I finally got around to doing a bit of comparitive listening. Frankly, I've kind of been in shock over Sieghart's new Arnheim recording of the S/M version - it's not at all what I was anticipating to hear. To be more precise, I really didn't hear it correctly the first time around (Sieghart/VSO).
That said, I do believe that the first scherzo has been greatly revised since the world premiere with the VSO. What's for certain, is that there's lots more tuba in the Arnheim one. I detect numerous other minor differences as well. Clearly, the Arnheim one is better recorded, and more cleanly played. However, even though the timings are nearly identical, the Arnheim one sounds longer to me. I think that there's now less contrast between fast and slow sections. This is even more noticeable in the Purgatorio (3rd movement).
I greatly prefer the VSO version of the Purgatorio. It starts out slower, and makes a bigger contrast where the music turns loud and fast. Again, the timings between the two versions are near identical.
It might be purely my imagination, but I get the impression that S/M are trying to filter the first scherzo sound through the ears and mind of Luciano Berio. It seems almost more impressionistic (sorry to use that word twice) through much of it now, but with a big buildup for the final 90 seconds or so. I think it's interesting, and S/M may be on to something with their unique approach. My problem with it is a more fundamental one: it doesn't sound more like Mahler. In fact, I think it sounds even less like Mahler, even though it's more honed and refined now.
In conclusion, in regards to movements II & III, I like the sound and playing of the new Arnheim one, but prefer the more "contrasty" tempo relationships of the VSO premiere from Perugia, This is especially true of the Purgatorio.
Barry
Topic: M10/II&III: Sieghart/APO vs. Sieghart/VSO (Read 3464 times)