BaL 16.02.13 - Mahler's 6th Symphony in A minor

[Barbirollians]

The Mitropoulos is truly astonishing . Hidden away in his edition of the Great Conductors series - it blew me away.

[Beef Oven]

What about Szell/Cleveland - a live recording, but you'd hardly know it (no winter coughs and snuffles here) I adore this Mahler sixth, but then it is perhaps his most personal work and all that entails...

That's the one I cut my teeth on, then later, the Karajan. Love Abbado's BPO account from a few years back.

[Arcades Project]

Don't know about a BAL selection, but Jukka-Pekka Saraste's recording with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra impressed me very much (much more than any Jansons performances I've heard - see the reviews on Presto for the Jansons comparison being drawn) http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Simax/PSC1316

Otherwise SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg / Gielen (Hännsler); VPO / Boulez (DG), certainly; Kondrashin (Baden-Baden und Freiburg - again, Hännsler); Abbado, the Lucerne Blu-Ray / DVD.

I'm looking forward to Jonathan Nott's recording with his Bamberg orchestra.

Bertini's recording in his Cologne / EMI box isn't the best performance there, though the box is very fine generally: a pity, because I heard him give a performance of controlled, detailed intensity at the Festival Hall with the LSO in the 1980s.

Sinopoli is always interesting. Finally, I like the concert recording from the 80s issued on the BPO's own label, conducted by a young Simon Rattle. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mahler-Symph...r+6+bpo+rattle

I have more Mahler recordings than I should, but hey ho.

(Having listened again to some of it this morning I'd take Kondrashin off that list. His omission of the 1st movement exposition repeat is a problem for me, but that aside the very fast speeds don't now seem to equate to ferocious intensity. All sounds rather superficial.)

[mathias broucek]

What about Szell/Cleveland - a live recording, but you'd hardly know it (no winter coughs and snuffles here) I adore this Mahler sixth, but then it is perhaps his most personal work and all that entails...

Completely agree but it wasn't with me on my hols! (Just noticed that predictive text meant that this wasn't clear - will amend)

[mathias broucek]

The Mitropoulos is truly astonishing . Hidden away in his edition of the Great Conductors series - it blew me away.

IIRC that's the Cologne one. It's very good but the NYPO version is on another level again. You can get it on one of the Italian labels.

[amateur51]

IIRC that's the Cologne one. It's very good but the NYPO version is on another level again. You can get it on one of the Italian labels.

He was such an extraordinary conductor (extraordinary human being) particularly in 'difficult' scores. I admire all his Mahler recordings tho' many are in less than pristine sound - he's a fornme in Mahler

[mathias broucek]

He was such an extraordinary conductor (extraordinary human being) particularly in 'difficult' scores. I admire all his Mahler recordings tho' many are in less than pristine sound - he's a fornme in Mahler

This is the NYPO Mahler 6 I was on about

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gustav-Mahler-Symphony-minor-York/dp/B0045HZSYM/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1374323177&sr=8-20&keywords=mitropoulos+mahler

And this box is great if pricey (it includes the Cologne 6th)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mitropoulos-Conducts-Philharmonic-Symphony-Orchestra/dp/B000009CO7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374323251&sr=8-1&keywords=mitropoulos+mahler

[amateur51]

This is the NYPO Mahler 6 I was on about

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gustav-Mahler-Symphony-minor-York/dp/B0045HZSYM/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1374323177&sr=8-20&keywords=mitropoulos+mahler

And this box is great if pricey (it includes the Cologne 6th)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mitropoulos-...opoulos+mahler

I listened to the debate in the House of Lords about a pardon for Alan Turing and there were some very moving speeches.Reading these posts about Mitropoulos I'm struck about how badly he was treated as a gay conductor by NYPO and he certainly wasn't helped by Bernstein who clambered over the wreckage of Mitropoulos' career to lead the NYPO. No question of a pardon of course but an 'I beg your pardon' might be nice

[mathias broucek]

he certainly wasn't helped by Bernstein who clambered over the wreckage of Mitropoulos' career to lead the NYPO. No question of a pardon of course but an 'I beg your pardon' might be nice

Of course Lennie was completely straight

[jayne lee wilson]

Don't know about a BAL selection, but Jukka-Pekka Saraste's recording with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra impressed me very much (much more than any Jansons performances I've heard - see the reviews on Presto for the Jansons comparison being drawn) http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Simax/PSC1316

Otherwise SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg / Gielen (Hännsler); VPO / Boulez (DG), certainly; Kondrashin (Baden-Baden und Freiburg - again, Hännsler); Abbado, the Lucerne Blu-Ray / DVD.

I'm looking forward to Jonathan Nott's recording with his Bamberg orchestra.

Bertini's recording in his Cologne / EMI box isn't the best performance there, though the box is very fine generally: a pity, because I heard him give a performance of controlled, detailed intensity at the Festival Hall with the LSO in the 1980s.

Sinopoli is always interesting. Finally, I like the concert recording from the 80s issued on the BPO's own label, conducted by a young Simon Rattle. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mahler-Symph...r+6+bpo+rattle

I have more Mahler recordings than I should, but hey ho.

(Having listened again to some of it this morning I'd take Kondrashin off that list. His omission of the 1st movement exposition repeat is a problem for me, but that aside the very fast speeds don't now seem to equate to ferocious intensity. All sounds rather superficial.)

The 1981 SWR Kondrashin can sound a little anodyne compared to his 1978 Leningrad Phil one. It's actually quicker still in Leningrad , (65'40 to 68'24) but the reading works on the vibrant colours and textures of the Leningrad Orchestra as it doesn't quite at SWR; where the slight slowing in each movement only undermines Kondrashin's devilish vision. Daresay not a library choice (!) but very compelling. Still if you don't like it it's soon over...

Yes that early Rattle/Berlin Phil one (Rattle's Berlin debut, in fact), is remarkable at conveying the depth, the darkness, that sense of apocalyptic tragedy...
I would still mention the special beauties and precisions of Abbado/Chicago SO too - not everyone will find it driven enough, but it works wonderfully well on its own terms. (See RO in Gramophone 11/1980). You can actually download it singly from DG, although their site can be a buggy pest to deal with. (I complained and they assured me they'd fixed it, but...)

[Arcades Project]

Interesting Jayne, thanks. Listening this morning the Kondrashin just seemed to flatten everything in its wake. Another recording I find I have, which I do like is Gunter Herbig conducting the Saarbrücken RSO (Berlin Classics). Tony Duggan is an admirer http://www.musicweb-international.co...er6_Herbig.htm (again, though, no first movement exposition repeat).

In fact I recall this being very good. I've never tracked down St Petersburg Philharmonic / Thomas Sanderling, so refuse to believe it exists .

[jayne lee wilson]

Interesting Jayne, thanks. Listening this morning the Kondrashin just seemed to flatten everything in its wake. Another recording I find I have, which I do like is Gunter Herbig conducting the Saarbrücken RSO (Berlin Classics). Tony Duggan is an admirer http://www.musicweb-international.co...er6_Herbig.htm (again, though, no first movement exposition repeat).

In fact I recall this being very good. I've never tracked down St Petersburg Philharmonic / Thomas Sanderling, so refuse to believe it exists .

Looking at it now... It's on RS (Real Sound) 953-0186. Memories are distant, but after hunting it down I recall feeling underwhelmed - good recording, but a little too plain, grim, steady and objective for its own good. Without, for me, either the beauty of Abbado/CSO or Haitink's special way in Amsterdam. Maybe someone else has heard it more recently... It may suit those who find more obvious recommendations too intense or dramatic but I would direct them to the two aforementioned.

https://musicweb-international.com/classrev/2004/Jan04/Mahler6_Sanderling.htm

[Arcades Project]

Thanks again Jayne

From my list I'd unaccountably forgotten the Budapest Festival Orchestra / Iván Fischer recording (Challenge Classics) which for me gets beneath the score's skin. Pleased you share my enthusiasm for that BPO / Rattle disc.

[amateur51]

Of course Lennie was completely straight

At the time he was conniving against Mitropoulos I'm sure that's what Lennie would have said too.

[amateur51]

Interesting Jayne, thanks. Listening this morning the Kondrashin just seemed to flatten everything in its wake. Another recording I find I have, which I do like is Gunter Herbig conducting the Saarbrücken RSO (Berlin Classics). Tony Duggan is an admirer http://www.musicweb-international.co...er6_Herbig.htm (again, though, no first movement exposition repeat).

Hooray for praise for Herbig. Mr Duggan was a very worthwhile guide to Mahler recordings imho