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General Category => Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions => Topic started by: barry guerrero on November 28, 2008, 06:48:32 PM

Title: Zinman M6 finale (just one hearing, so far)
Post by: barry guerrero on November 28, 2008, 06:48:32 PM
Sorry folks, but I've been away for family medical issues. Anyway, I've listened to Zinman's finale just once, and that was on my car stereo, which isn't the best. But I thought it was excellent. While Zinman's now eschews the electronic enhancement of his hammer strokes (just 2), they still sounded huge. Tempo relationships all made perfect sense, and there was plenty of forward momentum in the final allegro "charge" episode (starting after the 2nd cowbell episode). I like how he handled the last 8 minutes of the finale very much. It seems to me that Zinman very much trusts all of Mahler's own fine details written into his revised score, which is in sharp contrast to Janson's "I know better" approach to Mahler 5.

I can't really comment much on the cowbells because I was listening in my car. The deep bells, on the other hand, had a very distinctive sound. I think they may have been the same set of bell plates (or large bells) that you hear at the start of the choral "bim, bam" movement of Zinman's Mahler 3. Anyway, the deep bell sound didn't come from your usual rolling rack of tubular chimes - they're holy doorbells, at best.

I hope to listen to the first movement this morning.

Barry
Title: Re: Zinman M6 finale (just one hearing, so far)
Post by: vvrinc on November 28, 2008, 11:36:33 PM
Barry: Why this side of the world gets this item released in April '10 while (I believe) Germany and Japan have had it since early November of this year?  ??? Anyway, thanks for the brief update on the performance of the 4th movement.
Title: Re: Zinman M6 finale (just one hearing, so far)
Post by: barry guerrero on November 29, 2008, 12:53:35 AM
I don't know. Here in the colonies (U.S.) they've released the first four symphonies, but have yet to release Zinman's Mahler 5 (not a huge loss, in my book). Therefore, I'm wondering if BMG is even going to release this new M6 in the U.S.  I wish I could answer your question. There's supposed to be an upcoming dvd release of the documentary film on Zinman's performances of Mahler 6 that they're currently showing in various theaters in Switzerland: "Going Against Fate".  I'm hoping that BMG will release both at the same time, or some such thing.

www.goingagainstfate.com

Barry