lwc@mgweed.UUCP (Larry Ciesla) (10/30/84)
I have had sort of a "Love <---> Hate" relationship with Mahler's music. I "Love" his first through fourth (particularly the Resurrection), hate the fifth and eighth, and am somewhat indifferent towards the rest. I would enjoy seeing a little discussion of Mahler in this newsgroup. (Since I am a new reader of this newsgroup, I'm not sure if this topic was discussed earlier.) I am also interested in reading a good biography of Mahler - any suggestions would be appreciated. What about Bruno Walter? I've heard that his interpretations of Mahler's music are among the best to be had. Is that so? Why? Why not? (Who cares?!)
greg@olivej.UUCP (Greg Paley) (11/02/84)
I find all of Mahler's music skillfully constructed and revealing of a sensitivity and delicacy in the use of orchestration that exceed even that of Richard Strauss. In the case of Strauss, I find that for much of his music, particularly the later works, these resources produce music that is beautifully wrought but empty. I wouldn't say this of Mahler, but I would say that there are times when the music says nothing to me, admitting immediately that this could be as much my own lack of perceptiveness as any inherent lack in the music itself. With that in mind, I find the 1st, 2nd and 4th Symphonies, the Adagio from the 5th, parts of the 9th Symphony and all of "Das Lied von der Erde" to be beautiful, moving and expressive. The 3rd would not be a favorite work, except that the beautiful contralto solo and the sustained grandeur of the finale make up for the places where my mind wanders while listening to the rest of it. The 5th (except for the Adagio mentioned), 6th, 7th, 8th and most of the 9th Symphonies simply fail to sustain my interest over what I consider to be their excessive lengths. Having been originally trained to be a professional singer, I've had a good bit of experience with the vocal works. Both as performer and listener I've immensely enjoyed the wonderful "Songs of a Wayfarer", "Des Knaben Wunderhorn" and the exquisite "Rueckert Lieder". I've never performed the "Kindertotenlieder" and, as a parent, find them hard to listen to. Toscanini once said of Bruno Walter that "when Walter comes to something beautiful he melts." I find that this characteristic became more evident in his recordings as he got older with the result that his lingering to savour beautiful moments got in the way of musical line and continuity. For me, this was destructive enough to his later Beethoven, Mozart and Schubert recordings to impair my enjoyment of them. The two recordings of his post-WW2 years that I find great, and not damaged by this slowing down, are the 1957 Mahler "Resurrection" Symphony and the 1952 "Das Lied von der Erde" with Ferrier and Patzak (despite the fact that Patzak was having to struggle with an aging voice). Also excellent are the LP tranfers of performances from the late 30's of the 9th Symphony and an earlier "Das Lied" with Kullman and Thorberg (which I have on imported EMI). Whether these are "the best" I find hard to say. There are so many superb Mahler recordings which have modern sound in addition to great interpretations that I can't come to any definite conclusions. Among newer recordings I wouldn't want to be without are the Abbado/Chicago Symphony "Resurrection" Symphony, James Levine's 3rd Symphony, the Haitink/Concertgebouw "Das Lied von der Erde" (with ravishingly beautiful singing by Janet Baker), the 1957 Kletzki/Philharmonia 4th Symphony, and Tennstedt's recording of the 1st Symphony. The recordings I've heard that struck me as definitely inferior have been Mehta's "Resurrection" and (except for the wonderful finale of his early-60's 3rd Symphony) the whipped-up, frenzied performances of Leonard Bernstein. The rest seem to fall somewhere in between. I'd also like to put in a word for Klemperer's Mahler. Those who are familiar with only his later recordings and have come to think of his work as leaden, ponderous, and lacking in animation would be astonished to hear such things as the English Decca transfer of the 1951 Concertgebouw "Resurrection" recording (with Kathleen Ferrier). Likewise excellent are his 1962 studio recording of the same work (with Schwarzkopf and Rossl-Majdan) and the "Das Lied von der Erde" with Wunderlich and Ludwig. The latter is unique in that it actually has a fresh, youthful sounding tenor whose voice can soar over the breakers without strain or quality loss. How do you choose? - Greg Paley
geoff@desint.UUCP (Geoff Kuenning) (11/02/84)
Personally, I'm not a Walter fan. But even if you like his style, I would recommend getting some more modern recordings for their sonic value. There is a host of modern conductors who have a way with Mahler: Abbado, Tennstedt, Haitink, Solti, Giulini, some of Levine's stuff. The new digital stuff can knock you out of your seat, especially with the 2nd and 3rd. -- Geoff Kuenning First Systems Corporation ...!ihnp4!trwrb!desint!geoff
dcmartin@ucbvax.ARPA (David C. Martin) (11/02/84)
[This line os bound for glory this line...]
mat@hou4b.UUCP (11/05/84)
And what of Mahler?
Bruno Walter's style seems a bit out of fashion these days. I would
characterize it as ``sensitive to the music''. I recently heard Solti say
that he had finally understood the Brahms Fourth, finally discovered how to
conduct it. He called it ``serene'' and in his hands, it was indeed played
with a resignation that had to be called serenity. Contrast that with the
more traditional stormy interpretation.
Walter would more likely (I think...) have gotten inside the music
rather than mold it from the outside. I've got the Odessey (Columbia)
recording of his famous Mahler's Ninth. Dynamite. It's not as energetic nor
as violent as Solti's new CD, but it ``sings'' -- one hears the tragedy as
well as the violence. Of course, if you are playing it because you are in a
violent mood ...
My feelings on Mahler's 1st and 9th symphonies border on ecstacy.
On the second and third I'm not so clear. I have a couple of recodings that
are supposed to be good, but they come across as unconvincing and artificial.
Mahler is demanding, that's for sure. For me, he is the only composer to come
close to the sheer emotional energy levels of Beethoven's 9th, Missa Solemnis,
and Grosse Fuge. True, Mahler has more resources to work with ... bigger
orchestras, wilder harmonies, etc. But he seems to be presenting himself,
rather than opening himself, in the second through fourth symphonies (I
haven't got 5 through 8). The fault probably lies in the particular
interpretations, rather than the works themselves.
--
from Mole End Mark Terribile
(scrape .. dig ) hou4b!mat
,.. .,, ,,, ..,***_*.oscar@utcsrgv.UUCP (Oscar M. Nierstrasz) (11/07/84)
A recommendation: try Giulini's new `Das Lied von der Erde' on DGG. It's the first recording I've heard to rival the 1962 Jochum -- all the others seem to be something less than satisfying, especially when it comes to the tenor part (to wit: James King's squawking on the otherwise sumptuous Haitink LP, and Rene Kollo's insensitive shouting on Karajan's version). Unfortunately I can't remember the names of Giulini's soloists, but he uses the Berlin Philharmonic, and the recording is digital. Anybody have the new Maazel 2nd? I hear it's great ... Oscar Nierstrasz @ utcsrgv!oscar