Mahler: Symphony No 3 Simon Bolivar Orchestra, Dudamel

[Petrushka]

Surely the one to beat is Abbado's Mahler 3 at the Proms in 2007... that was breathtaking...

I was at both that one and also the BPO/Haitink in 2004 (not broadcast) and I've no doubt that the Haitink was the better performance, even though both were superb.

[Barbirollians]

Haitink doesn’t do it for me in Mahler 3 . I was disappointed by that live recording in Bavaria RSO I think . Rattle,Horenstein and that amazing live mono Barbirolli for me.

Will try and catch up with this though . I was impressed by Dudamel’s recording of the Ninth.

[Rjw]

I thought I would listen to the first ten minutes. I was a bit busy! An hour and a half later I am still there. So it must have been good. It was over fifty years ago when I first heard this symphony which is a bit worrying! As a inexpert listener it is nice to hear your more expert comments.

[Bella Kemp]

Surely the one to beat is Abbado's Mahler 3 at the Proms in 2007... that was breathtaking...

I may be mistaken, but I believe this was the performance where, at the start of the 5th movement, the boy's chorus suddenly shot to their feet almost shouting out their first 'Bim!' - absolutely glorious.
I have long thought that Mahler's Third is the finest thing our civilisation has given us.

[LHC]

I was at both that one and also the BPO/Haitink in 2004 (not broadcast) and I've no doubt that the Haitink was the better performance, even though both were superb.

I was also at the BPO/Haitink performance at the Barbican in 2004 and can confirm Pet's recollections. It was one of the greatest musical performances of any piece I have attended in 50 years of concert going, and left me and my friends who were also there absolutely speechless. I can still remember the finale, with the two timpanists closing the movement in perfect unity, and the awed silence from the audience at the end.

The concert was part of Haitink's 75th birthday celebrations, which also saw him conduct Mahler's 9th with the Vienna Philharmonic and the 6th with the LSO (another extraordinary and revelatory performance). What a series that was.

[Petrushka]

I was also at the BPO/Haitink performance at the Barbican in 2004 and can confirm Pet's recollections. It was one of the greatest musical performances of any piece I have attended in 50 years of concert going, and left me and my friends who were also there absolutely speechless. I can still remember the finale, with the two timpanists closing the movement in perfect unity, and the awed silence from the audience at the end.

The concert was part of Haitink's 75th birthday celebrations, which also saw him conduct Mahler's 9th with the Vienna Philharmonic and the 6th with the LSO (another extraordinary and revelatory performance). What a series that was.

I went to all of the Haitink 75th birthday concerts in 2004 apart from the LSO Mahler 6. If only that BPO Mahler 3 had been broadcast!

[LHC]

I went to all of the Haitink 75th birthday concerts in 2004 apart from the LSO Mahler 6. If only that BPO Mahler 3 had been broadcast!

Yes, I went to all of them as well, including the LSO 6th, which I'd put on a par with the BPO 3rd.

[gedsmk]

My fondest memory of M3 is of that first concert by E P Salonen in the RFH. It certainly changed his life and was relevatory to me. Dudamel did not hang about! the final movement was much faster than Bernstein, and also faster than Abbado. The quality of the transmission was indeed top class. You could hear the bottom note of the DBs (were there 10 of them, I wonder?) in the final chord. amazing work by the orchestra, particularly the (posthorn?) soloist. It was a pity the ensemble in the brass wasn't quite together for their hymnic section in the final movement, but you can't have everything.

[Barbirollians]

A Bavarian RSO/Rattle Mahler 7 from Nov 2024 is Recording of the Month in Gramophone today . Wonder if it’s the same performance ?

[Petrushka]

A Bavarian RSO/Rattle Mahler 7 from Nov 2024 is Recording of the Month in Gramophone today . Wonder if it’s the same performance ?

It gets a thumbs down from Hurwitz whose antipathy to Rattle is well known and, in my view, colours his judgement. I've ordered my copy anyway.

It's only fair to point out the James Longstaffe, in his review on Presto Classical, does point out some of the same caveats as Hurwitz but calls them 'minor quibbles'. Such is Hurwitz's hostility to Rattle that his entire tone is different. In actual fact, much of what he says is more positive than it comes across. Needless to say, most of the sycophantic comments below his video are tosh.

[Barbirollians]

It gets a thumbs down from Hurwitz whose antipathy to Rattle is well known and, in my view, colours his judgement. I've ordered my copy anyway.

Sounds like a good reason to order it .

[Petrushka]

Sounds like a good reason to order it .

That's what I thought. Mine is arriving tomorrow.

[Cockney Sparrow]

A Bavarian RSO/Rattle Mahler 7 from Nov 2024 is Recording of the Month in Gramophone today . Wonder if it’s the same performance ?

I presume this is the recording - From the booklet (available on Naxos Music Library ( https://www.for3.org/forums/forum/classical-forum/talking-about-music/the-reference-library/6869-online-naxos-music-library) )):
BR-Klassik Catalogue No.: 900225
Release Date: 01 January 2025
It says: “Live-Aufnahme / live recording: München, Isarphilharmonie im Gasteig HP8, 6.–8.11.2024”

[Petrushka]

It gets a thumbs down from Hurwitz whose antipathy to Rattle is well known and, in my view, colours his judgement. I've ordered my copy anyway..

It's only fair to point out that James Longstaffe, in his review on Presto Classical, does point out some of the same caveats as Hurwitz but calls them 'minor quibbles'. Such is Hurwitz's hostility to Rattle that his entire tone is different. In actual fact, much of what he says is more positive than it comes across. Needless to say, most of the sycophantic comments below his video are tosh.