Deryk Barker <DBarker@his-phoenix-multics.arpa> (11/14/84)
I agree with a lot of what has already been said about my favourite composer. I can't understand the general lack of enthusiasm for the middle instrumental symphonies - although I admit that no 7 is a little weird (Mahler's "mad" symphony as Deryck Cooke called it). My favourite recordings would be as follows: No. 1 BRSO/Kubelik, LSO Solti (not his recent CSO recording which is dreadful), CSO/Walter, LSO/Horenstein. No. 2 CSO/Abbado, PO/Klemperer. This is a really tough one to bring off successfully - perticularly the coda of the finale. No. 3 NYPO/Mitropolous (pp 1956), LSO/Horenstein. No. 4 BPO/Karajan. No. 5 PO/Barbirolli, BPO/Karajan. Walter's 1946 recording is still in the catalogue and has some fine points. No. 6 (Surely with No. 9 the finest of them all - certainly the most gruelling). BPO/Karajan, NYPO/Mitropoulous (pp 1956), PO/Barbirolli. I also remember a stunning performnce in London in 1969 by Szell but his version is no longfer in the UK catalogue. No. 7 BRSO/Kubvelik, Concertgebouw/Haitink (not the new digital version). No. 8 CSO/Solti. I marginally prefer the LSO/Bernstein as an interpretation (having been at the Albert Hall in 1966 to hear the live presursor) but the recording really lets it down. No. 9 BPO/Karajan - both the 1981 analogue and the 1982 CD-only digital are white-hot performances. CSO/Walter - as someone has already said of this performance a reading of great historical importance and shows true affection for the score, plus (of course) Walter gave the first performance of this work in 1912. The 1963 BPO/Barbirolli is also very fine indeed. No. 10 NPO/Morris (revised Cooke performing version). Have not yet heard the BSO/Rattle version but have found his other Mahler performances somewhat shallow. Das Lied von der Erde. CO/Haitink - whatever you may say about King Janet Baker gives a wonderful rendering of "Der Abschied" virtually a single take. Not heard the Giulini yet tho'. I find that I have more shelf inches devoted to Mahler than any other composer (excepting perhaps Beethoven) and have about 8 versions of the first alone. I would warn people of the Tennstedt cycle (nearing completeion on EMI) never have I heard such a shallow set of interpretations so hyped before. Others may disagree of course: "I disagree totally with everything you say, and would defend to the death my right to say so" as Voltaire might have said had he been thinking.
gayde@ihuxp.UUCP (Peter Gayde) (11/20/84)
I tried to reply directly to Deryk Barker but was unable to so here goes:
Deryk,
I agree with every statement you make regarding the Mahler
recordings except two. First, I attended the pre-recording performances
of Solti's latest Mahler First. I had a score handy and marveled at the way
he followed ALL of the markings to the letter (a Solti trademark, I suppose)
and, believe it or not, there actually was a great deal of emotion in the
performance. Unless he failed completely during the recording sessions
I would expect a very good result (I haven't heard it yet). Second, I
couldn't disagree with you more about the Abbado Second. I attended the
pre-recording performances of his First with the Chicago Symphony, what a
JOKE! No emotion, highlighting voices which should be in the background,
and so on. The audience went crazy, but what do they know, they'll give a
standing ovation to anyone! His recording of the Second (my favorite piece of
music) is just as bad. It is saved only by the marvelous forces he has
under his "command".
This is just the kind of article I love to see on the net. If you
would like to correspond about any aspect of music I'd be delighted!
--
Peter Gayde AT&T Technologies Naperville, IL
ihnp4!{iwu1b,ihuxp}!gayde (312) 979-7598Deryk Barker <DBarker@his-phoenix-multics.arpa> (12/05/84)
I also get confused by netowrk addresses so am replying to Peter Gayde
here.
Peter,
well - I must still demur about the new Solti Mahler 1 - I was a big
fan of his 1964 LSO recording - to the extent of just purchasing a new
super-cut replacement of my 18 yrea old copy. His new one I still find
totally mudane tho' - sorry. Also, like many other conductors (Kubelik
the notable exception) he fails to bring out the termolandos on the
violins during the peroration of the finale - a magical effect usually
drowned by the brass.
As for the Abbado Resurrection: (I tend to agree about his 1st - heard
him conduction the EECYO in this 2/3 years ago and wasn't overwhelmed) I
still enjoy his reading - OK I prefer Klemperer but the recording is not
so hot.At leas Claudio doesn't make the final coda seem like an
anticlimax - as it so often can, particularly on record.
Actually, I'm really waiting (hoping) for Karajan to record 1 2 and 8 -
all his other Mahler records have been revelations (ditto most of his
Bruckner) - is there nothing his man can't turn his baton to.
deryk.
P.S. think my mail address should be DBarker at HIS-PHOENIX-MULTICS on
the ARPAnet.