BaL 19.12.20 - Mahler Symphony no. 1

[mikealdren]

The first Mahler disc I ever bought, in February 1973, was Bernard Haitink's 1972 recording of this symphony made with the Concertgebouw Orchestra and with what that started this Mahler 1 holds a very special place in my musical life. I was 18 at the time, a few months off 19, and I played the disc until it almost wore out. Needless to say, it's my 'go-to' recording in its CD incarnation.

The 1962 Concertgebouw/Haitink recording was issued as part of the complete set on CD last year with that 1972 account on the Blu-ray only. Still waiting for Covid to end in order to sort out the blu-ray player situation.

Other favourites are Chicago SO/Solti, BPO/Abbado and BRSO/Kubelik all of whom I saw perform the Mahler 1.

My first Mahler disc was the earlier Haitink bought as a deletion when the 1972 version came out, LPs were so expensive in those days, over £2 when petrol was 30p a gallon and beer about 12p a pint. I remember it being very good but it's years since I listened to it and my record deck is currently out of action. I only have Bernstein on CD, the highly recommended DG which I find disappointing and the NYPO version that I acquired with the LSO Mahler 2 and which I prefer.

I'll listen with interest and may well acquire another recording....

[Bryn]

To get a handle on the origins of this symphony, it is well worth checking out this mainly student performance of the earliest surviving manuscripts of 'Titan':

and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjh2pucllRQ

[visualnickmos]

Cracking record just a shame about the cut.

Bruno Walter should obviously sneak home from Kubelik. Abbado and Barbirolli but I doubt he will .

I'd forgotten about the cut! I think that's why it hasn't been off the shelf for years, me angriy thinking the cut, is tantamount to high treason. I don't even remember where it occurs.....

[Pulcinella]

I'd forgotten about the cut! I think that's why it hasn't been off the shelf for years, me angriy thinking the cut, is tantamount to high treason. I don't even remember where it occurs.....

I didn't even know that there was one!


I now have Mackerras, which I'm pleased to see has an honourable mention from makropulos.

PS: And the BBC MM CD (Volume 8, Number 9): BBCSO/Manfred Honeck (live at the RFH, 11 February 1998).

[crb11]

Tennstedt also recorded Mahler 1 with the Chicago Symphony, released on CD by EMI in 2010. Could this be the same performance which exists on a DVD coupled with Mahler 8 (LPO at RFH)?

The CD version is listed as "recorded in concert 31.V-4.VI.1990" so I assume is a composite, probably including parts of the live concert on the DVD. Don't think this is likely to be a contender. Kubelik's probably my favourite, and also like Boulez and Concertgebouw/Bernstein from my collection.

[gurnemanz]

I have Kubelik and the Bavarians, which also includes Fischer-Dieskau's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen and will be hard to beat, I'd imagine, and Rattle/CBSO. I don't envy the reviewer, although there will presumably be a (very?) short list.

Kubelik/Bavarians was the one I chose based on reviews at the time, when I was assembling a Mahler Symphonies collection as CDs came in. It has stood the test of time.

I have since acquired a few more, mainly via box sets:

Tennstedt/Chicago (live) (not listed above but still available on this very well-priced box)
Kegel/Dresden
Giulini/Chicago
Walter/CSO
Bernstein/NYPO

Also noteworthy: the first ever complete recording of the work in 1940 from Dmitri Mitropoulos with Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra. This came on an 8CD historical Mahler box with some fascinating early recordings and excellent notes. It is no longer available. (It's on YouTube.) A bracing and well-remastered experience. This recording was the only option for Mahler fans until Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Jascha Horenstein in 1952.

[kernelbogey]

Sterling work, as usual, providing us with this list of available recordings, Alpie!

[Ein Heldenleben]

Gosh –another work where it's hard to know where to start, let alone what to leave out! My own favourites include Walter (NYP and Columbia versions), Kubelík (DG and Audite versions), Solti/LSO, Giulini/Chicago, Haitink (first recording), Bernstein (DG/Concertgebouw) and –of more recent ones –Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh SO on Exton. Having said that, there are plenty of others I enjoy, including Boult, Mackerras and Ancerl.

Incidentally, EA's terrific list is missing both Ancerl (Czech PO, Supraphon) and Honeck (Pittsburgh, Exton). Also, there are two Tennstedt/LPO recordings, one on EMI and one (live) on the LPO's own label.

At a guess, Ivan Fischer will do very well in this BAL (I'm the only person I know who doesn't rave about his Mahler).

No you are not alone...

[vinteuil]

.

... talking of Bruno Walter, I wouldn't want to be without his transcription for piano four hands -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01K8LH57G

(cheaper when I got it... )

There is also a live (November 1979) Kubelik -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0031IQ2VO

In its 'Titan' incarnation I like Ole Kristian Ruud with the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000038I81

,

[Petrushka]

I've just done an audit of the Mahler 1 versions on my shelves and, somewhat to my surprise, find that I have no less than 41 plus four more on DVD! I also have several more as off-air recordings.

There are, in fact, four Tennstedt versions: LPO (studio, 1977 EMI), LPO (live, 1990 BBC Legends), LPO (live, 1985 LPO label) and Chicago SO (live, 1990 EMI).

[richardfinegold]

I have Kubelik and the Bavarians, which also includes Fischer-Dieskau's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen and will be hard to beat, I'd imagine, and Rattle/CBSO. I don't envy the reviewer, although there will presumably be a (very?) short list.

I have the live recording on Audite, but Kubelik’s Studio version from the sixties was from a cycle with different Orchesras for each work. Which Orchestra was used for the First?

[Bryn]

I have the live recording on Audite, but Kubelik’s Studio version from the sixties was from a cycle with different Orchesras for each work. Which Orchestra was used for the First?

Eh? The symphonies in the DG set were all recorded using the BRSO.

[Leinster Lass]

I have the live recording on Audite, but Kubelik’s Studio version from the sixties was from a cycle with different Orchesras for each work. Which Orchestra was used for the First?

Well, he did record the Beethoven symphonies with 9 different orchestras ...

[richardfinegold]

I haven’t up the ones that I bought as free standers, included in a big box, or recorded to my NAS, but my estimate would be around 15. I’ve had a couple on vinyl that I gave away. There is only one that isn’t worthy of merit (Leinsdorf/Boston, part of a Living Stereo Box). I had a Boult on lp that was prosaic compared to others that I never replaced from the early stereo era but probably would be of interest to Forumites.
Assuming Blumine won’t be an issue, for me the bigger textual question is the double basses in III; just one at the beginning, or a whole section? Having greatly improved the bass performance in my 2 channel system, versions that use 1 player now make more of an impact.
In the sixties during the start of the Mahler boom, I’ll wager that a recording featuring a single player would tend to lose that player under surface noise and also due to the decreased dynamic range of lps).
I can’t remember my first recording, but it was probably Walter stereo version. Horenstein/LSO has been my mainstay for a few decades, but there are so many others: both Lennies, MTT, Abbasid/Lucerne, Ivan Fisher, Boulez/CSO....yes, the reviewer has a difficult task.

[cloughie]

I have the live recording on Audite, but Kubelik’s Studio version from the sixties was from a cycle with different Orchesras for each work. Which Orchestra was used for the First?

Maybe you were thinking of the Kubelik Beethoven set which indeed used different orchestras - probably for contractual reasons No8 was ‘members of the Cleveland Orchestra’

Confirmed by the other rfg!