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Schwartz/Royal Liverpool Phil/Artek M9...first impressions

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Leo K:


I. 28:21
II. 15:50
III. 12:39
IV. 24:26

Recorded through June 1-3 in 2006, this release gives the new Rattle M9 on EMI a serious run for its money.  First of all, the Schwarz M9 has slightly better sound than the Rattle.  This is a warm sounding production, recorded and produced by the same team used on Schwarz’s M1 release.  With a little help from the reverberant sound of the Philharmonic Hall, the strings especially have a unique vibrant sound as they mass towards the climaxes with a transparency atmospheric in mood during the quieter moments (as the recent Macal/CPO/Exton M9 can also attest). Other highlights are the dark palette and texture/timbre of the lower strings and lower brass, the harps, and the highs of the flutes and woodwind.  The timpani, bass drum and tam tam are also worth mentioning.  Schwarz doesn’t streamline or smooth out the rough edges of Mahler’s sound world, and his manner is straightforward, much like Haitink or de Waart.

Like the Macal, the quieter, Zen-like passages in the first movement sound deep and vast, with a slower tempo, thus the climaxes are more effective in context.  The overall flow of the first movement is natural and well structured, epic in scope, accumulative in drama as we progress forward.  Special mention must go to the phrasing of the main lyrical theme after the soft introduction, very tender and transparent; with the clarinet coloring well heard (this is also a highlight in the Macal M9).  In the third climax none of the instruments overwhelm the other; the tam tam, low brass, and the whizzing strings are all evenly dispersed in sound...a powerful summery of crisis, full of impact but not overexerted...indeed this describes the character of the whole performance.

The Landler is very well played (listen to those piercing flutes about 12 minutes in!), with rustic character (the basses and cellos show much personality) and obvious contrast between sections, and there is the propulsion to “keep moving” that animates the proceedings.  The Rondo is played straightforwardly, no surprises, but exciting, with solid playing and again, the feeling of inevitable propulsion.  The “trio” is gentle in tone, as if it could evaporate into thin air at anytime. 

The strings are inspired in the Adagio, which continue the reverent playing we first heard at the beginning of the first movement, and next heard in the “trio” of the Rondo.  The balances are even thoughout, nothing too murky and nothing lost during the louder passages.  The flow of the Adagio is natural and held tight by a subtle tension; leading to a really grand climax, played with power...I can’t describe the strength of the playing here...it is so impressive I wouldn’t want to be without this M9.

Of the recent M9’s to be recorded between 2006-2008, I would rank as follows:

Macal/CPO/Exton...complex with many shades of meaning...subtle...the best sounding M9 ever

Barenboim/Staatskapelle Berlin/Warner (and his live broadcast in April 2007 with same orchestra)...radical interpretation, limited in sonics

Schwarz/RLP/Artek (tied with ) Rattle/BPO/live at Carnagie and Rattle/BPO/EMI...played more straightforward but with moments of high drama, also spiritual in tone, with very good sonics overall

Kobayashi/JPO/Exton...a dark horse...first movement is powerful and close to Horenstein in conception, the Adagio is the highlight and a real emotional drama...great sonics but the orchestra is limited compared to CPO


--Todd

John Kim:
Great news!

I've been telling everyone on the board this will be a pretty good M9th ;D

John,

John Kim:
Todd,

Your description sounds pretty close to what I heard in a live concert in 2005 in Seattle.

Please check Schwarz's other Mahler recording on the same label, Symphony No. 4. It is an excellent M4th, rather straightforward (which doesn't do any harm in this music), but beautifully played and laid out.

John,

barry guerrero:
I also that the Royal Liverpool's earlier M9 recording with Libor Pesek was pretty darn good. I know that Hurwitz thinks very highly of that so. So, it's no suprise to me that they should do it real well again.

Barry

Leo K:
I started to listen to the Schwarz M1, included with the M9 on this release, and again the orchestra is wonderful in atmospere, and also very well recorded! 

I read somewhere on the net that the next Mahler release from Schwarz will be the M7!

--Todd

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