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General Category => Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions => Topic started by: AZContrabassoon on January 29, 2016, 07:32:52 PM
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I got this notice from Presto today. The Stenz cycle available for $48. Is it worth it? Any opinions?
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Oehms/OC029?utm_source=News-2016-01-29&utm_medium=email (http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Oehms/OC029?utm_source=News-2016-01-29&utm_medium=email)
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Well, it's getting cheaper, but the catch is that there's a wait involved. But that's only one thing.
The other, really disappointing thing is that the set is not, I repeat, IS NOT SACD. It's regular CD. I don't know if that's a major thing for many of you, but in doing the math recently, I found that buying the symphonies singly, in their original SACD format, would cost $210.00 (from U.S. Amazon.com)!
I alerted Board member John Kim at the Facebook Mahler Group to be on the lookout for an SACD issuance of the whole cycle in one box, particularly (and most likely) from Japan.
Wade
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I too am disappointed that it is NOT SACD. Stenz's Mahler recordings are wroth getting for the M3, M4, M5, M6 (the finest modern recording IMO), and M7 (exept for the first two movts which I find ordinary) & M8. I wasn't happy at all with the M9 although the Finale is really well done. Both M1 & M2 are misfire for me. the M10 Adagio is really well done too.
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I think it's the most 'consistent' Mahler cycle since Gary Bertini's (also recorded in Cologne) and Michael Gielen's. M3, M4, M7 and M8 are the highlights for me. I don't use surround sound, so I'm not at all concerned about the sacd aspect. As long as it's still DSD, it should sound pretty darn good. Another very consistent cycle - now that I think about it - is the Jonathan Nott one on Tudor. It's far better than I had previously gave it credit for being.