I've listened to the Sieghart/ASO M10 several times now, and am getting more accustomed to the S/M version. I'm convinced that there was quite a bit of revising done to their score since the world premiere in Perugia. While much of it sounds even less like Mahler now, it certainly is colorfully scored in places; especially during much of the second scherzo (4th movement). It's as though S/M filtered Mahler through the ears and imagination of Luciano Berio. While the Carpenter version definitely leans towards Alban Berg in spots, S/M make me think of Berio instead. But I still have some major issues with what S/M have come up here. First, the negative comments.
Minuses:
A. I think it's a mistake to add so much percussion to the harrowing, expressionistic climax in the first movement. As I've mentioned before, I can see a mezzoforte (or forte) tam-tam stroke at the first loud outburst (Kenn Russel adds one there, near the start of his "Mahler" movie), as well as a discreet bass drum roll a few bars later - just before the spot where the second violins or violas play pizzicato notes. But that's it - no more! S/M really go off the deep end here, which has the unfortunate effect of making things seem far less dramatic, when they add percussion to the reprise of the same climax in the finale.
B. I don't think that the Purgatorio needs to tampered with as much as S/M do here. I think it's pretty much a finished product as is. I would definitely add percussion to the brief climactic passage: a cymbal crash - just as S/M do - followed by a forte tam-tam smash (instead of S/M's loud timpani roll). A few soft tam-tam strokes here and there wouln't hurt either, particularly towards the end of the Purgatorio. But at least S/M recognize that you have to do more with the brief climactic passage.
C. I think that the start of the fifth movement is messed up. First off, while Mahler only drafted this in short score, he does indicate that the drum should be a bass drum (grosse trommel), and not a military side drum. When Mahler and Alma stuck there heads out the window of their N.Y. apartment to watch the funereal services for the dead fireman, they did not describe a noise that sounded like a gun shot. They made it clear that it was a single stroke on a bass drum. Also, Mahler makes it clear that the slow ascending scales are to be played by a tuba; not string basses accompanied by plucked notes on the harp. It seems to me that S/M have chosen to copy Mazzetti at this point. I don't approve. There's nothing wrong or un-Mahlerian about the sounds made by the bass drum, followed by a tuba. I also feel that it's just dumb, not to link the last two movements with just a single shot of the drum.
D. I think that the fast development section of the fifth movement sounds a tad anemic. I don't know why, but S/M haven chosen to pull the plug during the development. It seems to me that this passage should sound very driven and aggressive. They also make too big of a contrast when the climactic passage of the "Purgatorio" movement suddenly reappears. I don't think that's necessary. This whole passage needs to drive hard, until being tripped up by the next crisis.
E. While it's goods that S/M make some attempt to make the reprise of the first movement's expressionistic climax sound bigger in the fifth movement, I think that they way undershoot their mark here. It should be much, MUCH more frightening that they make it. That's why I thought it was a mistake for them to add so much percussion to the same climax in the first movement.
Pluses:
A. While I'm not entirely thrilled with what S/M have come with for the first scherzo (I do like the greater usage of tuba), I do think that they've achieved the strongest and most successful ending to the first scherzo so far. That said, I think that the rapid succession of cymbal strokes, just before the end, sounds totally out of character. But I do like the freer usage of percussion, especially the added snare drum on the last five notes of the movement. Frankly, I could do this ending even better. But this is a good start.
B. S/M recognize that the last two expressionistic outbursts towards the end of the second scherzo (4th movement), need to be stronger and more harrowing. Again, I would use tam-tam a lot more liberally. S/M pull the trigger on the bass drum and timpani far too often throughout their score. But hey . . .
C. At the end of the reprise of the first movement's climax (we're in the fifth movement here), the symphony's opening 12 note motto gets sounded in the brass, and then tapers down to a softer dynamic. Well, this passage is always dovetailed - more like harassed, or dogged - by a second trumpet that plays long notes that are dissonant to the opening motto. THANK GOODNESS that S/M have taken that part away from the trumpet, and have given it to something far less obtrusive sounding (I forget what they substituted for the trumpet). Personally, I would give it to the solo flute, but that's beside the point. It simply sounds a whole hell-of-a-lot better now. I have always hated that added trumpet part.
D. S/M have come up with the best version for everything that happens in the finale, AFTER the reprise of the first movement's expressionistic climax. When the high strings first turn loud - this is after playing at least 90 seconds at a soft dynamic (we're talking after the big flute solo) - S/M have the cellos (basses too?) really hammer their ascending scale, with added tremolos on each note. Personally, I would divide this up at each cello stand; with outside cellos doing sharp attacks on each note, while the inside cellos do tremolos on each of those same notes (or vice versa). But hey, S/M manage to make this sound much more hefty and impassioned than usual.
E. There's a big climax just a couple of minutes before the very end of the symphony. In the Cooke, Mazzetti, Wheeler, and Barshai versions, this climax isn't a climax at all. Instead, it's sounded very softly and lovingly. Even as a kid, I always felt that this passage had to be played loudly. S/M build it up the most of anybody. But to me, it's still not enough. If you're going to bother to make the ascending octave jump in the trombones sound nearly fortissimo, why not go all the way and add percussion as well? See, I actually view this as being THE MAIN CLIMAX of the entire symphony. I would add a pair of simultaneous tam-tam/cymbal smashes as well - just like the end of the 8th symphony. Sometime later, I'll give actual timing numbers, so those of you who are interested can see just where I mean. But for the mean time, S/M do this passage the best of anybody, and that's saying something - it's important. Why? Because, this is THE love concurs all moment that the entire symphony is really about. I'm convinced that Mahler would have become a teenager just one last time, and made this passage loud, not soft.
F. At the very end, where the violins do their ascending slide up an entire 12th interval, S/M add a distant bass drum roll after a few seconds, just as the strings begin to softly die out. That's a nice added touch.
All in all, I still like the Carpenter version best. But there are moments that S/M come pretty close to getting just right. They at least recognize some of the "big picture" issues of the work.
Topic: Random thoughts on S/M M10 (Read 7035 times)