Ozawa/BSO Mahler Ninth Blu-ray (and DVD) (2002)

[John Kim]

http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/product/detail/3808224

This was Ozawa's final concert with BSO on April 20th, 2002.

My verdict?

The best and greatest of all Ozawa M9ths!

Not only his reading had ripened over the years (the Finale clocks over 27 min.), the playing of BSO was phenomenal; certainly they gave everything to the beloved conductor who had led them for the last 29 years in Boston.

Don't worry about coughing in the Finale - the Japanese engineers cleverly attenuated the noise without any noticeable glitches.

This Ninth easily ranks with Bernstein (1965, 1979 Tanglewood, 1985), Levine (analogue), Karajan (digital), Solti (LSO).

A must for anyone who loves this great work.

Timings are like,

I. 27'02"
II. 15'53"
III. 13'14"
IV. 27'20"

John,

[Stürmisch Bewegt]

I own his live recording with BSO (1991-Philips) and really love it. What about all his others M9 ?

[John Kim]

I own his live recording with BSO (1991-Philips) and really love it. What about all his others M9 ?

That one and another with Saito Kine Orchestra on Japanese Sony label. It was recorded in Tokyo in 2000.

DH gave enthusiastic review of the Sony recording with 10/9 rating. In that review, he also praised the Philips recording.

But I tell you, this one from 2002 tops them all.

John,

[John Kim]

In many aspects, this Ozawa's farewell concert reminds me a lot of Lenny/BSO Tanglewood performance of M9th from 1979.

John,

[Freddy van Maurik]

John,

A range of 4-letter words cross my mind, for your comments make me really want to get this one. And it's friggin' pricy!  

But thanks for your recommendation, I've been wondering whether to get this... now I'm decided.

Cheers!
Freddy

[sperlsco]

In many aspects, this Ozawa's farewell concert reminds me a lot of Lenny/BSO Tanglewood performance of M9th from 1979.

John,

The playing on the 2002 Ozawa one is MUCH cleaner than on the Lennie/BSO Tanglewood concert.  I'm with you, though, John -- I like all of the M9's from Lennie and Ozawa.  I'd have a tough time picking an absolute favorite among them. 

[Amphissa]

Sure wish I could find this 2002 on DVD in the U.S.

[John Kim]

TWO questions:

1) Is Mr. Ozawa safe?

2) Can we still order from www.hmv.co.jp?

John,

[John Kim]

I finally received the Blu-ray disc from HMV.CO.JP, along with Haitink/VPO/Philips Bruckner 8th CD.

After checking the package with my Geiger gauge(^^), I gave a spin.

The following is what I posted on www.hmv.co.jp:

"The sound heard on this Blu-ray disc is amazingly clean, warm and vivid, although it is not in DTS or any discernable digital format. There is a (very) slight dynamic compression, being originally recorded for TV, but it is never distracting or bothering my ears.

The BSO is phenomenal giving their best performance of this piece for their departing music director. The Boston string is incredibly rich and has a warmly resonating quality, the brass golden and appropriately heavy, while Everett ’Vic’ Firth’s timpani is everything I can ask for - accurate and crisp, justly loud and authoritative. Ozawa’s reading had ripened over the years (the Finale clocks over 27 min.). It is grand in scale, minute in details, but also extraordinarily cogent. Surpassing his earlier recordings with BSO and SKO, it’s his best M9th to date and one of his finest achievements in Boston.

This Mahler Ninth ranks with Bernstein (1965, 1979 Tanglewood, 1985), Levine (analogue, PO), Karajan (digital, BPO), and Solti (analogue, LSO).

A must for anyone who loves this great work.

Timings of the four movements are,

I. 27’02”
II. 15’53”
III. 13’14”
IV. 27’20”

P.S. Don’t worry about the infamous audience coughing in the Finale - the Japanese engineers cleverly attenuated the noise without a noticeable glitch."

John,

P.S. I watched DVD version as well. I must say the Blu-ray disc is the clear winner here; not only it has better picture quality the audio has more details, more high and low ends, and cleaner sound stage. Maybe it has to do with the remastering gone for the Blu-ray format. It's pretty darn good stuff.

[John Kim]

You know, listening to (NOT watching) the disc in the digital format I find it a lot similar to Ozawa's earlier Philips recording with the same orchestra in the 90s.

....which is a really good thing.

Maybe NHK used the same mics and mic locations as the Philips engineers did.

Still, Ozawa's new reading is different and better because he generally maintains a steady tempo and apply more rubato this time around.

Interesting....

John,