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General Category => Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions => Topic started by: Russell on October 18, 2011, 04:21:31 PM

Title: "The Mahler Album" on Channel Classics
Post by: Russell on October 18, 2011, 04:21:31 PM

Channel has just released "The Mahler Album" with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta conducted by Candida Thompson, featuring the M5 Adagietto, M10 Adagio, and the Mahler-orchestrated Beethoven 14th String Quartet:

http://www.channelclassics.com/sinfonietta-31511.html

Looks interesting, though the timings for the Adagietto & M10 Adagio look to be on the slow side.

Russell

Title: Re: "The Mahler Album" on Channel Classics
Post by: barry guerrero on October 19, 2011, 11:54:16 PM

27 minutes for the Adagio in a chamber version !?! - what's wrong with these people?

Title: Re: "The Mahler Album" on Channel Classics
Post by: Roffe on October 20, 2011, 11:31:23 AM

Quote from: barry guerrero on October 19, 2011, 11:54:16 PM

27 minutes for the Adagio in a chamber version !?! - what's wrong with these people?

They were probably trying to beat Karl-Anton Rickenbacher's (together with the Bamberger Symphoniker) world record from 1988 (32:04), but did not quite reach their goal. Anybody heard a slower M10 adagio (chamber version or full orchestra version)?

Roffe

Title: Re: "The Mahler Album" on Channel Classics
Post by: John Kim on October 20, 2011, 04:31:02 PM

How about Sinopoli? Didn't he take close to or more than 30 min. in his DG recording?

Ozawa also took over 29 min. in his Philips recording but it was every bit as good as any other versions.

John,

Title: Re: "The Mahler Album" on Channel Classics
Post by: Roffe on October 20, 2011, 06:00:04 PM

You're right John, Sinopoli makes it in 32:42, even slower than Rickenbacher. Ozawa is faster, only 29:16.

Roffe

Title: Re: "The Mahler Album" on Channel Classics
Post by: barry guerrero on October 20, 2011, 06:19:21 PM

Gee, I guess 27 minutes isn't such a crawl after-all. Then again, this is a 'chamber' version (whatever that means).

Title: Re: "The Mahler Album" on Channel Classics
Post by: Russell on October 21, 2011, 04:39:31 PM

I downloaded this album a couple of days ago and listened to the M5 Adagietto & M10 Adagio.  The Adagio is an arrangement for strings (and "chamber"-sized, at that) by Hans Stadlmair.  Good performance, and very interesting arrangement.  Although no trumpeter is credited in the booklet, I could swear that I heard one at the climax.  (How could there not be a trumpet there?)  Doesn't sound 'slow' at all, despite the timing.  The Adagietto was fine as well.  I want to listen at least a couple more times before making a definitive opinion, but my initial impressions are very favorable.

Russell

Title: Re: "The Mahler Album" on Channel Classics
Post by: Channel on October 25, 2011, 08:10:53 AM

Quote from: Russell on October 21, 2011, 04:39:31 PM

I downloaded this album a couple of days ago and listened to the M5 Adagietto & M10 Adagio.  The Adagio is an arrangement for strings (and "chamber"-sized, at that) by Hans Stadlmair.  Good performance, and very interesting arrangement.  Although no trumpeter is credited in the booklet, I could swear that I heard one at the climax.  (How could there not be a trumpet there?)  Doesn't sound 'slow' at all, despite the timing.  The Adagietto was fine as well.  I want to listen at least a couple more times before making a definitive opinion, but my initial impressions are very favorable.

Russell

Thanks Russel for listening to our Mahler album.  Even though indeed on first glance the timings look slower than other renditions I am glad you let the quality of the playing from Channel artists  (and the quality of recording from Channel) be a deciding factor to give it a chance.
There is no trumpet.   Only strings!
Jared Sacks

Title: Re: "The Mahler Album" on Channel Classics
Post by: barry guerrero on October 26, 2011, 11:28:04 PM

hey Jared,

A Mahler 7 with Fischer/BFO would be real nice!!!   8)