Bernstein's Mahler which set CBS or DG ?

[Barbirollians]

Having listened through Lenny's Sony/CBS set now having owned most of the DG recordings since they first came out except for the ( second Sixth ) I think I generally prefer the later DG set . The Fifth is a significantly better as is the First. I also prefer the later Second ( though had the extraordinary Ely Cathedral account been included in the Sony box that would have been different) . Both Thirds are great - both Fourths are not so great,The latter ruled out for me by the treble though Rere Grist is no Lucia Popp or Emmy Loose . Both Sevenths are terrific . The Sony Eighth much better than the rather ropey live Eighth in the DG set. The Sony Ninth is much better than that distended Concertgebouw account .

So a mixed bag - probably just prefer the DG set but really one needs to have both !

[richardfinegold]

I have most of the DG cycle, and the earlier cycle in it's "Carnegie Hall" label reissue, which I think is the same remastering that Sony used. I will admit that I never did a side by side comparison.
The DG cycle heaped a lot of praise when it was released for improved sonics relative to the Columbia lps, but when the digital version of the earlier cycle was released imo it blew away the later DG, which suffers from the DG engineers prosaic attitude towards the lower end of the soundstage. I think the earlier First sounded less mannered than the Concertgebouw First, but the DG 5th scores over the CBS for an Adagietto that seems more natural flowing. I don't care much for the Columbia Fourth but never heard the DG opposite.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I don’t have either cycle complete, but have several of the European individual issues.However I have a fond attachment to the Sony 8th, as my old school music director was on the Leeds Festival Chorus for the recording. He returned with some interesting anecdotes, including Bernstein’s method of recalling the tempi from previous takes.

[Pulcinella]

Following the success of Maestro, I wonder if Sony will (re)release the Ely Resurrection on its own?

It obviously had a previous single CD incarnation (now downloadable):

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8496559--mahler-symphony-no-2-resurrection

[vinteuil]

... well you need both, obviously.

In order to reject them in favour of Gielen, Abbado, Kubelik, Norrington, Tennstedt, Inbal, Boulez, Zinman, Haitink, Scherchen, Sinopoli, Walter...

.

[HighlandDougie]

... well you need both, obviously.

In order to reject them in favour of Gielen, Abbado, Kubelik, Norrington, Tennstedt, Inbal, Boulez, Zinman, Haitink, Scherchen, Sinopoli, Walter...

.

[oliver sudden]

Inbal over Bernstein? I am far from an unequivocal Lennie-ite but good lord that’s a bit harsh.

[Barbirollians]

... well you need both, obviously.

In order to reject them in favour of Gielen, Abbado, Kubelik, Norrington, Tennstedt, Inbal, Boulez, Zinman, Haitink, Scherchen, Sinopoli, Walter...

.

Is it April Fool already ?

Abbado,Walter ,Gielen in 7 ,Kubelik’s Audite recordings and DG No 1 ,Tennstedt in 4 and 8 - certainly - Zinman on the other hand must be a joke.

[Pianoman]

I've cherry-picked from both. I love the CBS 2,3,6,7 and equally love the DG 1,5,6,9. For the others I do prefer different conductors, but Lennie is worth hearing whenever (if you happen to be in the mood...)

[Dave2002]

I don’t have a “definitive” answer - although I’m pretty sure I have these versions several times over. I posed a similar question - if not here - at least to my self -regarding LB’s sets of Sibelius symphonies [ he might not have recorded all of them ]. Some are on DG, while some are on Sony or CBS etc. depending on the current state of the market and “who owns who” in the label stakes. I wanted to play Sibelius 7 to a small group, so I listened over a few days. At first I felt that DG might have had the edge, but in the end went back to the earlier NYPO version which really hit the spot. Sometimes reissues and remasterings make a difference too, though not always - and there is a subjective feel to how much remastering can improve on a recording. Judicious remastering can certainly make a difference, and sometimes a clear improvement, though who decides? What about issues which have already been approved by the artists involved? Should they be tinkered with further in the hope of greater gains?

[richardfinegold]

I don’t have a “definitive” answer - although I’m pretty sure I have these versions several times over. I posed a similar question - if not here - at least to my self -regarding LB’s sets of Sibelius symphonies [ he might not have recorded all of them ]. Some are on DG, while some are on Sony or CBS etc. depending on the current state of the market and “who owns who” in the label stakes. I wanted to play Sibelius 7 to a small group, so I listened over a few days. At first I felt that DG might have had the edge, but in the end went back to the earlier NYPO version which really hit the spot. Sometimes reissues and remasterings make a difference too, though not always - and there is a subjective feel to how much remastering can improve on a recording. Judicious remastering can certainly make a difference, and sometimes a clear improvement, though who decides? What about issues which have already been approved by the artists involved? Should they be tinkered with further in the hope of greater gains?

The Sony Sibelius cycle was released as a box a few years ago. IMO, the best recording in it is the VC with Francescatti. The 5th is the best Symphony in the lot, but it sounds like LB viewed Sibelius as a Mahler-From-The North, and I probably won’t listen to this often

[vibratoforever]

Is it April Fool already ?

Abbado,Walter ,Gielen in 7 ,Kubelik’s Audite recordings and DG No 1 ,Tennstedt in 4 and 8 - certainly - Zinman on the other hand must be a joke.

The biggest joke was the mention of Norrington!!!!

I have Bernstein's DG set and some individual discs of the earlier cycle, but there is a third option and that is the dvd cycle using (mostly) the VPO. These days I usually choose the dvds.

I enjoy a variety of approaches to Mahler's music and Bernstein has something unique to say.