Mahler

[Deleted]

I've been listening to the mahlers, one each day, to emulate the on going Carnegie Hall cycle. Just finished with the 6th, and I can feel K's description that it is one of the few works that leave the person totally emotionally drained! (Or, as I recall, one of the few works that K believed end in total tragedy. Sibelius 4 being among them).

1: Haitink/BPO, Mehta/IPO for Blumine

2: Blomstedt/SFSO (There is a great performance by
Bernstein/Cleveland as well)

3: Neumann/Czech (The best I heard was a CSO Ravinia concert
cond. by Eschenbach. For some reason no others get the 1st
mvt transitions as that performance. Neumann is the
closest I could find)

4: Kletzki

5: Leinsdorf BSO

6: Bernstein/VPO

7: Abbado/BPO

8: Solti (I think K considered conducting this)

9: who else? (Although the Bernstein BPO (which got K started) is very good too - I remember PBS TV played the video of it the day after Bernstein died. At that time I didn't understand a note of what I was hearing, but I immediately bought the recording and listened to it every day for 2 months).

From the ticket sales it looks like the 4th is the least popular. Plenty of seats left!

Anyone going?

[Rosy]

May 8, 2009 7:24:34 GMT 1 @tjh212 said:

Just finished with the 6th, and I can feel K's description that it is one of the few works that leave the person totally emotionally drained! (Or, as I recall, one of the few works that K believed end in total tragedy. Sibelius 4 being among them).

Hi Tjh,

Karajan added to the list of the Symphonies which end without any hope, even the Brahms Symphony N° 1, in fact, in the post-war period, he often included in the programms this Symphony when he was in tour, together with the magnificent Metamorphosen by Strauss etc..all very allusive! However, as you know, about Mahler, the Maestro Karajan gave the best of himself in the Symphony N° 9.
Personally, apart from Karajan, I like listening to Mahler's works conducted by Lenny Bernstein (I have the DVDs) or by my compatriot Claudio Abbado.
On 25th May, there will be a subscription concert at Teatro alla Scala, where Georges Pretre will conduct the Symphony N°5 by Mahler. Unfortunately, I will not attend it because the work!

**********************

Best Wishes
Rosy

[Catalin N. R.]

May 8, 2009 7:24:34 GMT 1 @tjh212 said:

9: who else?

Hello tjh212,

You may add Christoph Eschenbach with l'Orchestre de Paris. Most concerts were held at the Salle Pleyel.

I think - but I'm not actually sure - that Mahler was also interpreted by Rafael Kubelik, long time ago.

I'm very sorry for we haven't a complete cycle from Karajan. He only performed Mahler 4th, 5th, 6th and 9th. But we also have from Karajan Das Lied von der Erde. Oh, I'd wish so much to hear the first Symphony interpreted by HvK!! Unfortunately, this is not possible...

Best wishes,
Catalin

[Deleted]

May 8, 2009 7:24:34 GMT 1 @tjh212 said:

the Bernstein BPO (which got K started) is very good too - I remember PBS TV played the video of it the day after Bernstein died. At that time I didn't understand a note of what I was hearing, but I immediately bought the recording and listened to it every day for 2 months).

I believe I got hooked on the wrong recording all these years as the Bernstein Mahler 9 video should be VPO.