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

[Beef Oven!]

Cally, did not you and I champion Abbado in 6 on another thread a while back?

For me it's:

Abbado - BPO
Szell - Cleveland SO
Heribert Ritter von Karajan - BPO

Szell was my introduction to the work, which was augmented by the karajan a few years later. I picked up the Abbado on SACD when it came out and was not expecting so much!

I would give special mention to others:

Valery Gergiev delivered a white-hot, land-speed breaking performance in London with the LSO a few years back. That was one of the best concerts I'd ever attended. The subsequent LSO Live recording, taken from a (2?) subsequent live performances, was never going to do justice.

I adore Rubber Brolly's EMI recording (indeed I played it mid-week, as I regularly do). It can no-way be considered as a 'recommendable' performance, but I just love the ridiculously long drag-thru, where he's almost loitering in the score! It makes for some unexpectedly beautiful moments in the higher-tempo parts of the work.

Just played Boulez VPO. I now have four favourite Mahler 6s!

[BBMmk2]

I've been asked by an American University to arrange the first movement. I think it will work as they have 64 piece band there! I have Abbado's Berliner account(cd), HvKs's Berliner account and Abbado's Lucerne.

[Madame Suggia]

I've been asked by an American University Orchestra to arrange the chairs for the first movement.

[amateur51]

I've been asked by an American University Orchestra to arrange the chairs for the first movement.

A titanic exercise?

[BBMmk2]

Oh my god! How very immature!!!!

[BBMmk2]

I've been asked by an American University to arrange the first movement. I think it will work as they have 64 piece band there! I have Abbado's Berliner account(cd), HvKs's Berliner account and Abbado's Lucerne.

I think I made it quite clear it was for a concert band!

Right that's me done for these boards for now

[Beef Oven!]

I think I made it quite clear it was for a concert band!

It was obvious what you meant.

That first movement will come across amazingly in BB arrangement - make sure you make it go with a mighty whoomph!!!

Good luck with it!

P.S. Try to listen to Gergiev, LSO. His tempo is perfect for a BB arrangement.

Edit: Here's a snippet of the great man................

[soileduk]

Oh my god! How very immature!!!!

Morning BBM, up on blocks are we?

[amateur51]

Oh my god! How very immature!!!!

I took Madam Suggia's post to imply that she would not be approached for such a complex task, and that, like me, she might just be able to 'arrange the chairs'. My subsequent comment related to the phenomenon whereby in a crisis some people attend to minor inconsequential but achievable tasks, often referred to as "re-arranging the chairs on the deck of The Titanic"

I'm sorry if you interpreted these posts as a personal attack on you, Bbm and I hope that you will be back amongst us soon

[richardfinegold]

I took Madam Suggia's post to imply that she would not be approached for such a complex task, and that, like me, she might just be able to 'arrange the chairs'. My subsequent comment related to the phenomenon whereby in a crisis some people attend to minor inconsequential but achievable tasks, often referred to as "re-arranging the chairs on the deck of The Titanic"

I'm sorry if you interpreted these posts as a personal attack on you, Bbm and I hope that you will be back amongst us soon

Yes, Bbm, I don't think that anyone meant to offend you, and you would be sorely missed here.
I would be very curious to hear your arrangement. May I enquire which University asked for the arrangement? Will there be any chance for us to hear the finished product via Internet Radio or Youtube?

[Petrushka]

I took Madam Suggia's post to imply that she would not be approached for such a complex task, and that, like me, she might just be able to 'arrange the chairs'. My subsequent comment related to the phenomenon whereby in a crisis some people attend to minor inconsequential but achievable tasks, often referred to as "re-arranging the chairs on the deck of The Titanic"

I'm sorry if you interpreted these posts as a personal attack on you, Bbm and I hope that you will be back amongst us soon

The dangers of trying humour on the boards! While I'm sure no offence was meant it did seem to me to come very close to taking the pi*s. People need to have a think before posting.

Would be very interested to hear BBM's arrangement if possible. Presumably string parts have to be re-distributed among the winds but percussion should remain the same. A wind band on this scale would have a rich instrumentation indeed which should suit Mahler's marching and counter-marching.

Best of luck with the arrangement, BBM! Look forward to hearing how it all goes.

[silvestrione]

I think I made it quite clear it was for a concert band!

Right that's me done for these boards for now

I'd like to add my voice: your posts would be very much missed, BBM! I do hope what is probably just a misunderstanding/ danger of the medium can be put to one side and forgotten.

[Flosshilde]

The dangers of trying humour on the boards! While I'm sure no offence was meant it did seem to me to come very close to taking the pi*s. People need to have a think before posting.

Indeed, but I'm quite sure that Madam Suggia's post wasn't intended as anything other than fun. bbm - I find your posts entertaining (in the nicest possible way) and interesting, & would miss them if you go.

Presumably string parts have to be re-distributed among the winds but percussion should remain the same.

Wouldn't the percussion also have to be changed? a) because the band would have different percussion instruments, or not all that Mahler wrote for; and b) the balance (and type) of sound would be changed so the percussion would need to be changed to allow for that?

[Petrushka]

Wouldn't the percussion also have to be changed? a) because the band would have different percussion instruments, or not all that Mahler wrote for; and b) the balance (and type) of sound would be changed so the percussion would need to be changed to allow for that?

I'm no expert on such things but I think the only percussion instrument that might pose a problem in the first movement would be the cowbells. This could perhaps be undertaken by a glockenspiel. It may also depend on the number of available percussionists so the two pairs of timps may be another problem but I would expect a US concert band to have sufficient personnel to do it justice.

Perhaps BBM could let us into the world of the arranger and advise on how the original parts are distributed for another medium. The string parts are not there at all so this would need substantial re-distribution and then you have to have sufficient wind personnel to provide the string parts and the 'filling in'.

[Flosshilde]

Perhaps BBM could let us into the world of the arranger and advise on how the original parts are distributed for another medium.

That would be a really interesting 'tutorial'.