not bad at all.
No. 8: Solti -- who else.
No. 9: Karajan -- one of the greatest.
DLVDE: Giulini. Fine choice.
 
So each work gets a different conductor. Not a bad idea, and the Amazon price is sure good: $70 for 18 disks. Now, Sony get your act together and give us a complete set, Bernstein/NY with all of the songs, etc in one box, and please remaster it in sacd!

 

[Olias of Sunhillow]

Amazon announced the EMI set's price this morning: $77.98. Not too bad.
 
I'm not nearly as experienced with Mahler as others who have posted here, but I will say that the DG set's selections look a bit more interesting to me.

 

[stokitw]

DG's set has overall better sound quality.  The fact that it picks 9 different conductors makes itself more interesting (Not to me, I own all those recordings...).