MAHLER and BRUCKNER - the TRUE ROMANTICS

[Hornspieler]

For me, two of the most memorable performances in which I took part were Mahler's Symphony Nº 1 with the BBC symphony Orchestra conducted by Bruno Walter and Bruckner's Symphony Nº 8* with the LPO conducted by Sir George Solti.

Strangely - but not for that reason, the Mahler was the first of his works that I played in and the Bruckner was the last major symphonic work that I played during my playing career.

Delight for me, then, that this Easter weekend gave me both:

Kent Nagano conducting Bruckner's 8th with the DSO (Sky Arts 2) and Sir Simon Rattle conducting Mahler's 1st with the Berlin Philharmonic. (An added bonus was a superb rendering of Rachmaninof's Symphonic Dances, which I consider to be that composer's finest work.)

* My two favourite conductors have always been Bruno Walter and Jascha Horenstein and Horenstein's Bruckner 8th with the LSO is my personal benchmark for that symphony.

Did anyone else catch those two concerts on TV and what did you think?

I was particularly impressed by Simon Rattle's conducting, which was an inspiration, I felt, for both orchestra and audience.

HS

[BBMmk2]

HS, I have the EMI box set of Mahler works and whas that recording of Horenstein's Mahler 4, which i always think to be rather good?

[teamsaint]

Saw the Bruckner on SKY arts. An enjoyable performance , but I have only known it for a year or so, so I'm no expert.
The sound was OK, main criticism was that the timps were almost inaudible , at least on my(admittedly imperfect) set up.
I enjoyed watching Nagano, though he seemed to me even more involved/committed in the Alpensinfonie performance.

I missed the Mahler/Rach completely, which is a shame.Two great works. Was that on Sky also, HS?

[salymap]

I don't go in for multi recordings of one work, but have more Mahler sym 1s than almost anything. I tried to listen to the Rattle performance the other night but, either because of tinnitus or my TV/hard drive setup, could hardly hear it, however much I turned the volume up.

However I enjoyed the Rach Dances very much. One of my favourite Rachmaninov works and very memorable with thar repeated rhythm.

[Hornspieler]

Saw the Bruckner on SKY arts. An enjoyable performance , but I have only known it for a year or so, so I'm no expert.
The sound was OK, main criticism was that the timps were almost inaudible , at least on my(admittedly imperfect) set up.
I enjoyed watching Nagano, though he seemed to me even more involved/committed in the Alpensinfonie performance.

I missed the Mahler/Rach completely, which is a shame.Two great works. Was that on Sky also, HS?

The Mahler /Rach was on BBC 4 TV.

Catch it on the BBC TV iPlayer. (You won't be able to record it because BBC TV iPlayer output is streamed and you will get repeated dropouts on your tape.)

I really do recommend this performance, which gives complete justification for the Berlin players' faith in Simon Rattle's conducting.

HS

[Richard Tarleton]

HS, I saw and greatly enjoyed the Bruckner 8, which I think has been shown before, and the Mahler 1. I remember my surprise when I first saw this performed (over 40 years ago ) and the horn section stood up - what does it say in the score?

I heard Bruckner 8 played twice by the LPO in a couple of months in 1972 - first with Krips in the RFH, and then with Haitink at the Proms. I was an inexperienced concert goer at the time but the two performances were quite different as I remember them, the latter an overwhelming experience.

[Hornspieler]

I don't go in for multi recordings of one work, but have more Mahler sym 1s than almost anything. I tried to listen to the Rattle performance the other night but, either because of tinnitus or my TV/hard drive setup, could hardly hear it, however much I turned the volume up.

However I enjoyed the Rach Dances very much. One of my favourite Rachmaninov works and very memorable with thar repeated rhythm.

Yes, Saly.

The quieter passages in the Mahler, such as the opening double bass solo in the 3rd movement,( but elsewhere as well), required me to turn my volume control right up to maximum. Then a quick fade down before the cones popped out of the speakers.

Bad Audio balancing.

HS

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I remember my surprise when I first saw this performed (over 40 years ago ) and the horn section stood up - what does it say in the score?

alle horner stehen auf, um die moglichst grosste schalkraft zu erzielen

"All the horns stand up to make the biggest sound possible". There's a film of Abbado rehearsing the work for his first concert as Music Director of the BPO: when they get to this bit, the Horn section stood up to play; Abbado looks embarrassed and tells them to stay sitting, but play as loudly as they can.

[Beef Oven]

alle horner stehen auf, um die moglichst grosste schalkraft zu erzielen

"All the horns stand up to make the biggest sound possible". There's a film of Abbado rehearsing the work for his first concert as Music Director of the BPO: when they get to this bit, the Horn section stood up to play; Abbado looks embarrassed and tells them to stay sitting, but play as loudly as they can.

And if I remember correctly, a member of the orchestra said 'that's how we always play it' and Abbado looked uo to the sky (ceiling) and said 'let's hope he's not watching' - meaning Karajan!!

[Hornspieler]

HS, I saw and greatly enjoyed the Bruckner 8, which I think has been shown before, and the Mahler 1. I remember my surprise when I first saw this performed (over 40 years ago ) and the horn section stood up - what does it say in the score?

I heard Bruckner 8 played twice by the LPO in a couple of months in 1972 - first with Krips in the RFH, and then with Haitink at the Proms. I was an inexperienced concert goer at the time but the two performances were quite different as I remember them, the latter an overwhelming experience.

https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._1_(Mahler)

Worth looking at.

I was the poor novitiate who was given the task of playing the seventh horn part, which ranges from high F (concert pitch) to pedal B flat a range of 3½ octaves. The story is that Mahler, having learnt that seven horns had been engaged for the first performance (a "bumper -up for the first horn) wrote an additional part which reinforces any of the six horn parts which are important in certain places.
For a 22 year old comparative novice, it was a terrifying but exhilarating experience!

HS

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Kent Nagano conducting Bruckner's 8th with the DSO (Sky Arts 2) and Sir Simon Rattle conducting Mahler's 1st with the Berlin Philharmonic. (An added bonus was a superb rendering of Rachmaninof's Symphonic Dances, which I consider to be that composer's finest work.)

What a lovely post, HS, with a clear love displayed for both composers. I don't listen to Mahler that regularly - it's not that I'm not a fan, but I think if you're subjected to daily doses of him, I fear it rather lessens his impact. I only spotted that the Mahler 1 was on BBC4 when it was too late in the evening (and there was no overnight repeat) so shall catch up via iPlayer some time today. I'd agree with your assessment of Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances. I shall be interested to hear what Rattle does with it... I've never thought of him as a Rach conductor before.

I see from April's IRR that this concert has been released on DVD/ Blu-ray (EuroArts label):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rachmaninov-Mahler-Philharmoniker-Recording-Singapore/dp/B00AA9QKOG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364723183&sr=8-1

Bruckner is certainly a 'true romantic' and I was delighted in a quick sojourn in Gramex yesterday afternoon, before heading to Covent Garden, to come across a period Bruckner 4 from the Orchester der KlangVerwaltung under Enoch zu Guttenberg on the Farao label, which I recall reading rave reviews about at the time of its release (2007).

Happy Easter listening.

[Stanley Stewart]

The BPO/Rattle concert on BBC 4 (29 March) was highly engaging, IGI, and the intensity/enthusiasm of the young audience was also contagious. Re the Rach Symphonic Dances, I was surprised, if heard correctly, when Rattle told the presenter that this, indeed, was the first performance of the work by the BPO. We do live in interesting times!

[teamsaint]

On the subject of watching performances of Mahler, this is a terrific resource.

http://www.christoph-eschenbach.com/index.php?lid=en&cid=6

Would be nice to have time to go through the lot !!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Re the Rach Symphonic Dances, I was surprised, if heard correctly, when Rattle told the presenter that this, indeed, was the first performance of the work by the BPO.

It would probably surprise Lorin Maazel, too!

http://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninov-Symphonic-Dances-Vocalise-Intermezzo/dp/B00000E2OC

[BBMmk2]

What do boarders think of Jascha Horenstein's recording of Mahler's Symphony No.4?