gustavmahlerboard.com
General Category => Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions => Topic started by: John Kim on April 29, 2024, 04:25:51 PM
-
This is really bad. They are asking for a price of two discs whereas most releases nowadays that comprise of two CDs are sold for the price of one.
Who'd pay $41 for the set?
John
-
I bet BIS wants us to buy a box set of the whole cycle (when it becomes available later) instead of this release.
John
-
That's exactly what I was thinking.
-
Perhaps they are trying to drive customers away from discs, or treating the discs as a premium item. This is what's been happening with 4K Blu-ray. Suddenly the prices have jumped $10+, coupled with low inventory. They want everyone streaming. At least if I buy a download from Presto, or eclassical, I own the files DRM free.
I'd think the profit margin is much higher on digital, than on a physical product. The CD quality download is $18.75 and $25.00 for hi-res. It'll be even cheaper than that on eclassical when it releases. Purchasing discs is something I only do when there is no digital available.
-
I've heard Vänskä's M5, M6, and M7, and based on those I don't think he has a real feel for Mahler. I hate to say that because BIS is just about the only label making studio recordings of American orchestras these days.
Labels probably derive more revenue from downloads than from physical CDs. Streaming, probably not, although Idagio pays by the second rather than by the track and claims to be fairer to musicians and labels.
-
I have an aircheck of Vanska/MO M3rd. Its timings are almost identical to those listed on the official release, so I think I know how the SACD will sound. In short, it is a vast and profound reading spectacularly played and recorded, a far cry from Maazel who took whopping 1 hour 51 min. in his VPO performance!!
To his credit, Vanska lets the Minnesota brass roar and rumble, above all in the opening 'Pan Awakes, Summer Marches In.' The woodwinds are excellent too and very prominent throughout. The Finale clocking just under 24 min. is neither too short nor dragging and culminates very nicely in the final hymn like climax. I'll see if I can find a place where I can order it with some discount.
John
-
I see Amazon is releasing Vanska/Minnesota's "Mahler: Symphonies Nos. 1-10" on 7 June for $90 for 11 Hybrid SACDs.
https://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symphonies-Nos-Minnesota-Orchestra/dp/B0D2KQW1KW
-
Good grief - buying the Vanksa M3 from Amazon is almost half the cost of buying the complete cycle, as Amazon is showing a preorder price of $43. I have a feeling that's going to get corrected. I noticed Presto Classical has repriced their hard disc release of it to $30.25 (U.S.).
https://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symphony-No-Minnesota-Boychoir/dp/B0D2KRFRG4/ref=sr_1_36?crid=AVIQ8DSLPC6B&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.2tXE09FnvL1LR1T7uLOcCPrknmgdXR917Uwjfe9Q3mKtyQsRVtqL3Axs0RTv_1K_EDOcAmJ22E5Uy9TJGSaimw.iO4fUPpdlTfipnIb8zhchHIL_rW5Ou1xBWJ71w2Qgb4&dib_tag=se&keywords=mahler+symphony+no.+3&qid=1714626924&s=music&sprefix=mahler+symphony+no.+3%2Cpopular%2C169&sr=1-36
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9622893--mahler-symphony-no-3-in-d-minor?_gl=1*1mnbypk*_up*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0MexBhD3ARIsAEI3WHLPahnvThM2PaYLdFiz4ebSfkaYtU6fdtSDi9s8mzMPbL5TMaNEG20aAuWPEALw_wcB
-
Well Barry, I just put in my order at Amazon for the complete Vanska symphonies, and including tax, cost came to $95.39 (I belong to Amazon Prime). Have been waiting a long time for this and can hardly wait to get my set!
Wade
-
The frugal may be rewarded by patience. Once the box set has been out for a while, BIS will probably run discounts. They were selling the excellent Vänskä/Minnesota Beethoven symphony set for $30 not long after it was issued.
-
I am not interested in getting the M1, M4, or M8th for that matter. I'll just get the Third and be done with it.
Maybe the Third is meant to be a platinum release. Maybe it comes with delux booklet, photos, etc^
John
-
John, I'm interested in your thoughts on the Vanska M4 and M8. I thought those were some of the stronger releases in this cycle.
-
Erik
I think Vanska's M4th is very fine. It's just that there are some moments that don't sound too engaging. As for the 8th I know it received excellent critical reviews and I agree with most of them as far as the musicality goes. But for my money and taste, I'd stay with Bernsetin/LSO, Neumann/CPO, and Bertini, Zinman. I just think Vanska rushed the final pages of Part II. and that, no matter how well the performance went up to the point, almost ruins my listening.
John
-
To me, the M3, M7, M10 are standouts of the Vanska Mahler cycle, followed by M9, M6 (with a reservation on Finale), M8 and M4.
John
-
I like Vanska M8, as I think it comes the closest to having a good seat at a great live concert. While the ending to Part II was on the quick side, I also felt that Vanska is among the few who have truly nailed the entire "Blicket auf" section of Part II. I like the M2 quite a bit, which seems to be a minority opinion. M4 is perfectly fine, although C. Sampson is not a favorite with me. The M5 is good, but I'm not crazy about the outer two movements of the M6 (the inner two are very good). It's also in Andante/Scherzo order, as you guys know. The M7 and M10 really hit the mark for me. Those I think are the two strongest hits in the cycle. The M9 is perfect fine as well - more than adequate. M1 is fine, but I would have preferred that Vanska hadn't had the opening double bass solo of the slow movement played by the tutti bass section (and just left it solo instead). However, that's not a deal breaker with me.
-
The frugal may be rewarded by patience. Once the box set has been out for a while, BIS will probably run discounts. They were selling the excellent Vänskä/Minnesota Beethoven symphony set for $30 not long after it was issued.
Presto now has the Vänskä cycle listed for $83.75 — but currently with a $7 discount putting it at $76.75. It costs $9.25 to ship it to the US, so my total comes out to $86. I'm gonna pull the trigger! It should be here in the next week.
For any UK residents out there: you're getting a real good deal on the Vänskä cycle right now.
Edit: Sales tax added another $7.87 for me... Dammit. I still saved a few dollars compared to Amazon though (which was looking like $98.99 with tax, and wasn't going to ship until July-something). I wonder how long this promotion/sale on Presto will last.
-
The Vanska M3 is on E-Classical now, as is the box set. I'll post a link for the M3. The sound quality is, of course, the star of the show. I'll have to hear the whole performance in its totality before formulating a real opinion. The brass and percussion generally sound great. I'm a bit bothered by Vanska's slight case of lethargy in this performance. While the coda to the first movement is impressive in terms of how it sounds, the tempo relationships are a bit 'all over the map' there. It sounds as though they patched it from several different performances (which they probably did). We'll see. I'll probably just settle for a decent download on the M3. I don't feel compelled to get the whole cycle, but I might change my thinking on that.
later on . . . The second movement is excellent, and Jennifer Johnston sounds terrific in the fourth movement. That might have sold me on this. I still want to listen from start to finish tomorrow, as it should come up on Spotify. I just wish the posthorn solos weren't so stretched out in the third movement.
https://www.eclassical.com/labels/bis/mahler-symphony-no3.html
-
Barry, what are your ‘hits and misses’ for this cycle? I know you love the 7th (as do I), and I remember some of what you said about the others. But overall, what would you say are your favorites and least favorites here? For me, 4 and 7–10 are all superb. I think the weak ones are the 5th and 2nd, and they aren’t too bad anyway.
This cycle’s had its detractors (understandably), but if you’re someone who likes this kind of sound and approach it’s a winner. The closest comparison is to Boulez’s, in my opinion: dry, extremely detailed recordings that leave no note of the score unturned, but at times the conducting may be questionable.
It’s unique and interesting enough to have earned a spot in my library.
-
I really like Vanska's M2. The 23 minute first movement doesn't bother me at all. Stokowski took 23 minutes as well. I think the ending of the finale is really one of the better ones. You can hear the alternating salvos (polyphony) of the deep bells, and the high and low pitch gongs. I don't understand why Dave Hurwitz felt that was such a weak performance. That isn't my impression. The M4 is very good too, but C. Sampson isn't among the best singers in M4. I like the M5 more than many folks do. I think the finale is really, really good. As you know, I like the inner two movements of Vanska's M6, but not so much the outer two. M7 and M8 are right on target for me, as is the M10. I haven't investigated the M9 enough to have a strong opinion. What little I've heard of it, I really liked. John would have a detailed assessment of Vanska's M9, of course.
While the new M3 may not be near the top of my personal pantheon, it certainly is very musical.
-
Thanks for the overview. I guess that topic could warrant its own thread. Maybe down the line we can cover it in retrospect.
It has some funky moments, but now that I have the whole cycle at my fingertips I see it as a lot more consistent than I expected.
-
I sent an e-mail to BIS, questioning the cost of the Mahler 3 in the U.S. on hard disc. My suspicion is that Naxos - the U.S. distributor - most likely published a wrong cost to retailers. $43 can't be right, when you can get it mailed from England for a lot less. I'll let you know what response I receive.
-
I received no reply regarding the discrepancy in pricing between the two big British exporters - Presto Classical and Europadisc - and the American retail price of $43 (including Amazon's current asking price). Very strange.