"For Vänskä and Minnesota Orchestra, Mahler's Sixth lives in its details"

[Russ Smiley]

I just saw this article with a mention at the end of a forthcoming M6 CD from BIS. I thought others might be interested if unaware as I was.
http://www.startribune.com/for-vanska-and-minnesota-orchestra-mahler-s-sixth-lives-in-its-details/401010475/

[barry guerrero]

According to this article, there'll be six separate sessions, which will cost somebody a huge amount of money. Hopefully they have a donor or sponsor (otherwise, BIS will never see a return on their investment). Makes you wonder why they simply don't just issue something from the live performances.

http://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/about/learn-more/press-room/1497-mahler-sixth-and-puntin

We're allegedly getting a Mahler 6 with Dadamel/L.A. Phil. as well, but I've seen no sign of it.

Thanks for posting this.

[AZContrabassoon]

Maybe, dare I think it, this is the start of a new Mahler cycle? Vanska is doing the 2nd in June. They have completed what is widely regarded as a tremendous Sibelius cycle, and Bis is almost alone among record companies in having no Mahler set of its own. The orchestra can play superbly, and the recorded sound Bis gets out of them is wonderful, but I don't know if Vanska is the right conductor for Mahler - he can be very aloof, clinical and unsentimental. Kind of like Boulez, I suppose. The last thing we need is another Mahler cycle.

Speaking of...Dudamel and LA. I imagine that the Dude's going to get a cycle - deserved or not. The latter as far as I'm concerned. I have not been impressed with his Mahler, and not much else either, to be honest. Lord knows I love Mahler, and collect it greedily, but for me I just don't need anymore cycles from any currently active conductor.

[Roland Flessner]

I have been most impressed with Vänskä's recordings. I heard him do M6 in Minneapolis in 2012 (I think), but it was awful, just all noise, and everything too loud. textures too thick. From the opening notes, I thought, this is going to be a long evening. And so it was.

I'll be curious to hear the recording. It will probably reflect greater experience with Mahler for both the conductor and orchestra. Sound should be very good too; this is a first-class orchestra in a fine hall.

BIS is nearly alone in making orchestral studio recordings in the US, and I'm grateful for that.

[barry guerrero]

For me, cold and aloof works just fine in Sibelius. I like what I've heard of his Siblelius so far.  I also like his fast tempi Beethoven. I agree that we don't need more Mahler, but I am looking forward to an eventual M6 with Dudamel/L.A.  I very much like the Dudamel/L.A. M9, for instance. I also think his M7 is really good considering it's played by his big Venezuelan youth orchestra.

And if nothing else, I do think that his truly "Symphony of a Thousand" is quite interesting for the simple fact that the choral forces are much larger than they normally are. It also had a good cast of soloists. Believe me, there are far worse.