BaL 22.04.17 - Mahler: Symphony no. 2

[visualnickmos]

Just listening to Haitink's recording with the Concertgebouw - (Philips 1968) and what a great version it is. Loving the soloists, Elly Ameling (soprano) and Aafje Heynis (contralto) Very much a 'go to' version, this one; Aafje Heynis - what terrific singing!

[BBMmk2]

Not sure which recording of what that you're talking about, Bbm, but I'm pretty sure that I'll agree with you.
It's easier that way!

The Choral Pilgrimage

[Pulcinella]

The Choral Pilgrimage

Thought so; it's just that there's more than one, so your singular 'recording' confused me!

[Petrushka]

Just listening to Haitink's recording with the Concertgebouw - (Philips 1968) and what a great version it is. Loving the soloists, Elly Ameling (soprano) and Aafje Heynis (contralto) Very much a 'go to' version, this one; Aafje Heynis - what terrific singing!

My very first Mahler 2 purchased in April 1973 and I have so many happy memories of playing those LPs until they practically fell to pieces. The thing is about Haitink's conducting here, as in so much of what he has recorded, is that it is absolutely straight, completely free of any interpretative distortions making it perfect for very frequent listening, far from dull or routine that this description might imply. Yes, that singing from Aafje Heynis in Urlicht is wonderful and is how I hear it in my head when listening to any other recording or live performance. The very qualities that stand out here are also there in Haitink's BPO recording which, not unnaturally, is in better sound. The 1968 recording is perhaps slightly sonically compromised in those final pages but you can't say that about the BPO recording which duly blazes.

Haitink gets everything right in all of his recordings but puzzlingly remains under-rated. Must listen to that 1968 recoding again!

[Alain Maréchal]

La Tribune des Disques recently discussed the work, auditioned "blind". You will need very little French to work out the preferences. (I think daring to choose "the best" is unwise; "the recommended version" is a safer line to take).

https://www.francemusique.fr/musique-classique/quelle-est-la-meilleure-version-de-la-symphonie-ndeg2-resurrection-de-gustav-mahler-33895

[BBMmk2]

La Tribune des Disques recently discussed the work, auditioned "blind". You will need very little French to work out the preferences. (I think daring to choose "the best" is unwise; "the recommended version" is a safer line to take).

https://www.francemusique.fr/musique...v-mahler-33895

Very true, AM! Very good diplomacy here!

[Bryn]

La Tribune des Disques recently discussed the work, auditioned "blind". You will need very little French to work out the preferences. (I think daring to choose "the best" is unwise; "the recommended version" is a safer line to take).

https://www.francemusique.fr/musique...v-mahler-33895

Hmm. Rattle was not even considered. Whatever, I think I will give the Gielen a spin.

[BBMmk2]

Hmm. Rattle was not even considered. Whatever, I think I will give the Gielen a spin.

LSO/Solti, anyday.

[Bryn]

LSO/Solti, anyday.

Another not considered by the production team to be worthy to take its place among the six auditioned. That said, the "Quelle lumière, quelle noblesse !" re. the Gielen is well deserved. Indeed the Gielen survey of all 11 Mahler Symphonies remains my 'go to', with the possible exception the compilation Das Lied van der Erde, taken from 2 concerts given some 10 years apart. One thing that does annoy me about the Gielen boxed set of 1-9 + the Adagio of the 10th is the way some of the Symphonies are split. The 2nd has a disc change after Urlicht, for instance. For that reason I ripped Symphonies 2, 3, 6 and 8 to an audio DVD for playback purposes. Mind you, at least the 3rd has its disc change after Part 1 (the first movement). Gielen's way with the 2nd is very different from Solti's by the way. Both have their validity.

[Alain Maréchal]

La Tribune des Disques does not consider all the available recordings. A selection is made by the presenter, and they are considered by the studio panel.

[HighlandDougie]

I still recall with awe going round to a friend's house to hear that recording around the time of its release on LPs. The friend's father had a fine Hi-Fi system with Lowther horn loaded speakers. Whether that early experience of the work coloured my preference for Solti's LSO over his later CSO recording, it remains one of my favourites. The 2007 96/24 remastering "The Originals" version is the one I have recourse to these days. I see there is a new(?) "import" version listed on amazon.co.uk, due for release in June.

It's a Japanese "Limited Edition" reissue, due for release on 21 June, along with about 50 other Solti CDs. Given BBM's enthusiasm, pre-ordered from CDJapan. Although I wasn't greatly taken with Saturday's extract, it's invidious to make judgements based on one short snippet.

[Bryn]

It's a Japanese "Limited Edition" reissue, due for release on 21 June, along with about 50 other Solti CDs. Given BBM's enthusiasm, pre-ordered from CDJapan. Although I wasn't greatly taken with Saturday's extract, it's invidious to make judgements based on one short snippet.

Think I will 'make do' with my 2007 96/24 remastering.

[Pulcinella]

It's a Japanese "Limited Edition" reissue, due for release on 21 June, along with about 50 other Solti CDs. Given BBM's enthusiasm, pre-ordered from CDJapan. Although I wasn't greatly taken with Saturday's extract, it's invidious to make judgements based on one short snippet.

I love the Product Description on Amazon:

I will ship by EMS or SAL items in stock in Japan. It is approximately 7-14days on delivery date. You wholeheartedly support customers as satisfactory. Thank you for you seeing it.

Hope you enjoy your purchase, HD!

[Barbirollians]

Considering how many posts there have been on BALs like Bruckner 3 I am surprised that the Resurrection seems to have led to little discussion in comparison .

[pastoralguy]

I heard Andrew on the radio this morning saying that he's going to be playing a Mahler 2 that arrived too late to be considered for the BaL last week but assured us we'd want to hear it.