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

[umslopogaas]

Solti of course, and also Bernstein. But a scan of the shelves, prompted by a dim memory, reveals ...

Conductor Eduard Flipse and soloists, combined Rotterdam Choirs and the Rotterdam Phil. O., a live recording on July 3rd 1954, according to the LP covers. Now there is a bit of forgotten history, I think. As I recall, the sound quality isnt exactly wonderful, but the fact that anyone (It was Philips engineers who dared, but Philips managers who let them go for it) would even dare the attempt in 1954 is pretty noteworthy. The soloists were Annelies Kupper, Hilde Zadek, Corrie Bijster, Annie Hermes, Lore Fischer, Annie Woud, Lorenz Fehenberger, Franz Vrooms, Herman Schey, Gottlob Frick (the only one I've ever heard of) and David Hollestelle.

A 2 lp set, code ABL 2034/5, for those who are interested in these things.

[Bryn]

Solti of course, and also Bernstein. But a scan of the shelves, prompted by a dim memory, reveals ...

Conductor Eduard Flipse and soloists, combined Rotterdam Choirs and the Rotterdam Phil. O., a live recording on July 3rd 1954, according to the LP covers. Now there is a bit of forgotten history, I think. As I recall, the sound quality isnt exactly wonderful, but the fact that anyone (It was Philips engineers who dared, but Philips managers who let them go for it) would even dare the attempt in 1954 is pretty noteworthy. The soloists were Annelies Kupper, Hilde Zadek, Corrie Bijster, Annie Hermes, Lore Fischer, Annie Woud, Lorenz Fehenberger, Franz Vrooms, Herman Schey, Gottlob Frick (the only one I've ever heard of) and David Hollestelle.

A 2 lp set, code ABL 2034/5, for those who are interested in these things.

Or for a CD version try Scribendum. They offer a CD set of the Flipse 8th and the Wyn Morris 10th.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Or for a CD version try Scribendum. They offer a CD set of the Flipse 8th and the Wyn Morris 10th.

Also available as a MP3 Download at under £6 coupled with Flipse's Rotterdam Mahler #6:

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=1124234

[Black Swan]

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

I have been wondering about this as well. I have the Chailly DVD but it would be great for Abbado to complete his Lucerne set.

[BBMmk2]

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.

Any live event of Mahler's great work, is surely must!

[Petrushka]

I've only just purchased the RCO/Jansons and it's down for a listen next week, probably Tuesday (a Prom free evening for me).

Solti was my first, I too bought it as soon as it came out, and the only one I've heard that seriously challenges it is the Sinopoli, a badly under-rated recording in my view. However, I have yet to hear Chailly's Leipzig version; I wasn't that keen on his Concertgebouw version.

I fear that Abbado may never set down the 8th in Lucerne. It was programmed in for last summer but Abbado's health was given as a reason for its cancellation and replacement with the Mozart Requiem (!)

Presumably, the NYPO/Stokowski live performance from 1950 is the work's first recording. I have it on the NYPO Mahler Radio Broadcasts set and it sounds pretty good.

Others on my heaving shelves include Bernstein, Neumann (another under-rated set), Horenstein (superb), Boulez, Abbado, Haitink, both Tennstedts, Gergiev, Rattle and both Kubeliks.

[Bryn]

I have the 1950 Stocky in a cheapo Membran Mahler box of 10. Must admit I have not got round to listening to it.

[mercia]

wikipedia has an incomplete discography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._8_(Mahler)_discography

one of those 1954 recordings has 11 soloists

[Bryn]

wikipedia has a detailed discography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphon...r)_discography

Needs updating. There are at least 2 Blu-ray recordings missing (Chailly and Jansons).

[Petrushka]

I have the 1950 Stocky in a cheapo Membran Mahler box of 10. Must admit I have not got round to listening to it.

I've no idea what the transfer quality of the Membran is like (they can be variable from this source) but if it's anything like as good as the one on the Mahler Radio Broadcasts box you could be in for a pleasant surprise. It obviously won't see off its more modern rivals but by the same token it's not to be discounted either.

[martin_opera]

Of those not mentioned above but worth a listen. I find the Pierre Boulez lithe, clear and unadorned - a nice contrast to Solti. I also have a lot of time for the Giuseppe Sinopoli (the best of his cycle IMO) in particular the sound of the Philharmonia is glorious and Cheryl Studer and Thomas Allen are especially distinctive soloists.

[Bryn]

Oh, just for the Hell of it:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbradio3/html/NF6643901?thread=5498520

Re. Boulez, despite Alberto Remedios's severe cold (mentioned, with apologies, on the night) the recording of the 1975 Proms performance (difficult, but not impossible to find) is, to me, rather better than his more recent Berlin performances from which the DG issue derived.

[Flosshilde]

I may be wrong, but I don't think anyone has mentioned the BBCMM disc of the BBCSSO with Runnicles, recorded at last year's Edinburgh Festival? A splendid performance with good soloists, but it sounds to me as if the recording engineers turned up the volume at the end of part 1.

[Roehre]

I may be wrong, but I don't think anyone has mentioned the BBCMM disc of the BBCSSO with Runnicles, recorded at last year's Edinburgh Festival? A splendid performance with good soloists, but it sounds to me as if the recording engineers turned up the volume at the end of part 1.

A good one, I was (and am) enthusiastic about it, see the thread devoted to this BBCMM CD which (IIRC) I started.
Mrs R has nicked it from me

[Barbirollians]

Solti - is enough for me . I do find it the weakest of all the symphonies and the one I least wish to listen to most of the time.