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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Bychkov/Czech Phil. M3 - I think this is a home run!

« Last post by barryguerrero on March 08, 2025, 10:03:46 PM »

My understanding, Wade - and John Kim can concur (say that fast five times!) - is that Pentatone wants to release the rest of the cycle as a box set. I'm not sure what that means. Symphonies 6 through 9 are what's left. My guess is that they are going to release two of the remaining four as a three disc set, and the other two of the remaining four as a three disc set. Bychkov's timings may be such that the remaining four can't fit on single discs, so they may want to save the number of discs needed by doing overlaps. Perhaps like the old Bernstein cycle on vinyl, they may release 6 & 9 together, then 7 & 8 together. John might have a better guess about all this.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Bychkov/Czech Phil. M3 - I think this is a home run!

« Last post by waderice on March 08, 2025, 09:15:07 PM »

In addition to the enthusiasm shown here and elsewhere for this Bychkov/Czech Phil. M3, it's also been indicated that Bychkov also did very well with M1 and M2.  If as indicated that he intends to continue with his Mahler cycle, for me, it may be worthwhile waiting to see how the rest of the symphonies turn out.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Bychkov/Czech Phil. M3 - I think this is a home run!

« Last post by John Kim on March 08, 2025, 06:52:24 PM »

Overall, Bychkov's M3rd can be taken in terms of the same strengths as those that were apparent in his M6th concert with CPO from the last year. Indeed, he conducted both symphonies around the same time^

John

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: M5 -P. Jarvi/Zurich Tonhalle . . . not sure what to think (?)

« Last post by John Kim on March 08, 2025, 06:48:21 PM »

Agreed on the Zweden/LPO M5. Although I am not a fan of Zweden-Mahler (his recent recording of M1 with SPO is terrible!), I have a soft spot for this M5th. He could turn out as a great Mahler conductor someday, who knows?

John

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: M5 -P. Jarvi/Zurich Tonhalle . . . not sure what to think (?)

« Last post by barryguerrero on March 08, 2025, 04:56:33 PM »

Yes, I'm not a fan of that mannerism either.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Bychkov/Czech Phil. M3 - I think this is a home run!

« Last post by barryguerrero on March 08, 2025, 04:53:56 PM »

Exactly, John. Even though the first movement reaches to 35 minutes, it just doesn't sound like it. I listened to the first movement twice yesterday, and I was 'riveted' both times. It's just great. I also love how he ramps up the tempo and tension going to the climax of the Scherzo's faster middle section. In addition, I noticed how the glockenspiel and triangle were very audible and 'bright' sounding near the conclusion of the "bim-bam' choral movement. I actually sort of like the unusual hesitation Bychkov does before the very final D-major chord of the finale (between the penultimate and final chords).

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: M5 -P. Jarvi/Zurich Tonhalle . . . not sure what to think (?)

« Last post by John Kim on March 08, 2025, 06:54:47 AM »

Barry

I've given the Jarvi/TOZ M5th a listen on streaming but have not noticed the sound issue you mentioned. Will try it again. On my listening I liked Jarvi's conducting and concept although there're couple moments where Jarvi slowed down for no good reason (he did the same in his recent Bruckner recordings with the same orchestra) depriving the music of flow and forward momentum.

John

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Bychkov/Czech Phil. M3 - I think this is a home run!

« Last post by John Kim on March 08, 2025, 01:17:44 AM »

Agreed. I think it is terrific, especially in I., III., V., and VI. Although I. runs over 35 min. it never feels dragging thanks to Bychkov's perfect pacing and CPO's wholly idiomatic playing. The Scherzo III. is, as Barry put it, just perfect with the post horn solo placed at a very good location and flowing so nicely. The Adagio is the culmination of this performance. At over 25 min. it may feel occasionally a bit 'static' but what a conclusion to the great symphony! My impression is based on headphones listening on streaming. Incidentally, my CD arrived just now so I will play it soon to get a better estimate. But I know I already like it very much.

PS The female and boys choirs sing brilliantly in V. It may be the best sung account ever recorded.

John

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / M5 -P. Jarvi/Zurich Tonhalle . . . not sure what to think (?)

« Last post by barryguerrero on March 07, 2025, 08:22:39 PM »

Hi. I'd like to get some other folks input on this. I've listened through the Paavo Jarvi/Tonhalle Zurich recording of M5 at Spotify. It seems a decent enough performance. But the recording itself .   .  I'm not so sure about. It appears to be one of those recordings where everything sounds loud. Yes, there's dynamic range to it. However, the low strings are so boosted up that it just seems to make everything sound loud. As if to underline my point, all the soft tam-tam strokes in the first movement are really audible, but the big, fortissimo tam-tam smash towards the end of the second movement seems no louder. Perhaps it's because I've been listening to the excellence of the new Bychkov/Czech Phil M3. Or, perhaps, it's just that every conductor and every orchestra on Earth appears to recorded Mahler 5 multiple times. Frankly, I think it's a mistake for these record labels and conductors to begin their cycles with the fifth symphony. As David Hurwitz says, it's the hardest one to get right. Perhaps more accurately, M5 is the most difficult one to make distinguished sounding. With all its Bach-like, contrapuntal chugging, it's very easy for it to sound routine.

The last Mahler 5 to knock my socks off, was the completely ignored Jaap van Zweden/London Phil. one (it's on the LPO's inhouse label). 

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Bychkov/Czech Phil. M3 - I think this is a home run!

« Last post by barryguerrero on March 07, 2025, 05:22:27 PM »

Hi. I know I tend to get enthused over new recordings, but this Bychkov/Czech Phil. M3 is much, much better than I had anticipated. I think this may truly be a home run. I till need to do more listening to get the overall effect, from start to finish.