Our Summer BaL No.31: MAHLER: Symphony No.8

[BBMmk2]

With the summer drawing, unfortunately to a close, I thought it be good to have a real great work of enormous proportions. I thought be rather good to have Mahler's gargantuan 8th symphony. I always think that Solti's recording was the benchmark. I may be mistaken ofcourse, but I also rather like Abbado's and Tennstedt's?

[makropulos]

I don't know about a "benchmark" - what matters is whether you like the performance, and Solti's Mahler 8 certainly grabs me - it always has done since I first bought the LPs when they came out.

There are some other very good performances (Tennstedt, as you say - also Horenstein on BBC Legends and so on), but I'd make a special mention of the 2010 performance conducted by Chailly on DVD with the Leipzig Gewandhaus: a breathtaking account during the Mahler Centenary year, in superb sound and very well filmed.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Mahler #8 was an "actual" BaL back in November 2011 (I listened to it on the way to Huddersfield). Julian Johnson praised the Solti as "a rightfully highly regarded classic recording" (or similar words) but gave the laurels to Abbado's later recording with the BPO.

There's also an excellent Live recording from Kubelik and the Bavarians for silly prices (in both directions - the Download is pennies, the CD new is just under £50 - and just look what someone expects you to pay for a second-hand CD:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mahler-Symph...ik%2C+mahler+8)

... even better than Kubelik's very good studio version (which received the laurels from Richard Osborne when the work was last BaL-ed about twenty tears ago).

[BBMmk2]

I wonder if Abbado will record this work with his Lucerne forces?

[Bryn]

There's also an excellent Live recording from Kubelik and the Bavarians for silly prices (in both directions - the Download is pennies, the CD new is just under £50 - and just look what someone expects you to pay for a second-hand CD ...

Actually it's an SACD with a couple of versions of the recording. I found that I preferred the warts and all option to the cleaned up one. I wonder which version of the recording has been used for the mp3 download.

I seem to recall paying around £12 for the SACD around the time of its release.

[I note that there is also a CD only version of that recording listed at amazon.co.uk, and for a much more friendly price.]

Must have another listen to the two Gielen recordings some time. I remember both as being very much worthy of attention.

[Roehre]

Now there are two for me: the already mentioned Kubelik studio recording of the late 1960s and the very recent (last year recorded) of Mariss Janssons with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (comes as CD + DVD together).

[johnb]

Like many I got to know the piece through Solti's recording. Earlier this year I bought the 24/96 download from the Linn website and was very disappointed by the sound which, though bright, seemed to lack weight. The only other recordings I have are (curiously) two from Chailly (live and studio versions) and the Tennstedt DVD.

[Alison]

We have two number 30's !

[amateur51]

I've derived a lot of enjoyment from the recordings by Philharmonia/Sinopoli and Symphonica of London/Wyn Morris, the latter with Janet Baker, Elizabeth Simon, Norma Burrowes, Joyce Blackham, Alfreda Hodgson, John Mitchinson, Raymond Myers and Gwynne Howell plus assorted choirs.

[LeMartinPecheur]

I've derived a lot of enjoyment from the recordings by Philharmonia/Sinopoli and Symphonica of London/Wyn Morris, the latter with Janet Baker, Elizabeth Simon, Norma Burrowes, Joyce Blackham, Alfreda Hodgson, John Mitchinson, Raymond Myers and Gwynne Howell plus assorted choirs.

That sent me running to my LP-rack in a flutter of hope and incredulity, ams! It's actually Joyce Barker, not our recent birthday-girl

Dame Janet singing 'First soprano solo" (as listed in sleeve-note), that would have been one for collectors...

[amateur51]

That sent me running to my LP-rack in a flutter of hope and incredulity, ams! It's actually Joyce Barker, not our recent birthday-girl

You're absolutely correct LMP, I do apologise to all and sundry for any moments of cardiac distress or sudden cramps in the plastic my 'moment of madness' may have caused.

Put it down to wishful thinking and having heard rather a lot of Dame Janet's glorious work over the past 24 hours

[Bryn]

The Wyn Morris recording has appeared on CD (IMP Classics) but the second movement is not quite continuous, reflecting the LP side changes IIRC.

[LeMartinPecheur]

You're absolutely correct LMP, I do apologise to all and sundry for any moments of cardiac distress or sudden cramps in the plastic my 'moment of madness' may have caused.

Put it down to wishful thinking and having heard rather a lot of Dame Janet's glorious work over the past 24 hours

Ticker not so far seriously troubled ams: the LP rack is still within one startled leap

Serious Q though: did Dame Janet contribute to any Mahler 8, live or on disc?

[LeMartinPecheur]

Ticker not so far seriously troubled ams: the LP rack is still within one startled leap

Serious Q though: did Dame Janet contribute to any Mahler 8, live or on disc?

Certainly Amazon doesn't cough up any Baker M8 Live performances anyone?

[Ruhevoll]

The members of For3 might like to know that Esa-Pekka Salonen is conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra in Mahler's Eighth at the Southbank Centre next June.