Mahler Symphonies
Fri, Oct 5 2012, 7:59PM
#2
RE: Mahler Symphonies
Oh, this is fun.
No. 1: Bernstein (DG) or Abbado (Lucerne)
No. 2: Tennstedt or Jansons
No. 3: Abbado / Lucerne or Tennstedt
No. 4: Karajan or Harding
No. 5: Bernstein / WPO or Tennstedt or Barbirolli
No. 6: Karajan or Tennstedt
No. 7: Tennstedt
No. 8: Järvi or Abbado
No. 9: Bernstein (Berliner) or Karajan (2nd) - couldn't be more different!
No. 10: Harding
Lied von der Erde: Tennstedt or Bernstein (1966 with Fischer Dieskau)
Klagendes Lied: Rattle
I agree with eyeresit, normally I also find Rattle disturbing, not sure why. If I had to pick a single cycle it would be Tennstedt - they are excellent throughout (except the 9th which doesn't really come across as great as the others). Recently I discovered the Karajan recordings, very impressive, highly recommended. Not a full cycle obviously.
Sun, Oct 7 2012, 10:44AM
#3
RE: Mahler Symphonies
For those who 'live for lists' - No, not Liszt's.
1 - Bernstein DG or Kubelik DG
2 - Klemperer EMI or Jurowski LPO
3 - Abaddo DG
4 - Maazel CBS or Rainer RCA
5 - Bernstein DG
6 - Haitink Naive
7 - Abbado DG
8- Kubelik DG
9 - Klemperer EMI or Haitink Philips
Das Lied - Haitink Philips
And please don't argue with this list as I am right, even where I can't make my mind up. This is the definative list and so this topic is now closed. One final warning, do not listen to Karajan in Mahler and only listen to the vastly overated Bernstein in the recordings mentioned above. You have all been warned.
Sun, Oct 7 2012, 10:54AM
#4
RE: Mahler Symphonies
Doc B's list accords with my preferred choices for a number of the symphonies. Given this shocking discovery and the fact that Bernstein features twice on his list, I'm now going back to bed for a week until the feeling passes.
Sun, Oct 7 2012, 3:39PM
#5
RE: Mahler Symphonies
I am not Dr B nor have I ever been a follower of Dr B. I am also not a number but a free man. I am a fruitcake baby.
Sun, Oct 7 2012, 6:53PM
#6
RE: Mahler Symphonies
Nice try Doc, but eccentric spelling and consistent struggles with the use of the apostrophe are like fingerprints. You are Kolley Kibber and I claim my ten shillings.
Mon, Oct 8 2012, 1:35PM
#7
RE: Mahler Symphonies
Haitink does give a very rounded classical interpretation of the canon which stands up well to repeated listening on a CD player. Pity he doesn't like the completed version of the 10th.
DSM
Mon, Oct 8 2012, 3:24PM
#8
RE: Mahler Symphonies
I trust Haitink, like many very good conductors (and audiences), does not approve, not "like", the complete version of the 10th. In any case, it's not pure Mahler.
Parla
Tue, Oct 9 2012, 1:40AM
#9
RE: Mahler Symphonies
I agree to many references enlisted above, but here's one more if you can stand it:
#1. Horenstein & LSO (Unicorn) /Solti & LSO (Decca) (I just fancy the former in the latter's sound);
#2. Metha & WPO (Decca) (yeah, grandiloquent in a convincing way);
#3. Horenstein & LSO & Procter (Unicorn) / Haitink & RCO & Forrester (Philips): tough call;
#4. Reiner & CSO & Della Casa / Bernstein & RCO and that boy: disputable choice but Bernstein's ruhevoll is unique;
#5. Barbirolli & NPO (EMI);
#6. Bernstein & WPO (DG): not so sure about this as I don't like this symphony as I like some others: they say it was the Alban Berg's favourite.
#7. Haitink & BPO (Philips) / Gielen & SWRS (Hanssler), one of my favourites. I read somewhere that Schoenberg loved this one;
#8. Solti & CSO (Decca);
#9. Klemperer & NPO (EMI) / Bernstein & BPO (DG): the happiest on disc probably. We still have Karajan, Neumann, Barbirolli........;
# Das lied von der erde Walter & Ferrier (Decca) / Klemperer & Ludwig (EMI).
Somebody to count the votes?
Tue, Oct 9 2012, 2:27AM
#10
RE: Mahler Symphonies
Here is my take:
Mahler 1 - Kubelik/BRSO
Mahler 2 - Klemperer/PO
Mahler 3 - Boulez/VPO
Mahler 4 - Klemperer/PO, Kletzki/PO
Mahler 5 - Barbirolli/NPO
Mahler 6 - Karajan/BPO (do I hear sharp intakes of breath?!)
Mahler 7 - Horenstein/NPO (live 1969 Prom - BBC)
Mahler 8 - Solti/CSO, Tilson Thomas/SFSO
Mahler 9 - Klemperer/NPO, Karajan/BPO live, Boulez/CSO
I was fortunate enough to see Klemperer conduct both No. 2 and No. 4 and see Horenstein conduct No. 7. All performances were unforgettable.
Not really a Bernstein or Rattle fan I'm afraid.
Fri, Oct 12 2012, 3:34PM
#11
RE: Mahler Symphonies Chailly recordings
There are many moments when I was not entirely convinced with the Chailly recordings. Having listened to them through Quad amplifier and B&W 801. Now ultimately I am listening to these recordings through Denon Amp and TDL reference standard "m" loudspeakers. It is whole new world (pun not intended), especially 5th Symphony. The esl63s are known for their glassy reproduction of string sound, especially violin e-string.
Fri, Oct 12 2012, 4:53PM
#12
RE: Mahler Symphonies
That's the relativity of truth in sound reproduction, boomviolin. So, one can imagine now how relative and, most importantly, futile is all this literature about the "best" recordings.
Upgrade (or sometimes, simply, change) your equipment and you may discover a "new world" of familiar recordings.
Parla
Fri, Oct 12 2012, 5:06PM
#13
RE: Mahler Symphonies
You are so right. There is such a thing a "best" technically (recording equipment, studio equipment, re-playing equipment etc.), when it comes to performance it is indeed very relative,also depending on the mood one is in, one's expectations etc.
Sat, Oct 13 2012, 4:09PM
#14
RE: Mahler Symphonies
One more list, if you can stand it. I've been buying, re-buying, and replacing Mahler symphonies for the last 35 years, with the goal of finding one recording of each that I could settle in with. Not quite there yet, but I'm getting close:
Symphony 1 -- Horenstein (tried to replace him but found I couldn't and went back)
Symphony 2 -- Walter 1958 (my favorite Mahler symphony; never heard, owned, or wanted any other version than this)
Symphony 3 -- Bernstein NYPO
Symphony 4 -- Kubelik (never cared much for this symphony)
Symphony 5 -- Gielen (nice and crisp and modern, doesn't stretch the Adagietto past endurance)
Symphony 6 -- tossup between Bernstein VPO and Chailly: one volcanic, the other a little cooler, both exquisitely attentive to Mahler's orchestrational details (perhaps more important in this symphony than any of the others)
Symphony 7 -- Gielen again, another work I don't care much for
Symphony 8 -- tentatively settling on Tennstedt, after decades of fussing with Mitropoulos, Haitink, Bernstein and Solti
Symphony 9 -- just ordered Karajan live 1982 to try and improve on Ancerl which was an attempt to improve on Gielen -- #8 and 9 have been the most difficult to find, for me
Symphony 10 -- Rattle Berlin (after dabbling with the Wheeler completion, I cut to the chase here and haven't regretted it)
Das Lied -- Kubelik (delightfully attentive to orchestral detail, neither over- or understated emotionally)
Mon, Oct 15 2012, 12:45PM
#15
RE: Mahler Symphonies
What, no Bernstein??
Here is my list of preferred performances. For number 3, 5, 6 and 7 I have definite favourites. Especially Mitropoulos' M6 from New York is in a class of its own. In my opinion it is the best Mahler performance ever recorded. Barshai's M5 is definitely the best M5 ever recorded. For the 7th, I can only endure Abbado's or Tennstedt's versions without feeling distress. For the ninth, on the other hand, I cannot decide between the many excellent performances made.
No. 1: Ozawa / BSO (Tennstedt / CSO)
No. 2: Klemperer / BRSO (Jansons / Oslo live not studio)
No. 3: Horenstein / LSO (Mitropoulos / Cologne)
No. 4: Szell / Cleveland (Karajan / BPO)
No. 5: Barshai / JPD (Barbirolli / New Philharmonia)
No. 6: Mitropoulos / NYPO (Tennstedt / LPO)
No. 7: Abbado / BPO (Tennstedt / LPO)
No. 8: Rattle / NYOGB (Chailly / RCO)
No. 9: Boulez, Barbirolli, Sanderling, Maderna, Chailly ++
Lied Von Der Erde: Barenboim
The various Mahler symphonies require different performing styles, and therefore you find radically different conductors in my list. I think for instance that Karajan's smooth blend makes an excellent M4, while it is an insult to what Mahler conveyed in the 6th. The overall best Mahler conductor is in my opinion Tennstedt, but he is never my number one choice.