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General Category => Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions => Topic started by: barry guerrero on August 14, 2007, 03:55:28 AM
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There's a Rattle Mahler box coming out. The blurb in the EMI release booklet make no mention if the recordings have been remastered or not. It's going to pretty much everything that he's done including "DKL" and "DLvdE", as well as the Cooke 10th (the Berlin one). FYI.
Barry
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Except for Rattle's cogent but passionate recording of the 10th with Bournemouth S.O and the flawed but radiant 2nd,, I don't care much for Rattle's way with Mahler. Sleek, mannered, awkward tempo shifts spring to my mind when it comes to Rattle's Mahler. But I am waiting for his remake of the 9th with BPO.
John,
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... awkward tempo shifts....
Whoa! Isn't that quintessential Mahler? Well, maybe not awkward. ;D
. & '
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Rattle has sometimes been criticized for not conducting any few bars of music - particularly Mahler - in the same tempo. However, at least he understands that a gratuitous accellerando is every bit as valid as a gratuitous ritardando. I can't stand conductors who add lots of gratuitous ritardandos (slow downs) - every time the music comes near a harmonic cadence point, or makes a key change.
Barry
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For me, the highlights from Rattle's Mahler cycle are his M3 (very underrated); the scherzo to M6 (placed third); M8/2 (Part 1 rushes too much near the end, but Part 2 is excellent), and the transition from the fourth movement (second scherzo) into the fifth movement, on his Berlin remake of M10.
Many people feel that Rattle's earlier Bournemouth recording of M10 is better, but I don't. On his remake, he tones down the solo bass drum shots that were just ridiculously loud on his first recording. Even better, he makes a huge slow-down at the final expressionistic outburst towards the end of the second scherzo, and keeps with that slow tempo all the way to the start of the fifth movement: the first solo bass drum stroke. This works perfectly, as it makes for a natural transition. The problem with his Berlin remake is simply that the sound isn't all that good.
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I will be more generous. Yes, I like Rattle's M3 more than anything else he'd done. To this I'll also add the Berlin M10. His Vienna M9th might have been pretty good had it not been for the terrible sound (that's why I am waiting for his remake with BPO). Barry, have you heard the DVD audio version of the Rattle/BPO/EMI M10th? Does it sound better than the CD?
John,
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I will be more generous. Yes, I like Rattle's M3 more than anything else he'd done. To this I'll also add the Berlin M10. His Vienna M9th might have been pretty good had it not been for the terrible sound (that's why I am waiting for his remake with BPO). Barry, have you heard the DVD audio version of the Rattle/BPO/EMI M10th? Does it sound better than the CD?
John,
I'll be even more generous. I rather like much of Rattle's cycle because of his many affectations (if that is a word?). I would list his M2, M3, M4, M6, M7, M8, M9, and M10 as all being very worthwhile. Yes, there are things that he does in just about every symphony that bother me, but I like many of his other touches.
I only own the DVD-A version of the Berlin M10. I think the sound is quite good on it. My big problem with his Berlin M10 is that the ending is too drawn out for me.
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"My big problem with his Berlin M10 is that the ending is too drawn out for me."
I very much agree with you on that.
Barry
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Mahler approved of doing what feels (Cancerian word) right, in the moment, so I'd guess he might favour the Rattle approach.
Mitropoulos is even more so in his Stuttgart M6.
Ivor
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Well I guess I am not that generous after all. I simply don't care.
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Rattle's a guy I try to like. He has a handful of recordings that show he has talent to me. (I like his Concerto for Orchestra/Miraculous Mandarin disc a lot.) The problem is that the British press raved too much about him. I ran into his Mahler 2nd expecting THE BEST EVER! I walked away from it thinking, "What is fuss is about?"
Having said that, I do like his Song of the Earth quite a bit. I see that it's been reissued at bargain price. I copied some others from the library, but ended up tossing them because they didn't convince me. I hate to say it, but the only way I'd pick up this set is if it was a $1 a disc.
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Moral. Listen without preconceptions.
They soooooo get in the way/distort.
Still,sbugala, you have an independant attitude.
Ivor
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Moral. Listen without preconceptions.
They soooooo get in the way/distort.
Still,sbugala, you have an independant attitude.
Ivor
Word, brutha.
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Many people feel that Rattle's earlier Birmingham recording of M10 is better.
Think it's actually Bournemouth SO?
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Yes, you're absolute correct. I'll go back and edit that error.
Barry
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By the way, for the Brits/Europeans, this 14CD box is only £26...and released on Sept 3! I've banged a preorder in.
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That's right! Their price is only 26 pounds which is under $50.00. I don't have the M1, M5, M8, DLVDE, DKL, so might just order the box set.
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But how come it's so expensive here in USA???
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Mahler-Symphonies-14-CDs/dp/B000UNBQXM/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-4146552-4613749?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1188622704&sr=8-1
Maybe 26 is a misprint on the UK page??
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If so, HMV have the same mistake - in fact, they're offering it for £24.99 delivered in the UK. Don't think I'll indulge, though - I do like Rattle's M2, but other recordings have left me cold, I'm afraid