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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Friends visiting Vienna scored me a copy of Y. Sado/Tonkunstler M7!

« Last post by barryguerrero on May 10, 2024, 09:06:30 PM »

Friends visiting Vienna stopped in at the ticket office and 'Kultur-lounge' on Herrengasse 10 in downtown Vienna for the Tonkunstler Orchester. Looking on Google Maps, it looks like kind of a cute place. Anyway, they scored me a hard copy of the Mahler 7 with Yutaka Sado. Now I own their M2, M3 and M7. If I were a wealthy man, I would have asked them to at least get the M1 as well (which includes "Blumine").

I know they have an M6 in the works. And if they get a half-way decent cast of soloists, I think their M8 could be really something. We'll wait and see.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Liking the Jansons BR Klassik Mahler box just fine, so far

« Last post by barryguerrero on May 09, 2024, 09:08:59 PM »

I've heard Jansons' M5 before, and I do like it. I just wish he plowed on through where the trombones blast out their descending scale, and the strings begin chugging away - THEN slow down for the reprise of the brass chorale. I just prefer it that way (as written). But I have no issue with the rest of his M5. It's certainly more interesting than the Boulez one (Boulez's early BBC S.O. M5 was fabulous).

I've now listened to Janson's BRSO M3, and half of the M4. I like the M3 a lot, and the M4 is better than I thought it was. I like that he has the timpani pound on the final two notes of the first movement. I'm not sure I've ever noticed anyone else do that.

None of these are probably 'first choice' performances, but I just like the consistency of this cycle, both in terms of performances and sound. In that regard, it minds of the Bertini and Inbal cycles, only a bit lighter I suppose.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Liking the Jansons BR Klassik Mahler box just fine, so far

« Last post by erikwilson7 on May 09, 2024, 01:09:48 PM »

For me personally, I prefer Jansons in M2, M6, M7, and M9 to Boulez.

And yes, Boulez is wonderful with DKW. It's been my favorite recording of the work for some time.

I'm curious to see what you think of Jansons' M5 once you hear it again in full. While I disagree with how he plays with tempos at the end, it's actually pretty exciting in context with the rest of the symphony.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Liking the Jansons BR Klassik Mahler box just fine, so far

« Last post by barryguerrero on May 09, 2024, 05:57:12 AM »

No Eric, I've listened to several of them on Spotify. Part of my deciding to buy this set was due to my frustration that they have yet to release the M4, M6 and M8 from this cycle. Let's put it this way: so far, I'm liking the Jansons/BRSO ones more than the Boulez conterparts. I do have an sacd/cd hybrid of Boulez's M3, and a separate copy of his M6. The only other one I would want a separate copy of - once I sell off my Boulez box - is the Cleveland disc that has Boulez's "DKW" and M10 Adagio. That's a terrific disc.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Liking the Jansons BR Klassik Mahler box just fine, so far

« Last post by erikwilson7 on May 08, 2024, 06:28:32 PM »

Thanks for the update, Barry. Will this be your first time hearing any of the nine symphonies from this cycle?

As far as BRSO recordings go, I still prefer the YNS one to Jansons', but the latter is certainly satisfactory to me; I can't complain, really.

The Jansons BRSO M2 got a bunch of polarizing criticism; some loved it, some thought it was terrible. I actually like it quite a bit, but I have the same reservations for your about the tams being too recessed. I've expressed this before, but for some reason this whole cycle's tams seem to be on the quieter side (except at the end of M8). They have body and deep presence (low end), but there's very little attack; they must be huge tams in that case. It's kind of the same situation as Stenz's cycle.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Liking the Jansons BR Klassik Mahler box just fine, so far

« Last post by barryguerrero on May 08, 2024, 05:44:32 PM »

So very late last night, I played both the M1 and M2 from the Jansons/BRSO box. They're both very satisfactory. The sound quality is quite good. I love Janson's treatment of the slow movement to his M1, even if the Eastern European, Klezmer like dance music is a tad exaggerated (I'll take that over under-cooked!). Unlike Boulez, he doesn't take the Scherzo at a racing tempo either. The M2 is really good. It flows very well. My only gripe here is that the high and low tam-tams are too reticent at the end. But overall, it's quite good. I'm looking forward to giving that M3 a shot on the CD player. If it's good enough, I might scrap the Haitink/BRSO one (but would prefer not to).

I've been critical of Jansons up to now, mainly for being too 'lightweight'. You could say that his major climaxes are not enough of an 'apotheosis'. But as always, the devil is in the details.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Rattle/BRSO M6th Carnegie Hall

« Last post by John Kim on May 07, 2024, 05:35:48 PM »

https://www.wqxr.org/story/bavarian-radio-symphony-orchestra-2024/?tab=summary&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0TjvUZ6PoKfjKQ1nHKTLijIPRTqzMi7QH0Z_lzKmsQnnSIXPoQhn5igdA_aem_ATG_GDrVe8v_rGJn8zAfL1hTepCoh3cIgzkZF_Ta9oYFpoNLe9BlgNqdjYHD8Lf1TPX9BiTxsEP1yE99tRb5y9cJ

The symphony starts at 58'35".

It is tad more energetic and fleet footed than their commercial recording. In excellent sound. I quite like it.

John

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Should I 'pull the trigger' on a possible purchase?

« Last post by barryguerrero on May 06, 2024, 11:02:34 PM »

So I've gone ahead and 'pulled the trigger' on the Jansons/BRSO Mahler cycle. I hate that I'm paying for two stupid rehearsal/interview discs. But since it'll be at no interest over six months, my monthly payments will be just $11. I'm not sold on the Vanska M3, so far. My Boulez/DG cycle will go up for sale, if anyone's interested. I'll probably sell off the Nezet-Seguin/BRSO M1, as the Jansons one will be similar enough. If I like the Jansons M4 enough, I might sell off the Gimeno/Miah Persson M4 as well (M. Persson is the vocalist on the Gimeno one, as well as the Ivan Fischer/B.F.O. recording of M4 on Channel Classics).

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Vanska/MO/BIS M3rd SACD is pricey!

« Last post by barryguerrero on May 04, 2024, 08:22:52 AM »

I like Vanska M8, as I think it comes the closest to having a good seat at a great live concert. While the ending to Part II was on the quick side, I also felt that Vanska is among the few who have truly nailed the entire "Blicket auf" section of Part II. I like the M2 quite a bit, which seems to be a minority opinion. M4 is perfectly fine, although C. Sampson is not a favorite with me. The M5 is good, but I'm not crazy about the outer two movements of the M6 (the inner two are very good). It's also in Andante/Scherzo order, as you guys know. The M7 and M10 really hit the mark for me. Those I think are the two strongest hits in the cycle. The M9 is perfect fine as well - more than adequate. M1 is fine, but I would have preferred that Vanska hadn't had the opening double bass solo of the slow movement played by the tutti bass section (and just left it solo instead). However, that's not a deal breaker with me.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Vanska/MO/BIS M3rd SACD is pricey!

« Last post by John Kim on May 02, 2024, 10:10:16 PM »

To me, the M3, M7, M10 are standouts of the Vanska Mahler cycle, followed by M9, M6 (with a reservation on Finale), M8 and M4.

John