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General Category => Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions => Topic started by: barry guerrero on June 23, 2011, 11:23:35 PM
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This may help further Mahler's reputation in Asia: Myung-Whun Chung and the Seoul Philharmonic have signed a contract with Deutsche Grammophon. Three Mahler symphonies are included, along with other more predictable show pieces. Lord knows that we don't need even more Mahler, but it'll be good to get professional recordings of Mahler from Korea. I would like to see a Sau Paulo Mahler cycle, myself (they've performed one).
Barry
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IMHO, it will take some doing for these orchestras of the orient to assure good market for their recordings. Unless some big name conductors decide to take a chance conducting these orchestras, they may not stand much of a chance, sales-wise.
Wade
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Yeah, but I guess the Wha-Chung family must be THE biggest names in classical music from Korea. Myung Wha-Chung really gets around. He's a big Messiaen specialist.
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It's Myung-Whun Chung, NOT Myung-Wha (Myung-Wha is a cellist and Myung-Whun's sister).
Yes, the news has become sensational among classical music fans in Asia.
I think those 3 Mahler symphonies have been already recorded.
John,
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"Yes, the news has become sensational among classical music fans in Asia."
Great! I'll make sure I get his name right too. I should, as I have his recording of Messiaen's "Turangalila".
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I have the M1st. It was released two months ago.
It's quite good. The orchestra is very disciplined but it sounds somewhat pedestrian partially due to the claustrophobic acoustics in the hall. Chung has a few surprises such as the sudden speed up near the end of I. and the expansive beginning of the movement.
The M2nd will be released in April.
As for the Ninth, I don't see any plan to record it. The concert took place early December but it wasn't taped.
John,
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M.W.C. never striked me as a particularly interesting conductor; will wait for some more impressions here before investigating a bit more into these...
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I've listened to the recording a few times. The playing is note perfect but also engaging, the ensemble always precise and synchronized. Based on this recording, I can conclude that for the past six years Chung has built the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra into a world class band (these are not just my own words!). It is built from bottom to top, with solid bass instruments, dark strings, prominent woodwinds, and golden brass. The strings in particular have flexibility in their tone and phrasing, a rarity in typical Asian orchestras. The trumpet is impressively rock solid and never fails to register even in the thickest passages. Ditto the horns and trombones. We know all of these are the essential elements in performing Mahler, don't we? Top top it all, Chung has a few surprising but genuine touches in his sleeves, such as the dreamy, slow introduction in I., the sudden speedup in the coda of I. and II., the expansive middle passage in III., the slow and long second theme in IV. Speaking of the tempo shifts, Chung applies with such care and intuition that none of them sound forced or artificial. Needless to say, they all work to great effects to enhance the drive, energy, and romance in the piece. Overall, Chung's interpretation reminds me of Eschenbach/BSO concert at Tanglewood that I attended in the 90s.
The only downside is that being recorded at the sonically notorious Art House Center, Seoul, Korea, the recording lacks somewhat in the bass. But otherwise, the DG recording team headed by the renowned producer Michael Fine captured the concert with clarity, a good balance, ambiance, and a startling presence.
So, all things considered, this is a Mahler First to treasure.
I suspect this is the version I will turn to most for now.