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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Bernard Haitink

« Last post by barryguerrero on September 18, 2019, 11:59:34 PM »

I'm not sure he was quite as good in the last two decades as in previous decades, but that's hardly the point. Haitink was and remains a class act. His recordings of Mahler, Bruckner, Debussy, Ravel, etc., etc. - with the Concertgebouw - are competitive with the very best out there. He later spread that knowledge and his class act around to numerous places. We all know them: Berlin, Vienna, Dresden, Munich, London, Boston, Chicago, Paris, etc. All of these places, and the musicians he worked with in those places, are better off for having had that experience. How appropriate it should end with Bruckner 7 with the Wiener Phil. It could have just as easily have been Mahler 7. Bernard Haitink, ladies and gentlemen, has left the building. It's always best to leave them wanting more.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Bernard Haitink

« Last post by Prospero on September 18, 2019, 07:45:27 AM »

I think it worth noting the retirement this month at 90 of Bernard Haitink, whose 65 year career presented Mahler in concerts and recording for a span of time seldom if ever equaled. His dedication to Mahler since the 1960s is certainly notable and has had its enduring influence on our understanding. He is known for being a musician's conductor, and many orchestra members speak fondly of making music with him.

His first M9 with the Concertgebouw was praised by Deryck Cooke in 1970 as the finest version up to that time in his experience.

I have often felt that his sense of the structural integrity of the symphonies was of greatest importance. I first had this thought after a performance of M5 with the LPO in London in February 1983 where the chorale of the second movement returned at the end of the last movement with a sense of the underlying integrity of the work. This may be common experience of others, but hearing it live and recognizing it through the Haitink performance was very important to me. I heard him live in M1 and M9 twice also as well as in many other programs.

We all have our experiences and preferences, but I think it worthwhile to acknowledge the historical and musical importance of Haitink and his music making.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Haitink

« Last post by Prospero on September 18, 2019, 07:44:42 AM »

I think it worth noting the retirement this month at 90 of Bernard Haitink, whose 65 year career presented Mahler in concerts and recording for a span of time seldom if ever equaled. His dedication to Mahler since the 1960s is certainly notable and has had its enduring influence on our understanding. He is known for being a musician's conductor, and many orchestra members speak fondly of making music with him.

His first M9 with the Concertgebouw was praised by Deryck Cooke in 1970 as the finest version up to that time in his experience.

I have often felt that his sense of the structural integrity of the symphonies was of greatest importance. I first had this thought after a performance of M5 with the LPO in London in February 1983 where the chorale of the second movement returned at the end of the last movement with a sense of the underlying integrity of the work. This may be common experience of others, but hearing it live and recognizing it through the Haitink performance was very important to me. I heard him live in M1 and M9 twice also as well as in many other programs.

We all have our experiences and preferences, but I think it worthwhile to acknowledge the historical and musical importance of Haitink and his music making.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Gianandrea Noseda sets speed record for M2

« Last post by barryguerrero on September 10, 2019, 12:37:28 AM »

Thank you for the updates.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Gianandrea Noseda sets speed record for M2

« Last post by erikwilson7 on September 09, 2019, 03:14:11 PM »

His Shosty 5 was quite good, and I liked the 8th despite the Paiste tams. A 4th was just announced to be released on October 4; looking forward to it.

The 8th just got a decent review on Classics Today.

I am liking Andris Nelsons’ cycle better, however, but that quality is to be expected.

Also, if anyone else is interested in Shostakovich, Michael Sanderling (son of Kurt) just released full Shostakovich and Beethoven cycles with Dresden. Very impressive stuff all around. Sleeper hits for sure.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Gianandrea Noseda sets speed record for M2

« Last post by barryguerrero on September 08, 2019, 09:56:19 PM »

Yes, I'm curious to hear his LSO Shostakovich 8. Then again, I'm not crazy about hearing a Paiste tam-tam for the series of strokes that link the third and fourth movements.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Gianandrea Noseda sets speed record for M2

« Last post by erikwilson7 on September 08, 2019, 09:46:37 AM »

I just watched a live stream of Gianandrea Noseda conduct M2 at the Tsinandali Festival with the Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra. It clocked in at 1hr and 9mins from the downbeat to the end of the last chord. The ENTIRE symphony was less than 70 mins. Has anyone heard faster, or even close?

For the record, I was really not a fan of his Mahler 2; it was almost too fast to even function as intended. At least his Shostakovich with the LSO is sounding good.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Any sign of A. Fischer/Dusseldorf M8 yet?

« Last post by erikwilson7 on September 07, 2019, 09:38:13 AM »

No, but it should be right around the corner. I usually check upcoming releases on the Presto Music website because they announce things like a month in advance. No sign of the Fischer M8, so it may be more than a month out.

My guess is this one is taking the engineering team longer to master. The more time they put into it the better! I couldn’t be more curious about how good this release will be.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Any sign of A. Fischer/Dusseldorf M8 yet?

« Last post by barryguerrero on September 07, 2019, 07:16:31 AM »

Too early, I guess.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Jurowski M4

« Last post by Prospero on September 06, 2019, 12:52:20 PM »

I heard a live very impressive DLvdE in London with Jurowski and the LPO last September. Wonderful individual playing from the orchestra, often something like an orchestra playing chamber music much of the time. Stuart Skelton was the best live or maybe even recorded tenor I have heard in it. He could be heard live over the orchestral fortes in the first song and expressed whimsy, pathos, and humorous verve. Sarah Connolly was very good and sensitive, though perhaps a bit too "English." For me Christiane Stotjiin in Boston with Harding was much more soulful and moving. Still a fine performance to hear live with Jurowski and the LPO of today. In passing, Jurowski split the violins as almost all the great past conductors did, and he brought out the separate second violin part very effectively throughout.

The first part of the program was a sublime Mozart 27th piano concerto with an inspired Uchida.