Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site brl-tgr.ARPA Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!brl-tgr!internet!Deryk Barker From: Deryk Barker Newsgroups: net.music Subject: Re: What about Mahler? Message-ID: <5769@brl-tgr.ARPA> Date: Wed, 14-Nov-84 09:25:33 EST Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.5769 Posted: Wed Nov 14 09:25:33 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 17-Nov-84 19:37:43 EST Sender: news@brl-tgr.ARPA Organization: Ballistic Research Lab Lines: 53 I agree with a lot of what has already been said about my favourite composer. I can't understand the general lack of enthusiasm for the middle instrumental symphonies - although I admit that no 7 is a little weird (Mahler's "mad" symphony as Deryck Cooke called it). My favourite recordings would be as follows: No. 1 BRSO/Kubelik, LSO Solti (not his recent CSO recording which is dreadful), CSO/Walter, LSO/Horenstein. No. 2 CSO/Abbado, PO/Klemperer. This is a really tough one to bring off successfully - perticularly the coda of the finale. No. 3 NYPO/Mitropolous (pp 1956), LSO/Horenstein. No. 4 BPO/Karajan. No. 5 PO/Barbirolli, BPO/Karajan. Walter's 1946 recording is still in the catalogue and has some fine points. No. 6 (Surely with No. 9 the finest of them all - certainly the most gruelling). BPO/Karajan, NYPO/Mitropoulous (pp 1956), PO/Barbirolli. I also remember a stunning performnce in London in 1969 by Szell but his version is no longfer in the UK catalogue. No. 7 BRSO/Kubvelik, Concertgebouw/Haitink (not the new digital version). No. 8 CSO/Solti. I marginally prefer the LSO/Bernstein as an interpretation (having been at the Albert Hall in 1966 to hear the live presursor) but the recording really lets it down. No. 9 BPO/Karajan - both the 1981 analogue and the 1982 CD-only digital are white-hot performances. CSO/Walter - as someone has already said of this performance a reading of great historical importance and shows true affection for the score, plus (of course) Walter gave the first performance of this work in 1912. The 1963 BPO/Barbirolli is also very fine indeed. No. 10 NPO/Morris (revised Cooke performing version). Have not yet heard the BSO/Rattle version but have found his other Mahler performances somewhat shallow. Das Lied von der Erde. CO/Haitink - whatever you may say about King Janet Baker gives a wonderful rendering of "Der Abschied" virtually a single take. Not heard the Giulini yet tho'. I find that I have more shelf inches devoted to Mahler than any other composer (excepting perhaps Beethoven) and have about 8 versions of the first alone. I would warn people of the Tennstedt cycle (nearing completeion on EMI) never have I heard such a shallow set of interpretations so hyped before. Others may disagree of course: "I disagree totally with everything you say, and would defend to the death my right to say so" as Voltaire might have said had he been thinking.