The Barbirolli thread got me to interrupt my first odyssey through the vast output of Brahms and head back to my Mahler collection, starting with Barbirolli's 9th, then onto Nott's 3rd, then Barbirolli's 6th.
The past few days, I've worked my way through the four 'Resurrection' symphonies I own (Tennstedt/LPO Live (too rubato-y to live with?), Klemperer EMI (studio), Mehta/VPO (Decca), and Rattle/CBSO (EMI) (Baker is the saving grace here for me).
I also gave three new ones in spanking modern sound a spin on Qobuz: Fischer/Budapest Festival Orchestra ('Urlicht' at the speed of light
); Nott/Bamberg Symphony Orchestra (I really warmed to this); and Jurowski/LPO (slick or fantastic? I lean to the latter but am undecided (plus that magnificent sliding down moment 2/3s through the first movement doesn't slide down in one smooth curve but is staggered, like a jaggedy line. This pivotal moment had less impact for me.)).
Mahler is certainly a composer who benefits from clarity of sound, something the superb new sonic recordings offer (though I have yet to sample any of these in SACD!)
But, of course, there is a reason we still listen to an older generation of conductors. What insights they can offer even in poor sound! One only has to think of Bruno Walter who knew the composer. And analogue recordings have their own charms and warmth.
So, let's see your choices recordings - something old, something new - for Mahler 2.
Old: Mehta/VPO
New: Nott/Bamberg Symphony Orchestra
The past few days, I've worked my way through the four 'Resurrection' symphonies I own (Tennstedt/LPO Live (too rubato-y to live with?), Klemperer EMI (studio), Mehta/VPO (Decca), and Rattle/CBSO (EMI) (Baker is the saving grace here for me).
I also gave three new ones in spanking modern sound a spin on Qobuz: Fischer/Budapest Festival Orchestra ('Urlicht' at the speed of light
); Nott/Bamberg Symphony Orchestra (I really warmed to this); and Jurowski/LPO (slick or fantastic? I lean to the latter but am undecided (plus that magnificent sliding down moment 2/3s through the first movement doesn't slide down in one smooth curve but is staggered, like a jaggedy line. This pivotal moment had less impact for me.)).Mahler is certainly a composer who benefits from clarity of sound, something the superb new sonic recordings offer (though I have yet to sample any of these in SACD!)
But, of course, there is a reason we still listen to an older generation of conductors. What insights they can offer even in poor sound! One only has to think of Bruno Walter who knew the composer. And analogue recordings have their own charms and warmth.
So, let's see your choices recordings - something old, something new - for Mahler 2.
Old: Mehta/VPO
New: Nott/Bamberg Symphony Orchestra
I think that Abbado has the measure of it more than most but I don't know his Lucerne recording(s?).
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