Mahler Symphony 5

[Petrushka]

Herbert von Karajan's 1973 recording of Mahler 5 on Deutsche Grammophon holds up well imho.

http://store.universal-music.co.uk/restofworld/mahler-gustav/berliner-philharmoniker-herbert-karajan-mahler-symphony-no5/invt/0028944745023/

http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/cat/single/?PRODUCT_NR=4474502

'd also recommend his recordings of 4, 6 and 9.

Best Wishes,

Tevot

Richard Osborne was of the opinion that HvK's Mahler 5 was no more than an expert run-through but I agree that it holds up well. However, I long to have CD releases of Karajan's live performances of the Mahler 5 & 6 given in either Salzburg or Berlin. Memory of the R3 broadcasts recalls them as being a class apart and better than the recordings. Perhaps DG could oblige?

[Roehre]

Richard Osborne was of the opinion that HvK's Mahler 5 was no more than an expert run-through but I agree that it holds up well.

Though I grosso modo agree with Osborne, IMO the scherzo in this recording is one of the most flamboyant ones ever, and -again IMO- the way Mahler imagined that movement (as a viennese waltz, that is). It's the only mvt of 5 which escaped largely the re-orchestration of the work, and is therefore much more obliged to the wunderhorn-symphonies than the rest of the 5th (the adagietto e.g. much more leaning to the Rückert-lieder).

[BBMmk2]

I have Abbado on DVD with the Lucerne lot, plus the cycle of complete symphonies on cd(with the Berliners); LPO/Tennstedt and finally Bernstein and the VPO.

The Abbado/Lucerrne tops my list. Bernstein does magical things in his recording, but with MNahler, he does seem self indulgent? But is that a bad thing?

[makropulos]

Several of my favourite versions have already been mentioned - Abbado/Lucerne, Bernstein/VPO and Mackerras/RLPO among them. Not sure if anybody has mentioned Bruno Walter's NYPO recording - in very decent sound for its age, and a really gritty and exciting performance (Sony) - or Kubelik live on Audite.

[Barbirollians]

I mentioned the Walter and agree it is very fine . I do not agree that Barbirolli is too slow the tempo seems absolutely right in the context of the performance.

[Stanfordian]

I have collected a large number of accounts of Mahler's Symphony No. 5. There are many really fine performances to choose from. The accounts I tend to return to most often are: Karajan/BPO/Deutsche Grammophon; Rattle/BPO/EMI; Kubelik/Bavarian RSO/Audite and Abbado/BPO/Deutsche Grammophon. I also enjoy the Bernstein/Vienna Philharmonic/Deutsche Grammophon and Barbirolli/New Philharmonia/EMI.

[Petrushka]

I've just bought the Gielen 5th following the write up in BBC MM but haven't had time to give it a spin yet.

I've just heard the Gielen recording and very fine it is too. I wouldn't put it above BPO/Abbado, Concertgebouw/Haitink (esp. the 1986 Christmas Day performance), or VPO/Bernstein but it is very well recorded, knocks spots off LSO/Gergiev and has a wonderfully light and airy Adagietto entirely shorn of all Death in Venice associations (thank goodness).

Incidentally, I was present at the unforgettable 1987 VPO/Bernstein Prom and would love to hear it again. Can anyone oblige?