BaL 19.12.20 - Mahler Symphony no. 1

[makropulos]

I see that there is no Karajan recording. Pity, as he made worthwhile readings of 4,5,6, and 9. I would have loved to hear his BPO in this piece

According to the performances stats on Karajan.co.uk, he never performed No. 1 at all –only 4, 5, 6, 9 and Lied von der Erde, all of which he recorded too. For the details, see:

http://www.karajan.co.uk/mahler.html

[Barbirollians]

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Incidentally, I've also got an off-air recording of Mackerras's Prom performance with the Czech Phil in 1998. (Send me a private message if it's of any interest).

There is also a splendid Mahler 1 from Barbirolli with the Czech PO on the Barbirolli Society label.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I have just four versions: CSO/Solti , Halle/Barbirolli , VPO/Maazel RPO/Leinsdorf BUT Decca Phase 4 :

This work cries out for the best recorded sound, but not the artificiality of Phase 4. even though it isn't the worst on this label. Happily, the Pye Barbirolli sounds rather good in its latest Warner remastering.

[cloughie]

I see that there is no Karajan recording. Pity, as he made worthwhile readings of 4,5,6, and 9. I would have loved to hear his BPO in this piece

HvK was always quite fickle in what he did and didn’t do - then I suppose he couldn’t do everything but then he did do several things more than once!

[visualnickmos]

I have just four versions: CSO/Solti , Halle/Barbirolli , VPO/Maazel RPO/Leinsdorf BUT Decca Phase 4 :

This work cries out for the best recorded sound, but not the artificiality of Phase 4. even though it isn't the worst on this label. Happily, the Pye Barbirolli sounds rather good in its latest Warner remastering.

Leinsdorff / RPO ? I have his Boston RCA'Navigator' I didn't know he'd 'done' it with the RPO..... What label is that on, I wonder...

I think Solti's LSO and CSO are a hair's breadth apart in sheer excellence - LSO just ahead

[Stanfordian]

I reckon have twenty+ CDs of Mahler 1.
These are my favourites:

Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Carlo Maria Guilini
Recorded 1971, Medinah Temple, Chicago
EMI, HMV

Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunk / Rafael Kubelik
Recorded Live 1979, Herkulessaal, Munich.
Audite

Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks / Mariss Jansons
Recorded Live 2007, Herkulessaal, Munich
BR-Klassik

Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks / Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Recorded Live 2014, Herkulessaal, Munich.
BR-Klassik

Düsseldorfer Symphoniker / Ádám Fischer
Recorded Live 2017, Tonhalle, Düsseldorf
CAvi-music

[LHC]

I've got Solti (LSO and CSO), Tennstedt (LPO studio and live, and CSO on DVD), Haitink (BPO CD and Laserdisc), Abbado (BPO CD, and LFO Blu-Ray), Bernstein (DVD) , Gergiev (LSO SACD) and Tilson-Thomas (SFS SACD).

The first time I heard Mahler 1 wasn't a recording, but live at the RFH, with Simon Rattle conducting; a really thrilling introduction to this symphony.

[richardfinegold]

Leinsdorff / RPO ? I have his Boston RCA'Navigator' I didn't know he'd 'done' it with the RPO..... What label is that on, I wonder...

I think Solti's LSO and CSO are a hair's breadth apart in sheer excellence - LSO just ahead

Earlier in the thread I commented that imo the Leinsdorf/Boston was one of the few recordings of this piece that I had no wish to revisit. It is a bit of a surprise to find that he left 3 recorded versions

[Bryn]

Well, if it's included on a CD as a supplement, fine. However, if, as with Norrington, it's inserted into the 1st Symphony, with that work's augmented orchestration, its instrumentation surely renders it out of place. It's good, though, to have both the Symphony and the Symphonic Poem 'Titan' as conducted by Roth available for consideration.

I see that I did not directly respond to the question posed by Pulcinella. Yes, Blumine was/is the second movement of 'Titan', as against the 1st Symphony. I also note that Roth's recording of the latter is currently available at low cost from amazon.co.uk. It's a very fine performance and had a delightful coupling, Webern's Im Sommerwind. That, plus his recording with Les Siecles of 'Titan' would make a fine library combination, in my view.

[Pulcinella]

I see that I did not directly respond to the question posed by Pulcinella. Yes, Blumine was/is the second movement of 'Titan', as against the 1st Symphony. I also note that Roth's recording of the latter is currently available at low cost from amazon.co.uk. It's a very fine performance and had a delightful coupling, Webern's Im Sommerwind. That, plus his recording with Les Siecles of 'Titan' would make a fine library combination, in my view.

Thanks for the clarification.

[Bryn]

Thanks for the clarification.

However, Blumine first appeared as a movement in Mahler's music for the stage production of Joseph Victor von Scheffel’s play Der Trompeter von Säkkingen in 1884.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Leinsdorff / RPO ? I have his Boston RCA'Navigator' I didn't know he'd 'done' it with the RPO..... What label is that on, I wonder...

It's on Decca Phase 4, recorded in 1971.

[visualnickmos]

Earlier in the thread I commented that imo the Leinsdorf/Boston was one of the few recordings of this piece that I had no wish to revisit. It is a bit of a surprise to find that he left 3 recorded versions

I know what you mean. It's by no means in the front-runners ! Generally, I quite like Leinsdorf recordings (those I have at least)

[visualnickmos]

It's on Decca Phase 4, recorded in 1971.

Thank you Herr Alpen.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Thank you Herr Alpen.

I really don't recommend it, despite it being a very decent performance. The amount of dynamic range flattening/pumping and knob twiddling to reveal incidental detail borders on incompetence. No wonder Stokowski insisted in being involved the mixing of his own Phase 4 recordings.