Mahler Mania, Rebooted

[LKB]

Has anyone really topped off this great Das Lied von der Erde of Bernard Haitink, Janet Baker, James King?

It's been widely regarded as one of the very best recordings of DLvdE, since it was released. There are a few which are considered equal, but none superior AFAIK.

I also enjoy von Karajan with the BPO, Ludwig and Kollo. But you have to get a premium edition ( mine's from Japan ). Avoid the DG Galleria release, it's poor quality.

[relm1]

Has anyone really topped off this great Das Lied von der Erde of Bernard Haitink, Janet Baker, James King?

I think very highly of Bruno Walter's NYP recording.  To me, that is the pinnacle of this work that I've never heard topped except the audio quality isn't so pristine. 

[Mirror Image]

Has anyone really topped off this great Das Lied von der Erde of Bernard Haitink, Janet Baker, James King?

Sure, I mean there are so many fine Das Lied recordings out there and some of which are pretty recent. One that truly impressed me was the Sarah Connolly/Robert Dean Smith/Vladimir Jurowski recording on Pentatone. Outstanding performance, IMHO. Some older favorites include Bruno Walter's stereo account with the NYPO, Klemperer's legendary account with Ludwig and Wunderlich on EMI and, of course, the Haitink with Baker/King you mentioned. Janet Baker also recorded a fine account with Kubelik (released on the Audite label).

[DavidW]

Has anyone really topped off this great Das Lied von der Erde of Bernard Haitink, Janet Baker, James King?

No, but I put these two on par:

[brewski]

As an update to the post below on tomorrow's Mahler Eighth, I just found out that the Helsinki concert hall (the Musiikkitalo) has a new pipe organ, unveiled in January. Plenty of reasons to watch the concert already, but now I'm even more excited, with the chance to hear the new instrument.

-Bruce

On May 29, to close the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra season, conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste will lead the orchestra, soloists, and five choirs in Mahler's Eighth Symphony. The broadcast is free at this link.

Soloists:
Meagan Miller soprano, Magna Peccatrix
Helena Juntunen soprano, Una Poenitentium
Sanna Iljin soprano, Mater Gloriosa
Elli Vallinoja mezzo-soprano, Mulier Samaritana
Lilli Paasikivi mezzo-soprano, Maria Aegyptiaca
Tommi Hakala baritone, Pater Ecstaticus
Nikolai Schukoff tenor, Doctor Marianus
Tómas Tómasson bass, Pater Profundus

Though I'm much looking forward to the concert, I can't help but be slightly amused by the timing: the start time in Helsinki is 7:00 p.m., which means noon for those of us on the east coast of the U.S.

Mahler 8 at lunchtime!

-Bruce

[not edward]

Anyone here know the 2013 live Gielen recording of M6? I just heard it for the first time and I sometimes found the slow tempi made it drag too much for my liking, but I've never felt so utterly shattered by the finale before (not even at live performances).

[Luke]

Don't know it - though I was listening to M6 earlier. But it's nice to see you   

[Mirror Image]

Anyone here know the 2013 live Gielen recording of M6? I just heard it for the first time and I sometimes found the slow tempi made it drag too much for my liking, but I've never felt so utterly shattered by the finale before (not even at live performances).

Yes, I know the performance, but I don't think it's as good as his earlier performance (found in his complete cycle on SWR Music). Tennstedt's live 6th with the LPO is still the performance of this symphony that makes me crumble to pieces.

[calyptorhynchus]

This looks interesting:



(If you can't read the image it says 'Mahler Symphony No.9 on Period Instruments, Mahler Academy Orchestra, Philip von Steinaecker [conductor]')

[Mirror Image]

This looks interesting:



(If you can't read the image it says 'Mahler Symphony No.9 on Period Instruments, Mahler Academy Orchestra, Philip von Steinaecker [conductor]')

It probably won't sound any different than on modern instruments. Plus, period instruments of 1909? This doesn't make one bit of sense to me.

[DaveF]

It probably won't sound any different than on modern instruments. Plus, period instruments of 1909? This doesn't make one bit of sense to me.

A review of Paul McCreesh's new Gerontius, also on instruments of the period, mentions the gains to be enjoyed from gut strings and softer-toned woodwind.  I'm no expert, but I was surprised to hear that steel strings hadn't been invented at the turn of the 20th century.

[Mirror Image]

A review of Paul McCreesh's new Gerontius, also on instruments of the period, mentions the gains to be enjoyed from gut strings and softer-toned woodwind.  I'm no expert, but I was surprised to hear that steel strings hadn't been invented at the turn of the 20th century.

I imagine the differences between PI and MI Mahler aren't enough to warrant a purchase of this forthcoming release or, at least, that's how I feel about it. I'm sure there will be people that are curious in how it sounds and they'll either buy it or stream the recording.

[Roasted Swan]

A review of Paul McCreesh's new Gerontius, also on instruments of the period, mentions the gains to be enjoyed from gut strings and softer-toned woodwind.  I'm no expert, but I was surprised to hear that steel strings hadn't been invented at the turn of the 20th century.

In this McCreesh/Gerontius quite a bit has been made of the fact that someone plays Elgar's own trombone.  But no-one says whether Elgar's trombone was a good instrument or not.  Probably not given that he never played the instrument professionally and used it for his lunatic asylum band I think!  For me an example of when the idea behind HIP rather runs away with itself as though the concept is more important than the music itslef.

[calyptorhynchus]

It probably won't sound any different than on modern instruments. Plus, period instruments of 1909? This doesn't make one bit of sense to me.

There is the famous placement of the 1st and 2nd violins issue, which isn't a PI issue per se, but could affect the sound. I expect they will have adopted the contemporary antiphonal placing for this recording. I suspect the brass will sound a little different too, oboes were much more raucous in those days* &c

*Sounds like a line from a poem, doesn't it 

[Mirror Image]

There is the famous placement of the 1st and 2nd violins issue, which isn't a PI issue per se, but could affect the sound. I expect they will have adopted the contemporary antiphonal placing for this recording. I suspect the brass will sound a little different too, oboes were much more raucous in those days* &c

*Sounds like a line from a poem, doesn't it 

A little different really isn't enough for me to pull the trigger on a recording, especially of a symphony I own over 40 recordings of already. I'll be curious to read other people's opinions of the performance, though.

[DaveF]

In this McCreesh/Gerontius quite a bit has been made of the fact that someone plays Elgar's own trombone.  But no-one says whether Elgar's trombone was a good instrument or not.

Now if it were Holst's trombone...

[LKB]

It probably won't sound any different than on modern instruments. Plus, period instruments of 1909? This doesn't make one bit of sense to me.

Seems more like a marketing gimmick than a musical approach.

[Brian]

You Know Who has a scathing video review of that new "period instrument" Mahler 9. It contains a lot of humming and "singing" snippets, so for those who don't want to listen to that (or him in general), here's the TLDR: The orchestra is just not that competent. Not always together at climaxes, trumpet/trombone parts are buried behind the strings, horns don't ring out, string playing is tentative rehearsal quality.

He specifically calls out the "awful sound at the beginning of the adagio" so maybe prospective buyers should check that. If you like that sound, buy it!

EDIT: BTW, looking at Presto's sound samples, this thing is broken up into like 32 tracks!
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9624632--mahler-symphony-no-9-on-period-instruments

[San Antone]

You Know Who has a scathing video review of that new "period instrument" Mahler 9. It contains a lot of humming and "singing" snippets, so for those who don't want to listen to that (or him in general), here's the TLDR: The orchestra is just not that competent. Not always together at climaxes, trumpet/trombone parts are buried behind the strings, horns don't ring out, string playing is tentative rehearsal quality.

He specifically calls out the "awful sound at the beginning of the adagio" so maybe prospective buyers should check that. If you like that sound, buy it!

EDIT: BTW, looking at Presto's sound samples, this thing is broken up into like 32 tracks!
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9624632--mahler-symphony-no-9-on-period-instruments

Based on the five minute sample on Spotify, I love what I hear; especially the light/transparent texture and use of portamento in the strings.

[JBS]

Reminder: there's been a HIP/PI recording of M9 that been available for about 85 years now.