[ScottFree]

I would recommend "Im Abendrot" (Renee Fleming on youtube for a free view) as a last Richard Strauss chance. Taken from a poem written about an old couple at the end of life watching a sunset - as well as written by Strauss at the very end of his life, it is as far from empty as Mahler's Kindentotenlieder or 4th Symphony triumph over the emotional loss of children. Der Rosenkavalier, could be described as empty comedy, but IMHO is some of the most aesthetically beautiful music ever. In all fairness, Mahler is my favorite composer. There are times, though when I just enjoy the simple pleasure of aesthetic music.

Do you have any Mahler recordings that you would recommended Mike?.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

omg this audio nervosa is too much

 

[Baldr]

So...which of the two options below should I use for the Gungnir DS BNC in?

The BNC output has two voltage levels selected by jumper P4. With the
jumper installed, the output level is 1V P-P. Thisis the desired level for
standard AES3 via BNC, used primarily by professional audio devices.
Removing the jumper sets the level to 600mv P-P, which is compatible
with consumer level devices via RCA.

My guess would be to leave the jumper ON.
But it doesn`t hurt to doublecheck I guess/hope.

Either should be fine - try the 1V first.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

So I'm "elektra-rich," I've got the triple crown of postwar Wagner — Mödl (Mitropoulos 1951), Nilsson (Solti), Varnay (1953, w/ Hotter). Which is the crowd favorite?

 

[HumanFly]

Either should be fine - try the 1V first.

This is very comforting. Thank you!
Still getting up to speed here and I don`t want to damage the Gungnir by being me.

 

[wink]

The Adagietto of Mahler's 5th is just marvellous.......!

 

[Baldr]

So I'm "elektra-rich," I've got the triple crown of postwar Wagner — Mödl (Mitropoulos 1951), Nilsson (Solti), Varnay (1953, w/ Hotter). Which is the crowd favorite?

Mitropoulos - easily.

 

[EricDH]

Do you have any Mahler recordings that you would recommended Mike?.

I'm clearly not Mike, but I do have a Mahler recording that I particularly like. I believe many reviewers promote the Mahler 9th Symphony by von Karajan, but I really love the Bernstein recording, with the Concertgebouw Orchestra (on the Deutsche Grammophon label).

 

[FLTWS]

So I'm "elektra-rich," I've got the triple crown of postwar Wagner — Mödl (Mitropoulos 1951), Nilsson (Solti), Varnay (1953, w/ Hotter). Which is the crowd favorite?

My attachment to Wagner's Ring (not just bleeding chunks of it's orchestral Music) and Strauss's operas was made through Nilson (Solti); cold, gleaming steel and blood and guts, my kind of story telling.
I'm also a fan of Bohm's.
I was not moved by the cycles of Chéreau, Barenboim, VK, or Haitink.
I never made up my mind about Levine's Met production which I have on video which adds another element to muddy things up.
Now you've gone and got me curious and thinking on what might be with Modl and Varnay but I see no listing of availability for either Electra you mention on Archiv.
Dam!

 

[FLTWS]

Searching for that one, perfect, performance of any work by any composer is an exercise in futility.
For favorite works there will never be only one.

 

[EricDH]

Searching for that one, perfect, performance of any work by any composer is an exercise in futility.

True, the one perfect performance doesn't exist. But we still can have our favorites, for various reasons. And it is nice to talk about that. Same as it can be nice to talk about our favorite audio gear.

 

[FLTWS]

True, the one perfect performance doesn't exist. But we still can have our favorites, for various reasons. And it is nice to talk about that. Same as it can be nice to talk about our favorite audio gear.

Also True.

 

[Baldr]

Do you have any Mahler recordings that you would recommended Mike?.

I am a sucker for buying Mahler works, but this month I am hung up on Michael Gielen's Symphony Cycle, and Jascha Horenstein's 8th Symphony Live LSO recording, maybe the most amazing interpretation on any Mahler work....Hair Raising.

 

[478773]

I am a sucker for buying Mahler works, but this month I am hung up on Michael Gielen's Symphony Cycle, and Jascha Horenstein's 8th Symphony Live LSO recording, maybe the most amazing interpretation on any Mahler work....Hair Raising.

I am not Mike, but here's my $0.02 pesos....

Mahler 4th is a great place to start.
I always break my recommendations on 3 parts: historical, stereo era and digital

Historical: Mengelberg with Concertgebouw, Bruno Walter from the final farewell concert in Vienna, Bruno Walter, New York Phil
Stereo era: Fritz Reiner on Living Stereo with Chicago, Tennstedt with London Phil (you will fall in love with Lucia Popp), Lenny New York Phil, Kubelik, Bayerischen Rundfunks
Digital: Chailly Concertgebouw, Tilson-Thomas, San Francisco, Ivan Fischer, Budapest Festical Orchestra

Honorable mention, Klemps, Phiharmonia - some points deducted because of Schwarzkopf. Avoid the digital Lenny, can't remember what orchestra, but the boy soprano was a bad idea...

v

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

I always break my recommendations on 3 parts: historical, stereo era and digital

I like this idea. Hitherto, I've conflated stereo and digital, perhaps distinguishing live stereo and studio stereo, i.e., Keilberth 1955 and Solti rings

edit: speaking of boy sopranos, this is just a cruel thing to do to your kid (to say nothing of how he runs some of the coloratura together...)