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General Category => Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions => Topic started by: Leo K on February 11, 2007, 04:54:58 PM

Title: Favorite album covers
Post by: Leo K on February 11, 2007, 04:54:58 PM: I love a well thought out design for an album cover, and sometimes I just love the cover art because the music inside is so good. Whatever the reason, it is fun to consider cover art design. Especially in collecting Mahler recordings. In this first post I''ll take a look at designs that aim to tie a series of recordings together.

The Abbado Mahler cycle has a consistant, simple concept...concentrating on fonts and color mostly, but I love the minimal approach. The front and back are easy to read and the muted pastel color on each release reminds me of cloudy, post-storm weather:
(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000063WRR.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000063TAJ.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)(http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000063WRS.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)

I really love the look of the BBC Legends series. The photographs, transparent color and Modrian-like layout are combined into an solid architectural grid. I love the simple font used to announce the performer's last name, and I love the fact the name is always in lowercase. The color combinations are endless:
(http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00000I9W4.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00000I9WX.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0000CABI5.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)

I love the various painted portraits of Mahler found on some of the Michael Gielen releases. It's too bad they couldn't extend this concept for all the CD covers in Gielen's cycle, which also feature artists such as van Gogh and William Blake, and photos of the maestro:
(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0009I7OG6.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)(http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000059T7D.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)(http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000CQM4NS.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)

Back in 1991, I started to buy Bernstein's DG Mahler cycle because I was intriqued by the paintings used in the cover design...the images created a mystery and led me to wonder about the music. I later saw the work of this artist in a gallery in Minneapolis. I love the use of the surrounding white, creating the perfect frame for the images and providing a space for the titles...love the font also:
(http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000001G7H.03.LZZZZZZZ.gif)(http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000001GBD.03.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)

Anyone else have favorites?
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: John Kim on February 11, 2007, 09:50:00 PM: My favorites are Levine's recordings of M3rd, M7th, and M10th on RCA. The colorful paintings on the covers are very descriptive of each work in terms of cartoon figures, e.g., wild animals in the forest (M3rd), night goblins (M7th), and the surroundings. I also like profiles of Mahler himself that are inserted on each cover. I know these are also Barry's favorite CD covers.

John,
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Vatz Relham on February 11, 2007, 11:04:20 PM: Here are a few I think are cool, and musically ggod too!!
(http://amazon.com/images/P/B00000K04W.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ)(http://amazon.com/images/P/B000000SR8.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ)
(http://amazon.com/images/P/B000001GOZ.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ)[img][amazon.com/images/P/B0000062D6.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg/img]

Vatz
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Vatz Relham on February 11, 2007, 11:15:13 PM: Lets try this again.....
(http://B00000K04W.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)(http://B000001GOZ.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)(http://B0000062D6.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)(http://B000000SR8.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)

Vatz
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Vatz Relham on February 11, 2007, 11:28:26 PM: Third time lucky?

(http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0000062D6.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)

(http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00000K04W.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)

(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000001GOZ.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)

(http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000000SR8.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)

Vatz
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: barry guerrero on February 12, 2007, 06:13:35 AM: I think the Mehta/IPO M6 cover is my favorite. I like the Maurice Sendak cover on the James Levine/CSO M3. I can't find an image of it on the web, though.

Barry
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: barry guerrero on February 12, 2007, 07:41:13 AM: I always liked the original cover to Bernstein's London M8. I think it's a great performance, too. You got to look at it up close:

(http://www.vinylparadise.com/goodlp/1/8ma8bef1.jpg)

I think the original cover to Karajan's first Mahler 9th looks very appropriate:

(http://www.vinylparadise.com/goodlp/1/8ma9kah1.jpg)

And here's my vote for the ugliest Mahler cover:

(http://www.vinylparadise.com/goodlp/1/8ma1soa1.jpg)
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: barry guerrero on February 12, 2007, 07:56:51 AM: Here's my vote for the worst Mahler hair styles. It's also a shockingly poor "DLvdE". Norman's first one with Colin Davis was far better.

(http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/amg/classical_albums/cov200/cl500/l500/l500253aawx.jpg)

I did find two of the three Maurice Sendak covers:

(http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/amg/classical_albums/cov200/cm000/m030/m03090zpbsy.jpg)

(http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/amg/classical_albums/cov200/cm100/m140/m14087yo4ve.jpg)
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Leo K on February 12, 2007, 04:20:29 PM: I really love those Maurice Sendak covers too...I have Levine's M7 and M10 but I haven't found his M3 yet in the used stores here in Tucson.

Those original LP covers are great...I haven't seen those in the vinyl shops here.

My votes for worst Mahler hairstyles are :

(http://www.avguide.com/film-music/music/musicreviews/tas148/images/mahler.jpg)

(http://mahler.nayes.net/ozawa5.jpg)

(http://www.musicweb.uk.net/Mahler/Mahler4/mengelberg.jpg)
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Wunderhorn on February 13, 2007, 01:22:02 AM: Putting Mahler and Klimt together have been most profitable for record companies, as not only did they share their first names, but were friends. Though my favorite album cover is my user image by Erte called 'Autumn' of Bernstein/Vienna M5.

(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000001G9F.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: barry guerrero on February 13, 2007, 07:51:12 AM: Gunther Herbig's M9 has a view of old Vienna, looking towards the Prater.

(http://www.jpc.de/image/cover/front/0/9660434.jpg)
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Toblacher on February 13, 2007, 07:25:22 PM: Do I see Harry Lime in the photo on that Herbig cover? :)
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Eric Nagamine on February 14, 2007, 05:48:00 AM: Quote from: Leo K on February 12, 2007, 04:20:29 PM
I really love those Maurice Sendak covers too...I have Levine's M7 and M10 but I haven't found his M3 yet in the used stores here in Tucson.

Those original LP covers are great...I haven't seen those in the vinyl shops here.

The CD issues don't do the Sendak covers justice, especially the 3rd which has some wonderful detail. The cover has appeared in poster form in a collection of Sendak art, but it's been long out of print.

Besides the Levine 3rd, the Bernstein/DG Erte Covers and those others which have used Klimt's art are favorites. BTW, the Klimt's have to be seen in person. No album cover does justice to the brilliance of the colors in his work.

--------------
Eric Nagamine
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: barry guerrero on February 14, 2007, 07:51:08 AM: "BTW, the Klimt's have to be seen in person. No album cover does justice to the brilliance of the colors in his work"

A truer statement has never made - you must believe what Eric is saying here. I've yet to see even one reproduction that begins to do them justice.
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Ivor on March 11, 2007, 05:52:55 PM: Probably my favourite is the Westminster cover for M7/Scherchen.

Mostly because it was the first Mahler I ever heard and played.

Partly because it is actually a rather startlingly arresting design of Mahler minus all the backgroung of the '07 photo on the left of a plain white cover. The work and performer details also on the white,on the right. (I haven't got hold of the clever techno stuff to put the cover in here.)

Ivor
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: pincopallino on March 21, 2007, 05:25:00 PM: What about this? ;D

(http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/2192/mahlewrpw1.jpg)
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Leo K on March 21, 2007, 05:45:06 PM: :D :o
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: barry guerrero on March 22, 2007, 07:01:46 AM: Reminds me of the animated sequences during episodes of Monty Python :D
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: pincopallino on March 23, 2007, 05:49:44 PM: Quote from: barry guerrero on March 22, 2007, 07:01:46 AM
Reminds me of the animated sequences during episodes of Monty Python :D
Yes, but... what about the typo in Mahler's name???
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Ivor on March 23, 2007, 10:36:48 PM: My copy hasn't got the typo.

Do you think I can get my money back?

;D

Ivor
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: barry guerrero on March 24, 2007, 05:27:18 AM: Ahhh, that's great! Sorry I didn't notice that before. :'(
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Ivor on June 13, 2007, 07:12:47 PM: Just picked up a long-sought copy of M7 with Rosbaud.

The UK Saga Records cover is a favourite of mine,perhaps because it was the first Mahler symphony I heard complete - can't remember,it's more than 40 years ago - and certainly my first hearing of M7.

perhaps someone can get the cover online. It's moody,a black-and-white Caspar David Friedrich as it were,with a light sky top left half,dark woods borrom right. (Friedrich was a Romantic, painting vast landscapes and tiny figures [often],tho' there are no people in the photo.)

Wonderful.

PS. Shame there's no "sigh" smiley.
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: barry guerrero on June 14, 2007, 06:33:02 PM: I like how St. Anthony is preaching to a land shark on Zinman's M2

(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/51AW2wwWZPL._AA240_.jpg)
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Leo K on June 14, 2007, 07:09:28 PM: Quote from: barry guerrero on June 14, 2007, 06:33:02 PM
I like how St. Anthony is preaching to a land shark on Zinman's M2

(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/51AW2wwWZPL._AA240_.jpg)

This is now my favorite Mahler album cover.

--Leo
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Ivor on June 14, 2007, 08:07:30 PM: Ah,but Leo,have tou seen the RosbaudM7(Saga)? ;D
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Leo K on June 14, 2007, 08:13:06 PM: Ivor, I actually looked for that cover online...no luck :-\

--Leo
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Ivor on July 02, 2007, 04:03:07 PM: Last time I looked at this thread, there was a tremendous photo of a player about to play on of the hammer-blows in the 6th.

It's gone !!

O.K. Who was it? Where is it?
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Leo K on September 21, 2010, 01:34:43 AM: Bump :o ;)
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: brunumb on September 21, 2010, 08:49:07 AM: Thanks Leo.
I have been struggling to remember how to post an image, but I think I have done it correctly.

My favourites from current CDs have been the Zinman issues on RCA. I like the consistency of style across the whole series and I find the artwork very classy.
And no Zinman adorning the fronts ;D

(http://cover7.cduniverse.com/PhantomArt/Large/61/1684561.jpg)
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: Leo K on September 21, 2010, 03:09:00 PM: Quote from: brunumb on September 21, 2010, 08:49:07 AM

Thanks Leo.
I have been struggling to remember how to post an image, but I think I have done it correctly.

My favourites from current CDs have been the Zinman issues on RCA. I like the consistency of style across the whole series and I find the artwork very classy.
And no Zinman adorning the fronts ;D

(http://cover7.cduniverse.com/PhantomArt/Large/61/1684561.jpg)

The Zinman M9 cover is my new favorite, and so is Nott's cover to his M9 recording. Covers can sometimes influence how I hear the recording too!

--Todd
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: brunumb on October 03, 2010, 02:03:51 AM: The Honeck covers on Exton are rather cool.

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51hvDQHin5L._SL500_AA300_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51HfH7v3JQL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: singingfriar on October 06, 2010, 09:40:35 PM: This is still my to-date favorite:
(http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/b2/34/fe43c0a398a04430f12ef110.L.jpg)
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: stateworkers on October 13, 2010, 09:34:00 PM: You've got to give extra points for Sony's freak flag display on this one here. Fitting for the interpretation, though!

(http://inkpot.com/classical/covers/mah6szell.jpg)

and the Old Kubeliks on DG, though using now hackneyed choices, were of a piece with the recordings. I do have a soft spot for any Kubelik work.

(http://www.theanalogdept.com/images/spp6_pics/Vinyl%20pics/Mahler/No6KuDg.JPG)

and
(http://www.invinylveritas.com/pictures/KubelikMahler5.jpg)

Guillermo
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: brunumb on October 14, 2010, 12:46:07 AM: These covers seem to suit Mahler to a T. I wonder why.

Funny how covers with portraits of Mahler seem OK, but put a similar picture of Rattle or Boulez on the front and to me they are awful.
Title: Re: Favorite album covers
Post by: barry guerrero on October 14, 2010, 01:06:02 AM: "These covers seem to suit Mahler to a T. I wonder why."

Gustav Klimt, who probably came closest to being the art world equivalent of Mahler. Egon Schiele sort of works too.