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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Bychkov/CPO Mahler 8th concert last night

« Last post by barryguerrero on April 21, 2024, 11:36:10 AM »

That summation seems correct to me also. It's a little surprising to me that Pentatone wants to hold off issuing any more of Bychkov's Mahler in 2024. Although they give the explanation that they want 2024 to be a 'Czech year' for Bychkov/C.P.O., I suspect money is at the heart of the matter.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: for John Kim and others: Jansons/BRSO M3 vs. Haitink/BRSO M3 (?)

« Last post by barryguerrero on April 21, 2024, 11:32:33 AM »

Those are pretty much my observations as well. I also like how Jansons holds out the final note, but not as long as Abbado does on his earlier Vienna Phil. recording of M3 (which is really too long, I think). Thanks.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: for John Kim and others: Jansons/BRSO M3 vs. Haitink/BRSO M3 (?)

« Last post by John Kim on April 20, 2024, 07:29:35 PM »

Barry,

Jansons/BRSO M3rd: I really like the recording for both performance & sound. I don't have any issues with the sonics (Im listening to the latest remastering). Like you said, Stuzmann in IV is outstanding and unbeatable. However, I have two quibbles. First, in the coda of III. I can hardly hear tam tam. Second, V. is weak. I mean, where is the menace in the middle section of the movt.? Jansons doesn't seem to understand the meaning of What Angels Tell me in this sense, but most other conductors don either. However, the last 7 min of Finale is beyond reproach: I really like the way Jansons draws the last bar of the movt long enough to have the full impact.

Haitink/BRSO M3rd: I think the opening movt is simply too long and dragging not just tempo wise but also in its contents. The rest of the performance is very fine though.

John

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Bychkov/CPO Mahler 8th concert last night

« Last post by John Kim on April 20, 2024, 07:07:02 PM »

It's good to hear they will resume the Mahler cycle and complete it in 2025. This means (possibly) they have recorded M6,7,and 9 already and they are waiting to be released from their cans. I think they will perform and record the Third early next year.

John

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Bychkov/CPO Mahler 8th concert last night

« Last post by barryguerrero on April 20, 2024, 06:10:20 AM »

So according to this article that was published at the Slippedisc website, Bychkov will lead another Mahler 8 in Prague in - I presume - 2025 (maybe later). Here goes:

https://slippedisc.com/2024/04/breaking-bychkov-names-exit-date-at-czech-philharmonic/

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / for John Kim and others: Jansons/BRSO M3 vs. Haitink/BRSO M3 (?)

« Last post by barryguerrero on April 19, 2024, 08:36:24 PM »

I haven't listened through entire BRSO issue of Jansons M3 yet. Clearly the sound quality is better on the Haitink. The Jansons is recorded more closely. I think the percussion are a bit better on the Haitink, but Jansons' N. Stutzman is clearly the better singer - a true contralto. Both of them are really good with the last 7 minutes of the Adagio. Your thoughts, please. Pros and cons.

Erik, I would be interested in your thoughts on the Adam Fischer M3 vs. Jansons/BRSO M3 (I think you know them both pretty well). I think you've commented that you wish Adam Fischer had the BRSO at his disposal.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Would anyone here like my "Conversations w/ Seiji Ozawa" book?

« Last post by barryguerrero on April 18, 2024, 07:20:43 PM »

I would like to pass on my "Absolutely on Music - Conversations with Seiji Ozawa" book by M. Murakami (paperback). I would prefer to ship it within the U.S. I would ship free of charge, if 'media rate' is acceptable to you (it does take longer). It has one very good chapter covering Gustav Mahler. If nobody from the U.S. wants it, and somebody from outside of the U.S. wants it, I ask that you pay for the shipping first (I'll figure out that amount). Either way, please respond by typing "PM sent", then send my a Private Message. The Mahler chapter is very good. If no-one here wants it, then I'll donate somewhere here.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: What next? . . .

« Last post by barryguerrero on April 18, 2024, 05:58:11 PM »

Since Johan Botha passed away, no tenor seems to up to being closer to a true Heldentenor. Brandon Javanovich is excellent on the Markus Stenz M8, but he doesn't seem to be doing M8 any more (probably needed too badly in opera productions). Let's hope that Bychkov secures a good cast of soloists and, above all, finds a better than adequate tenor.

I deleted my Solti rant because it added nothing but negativity. You guys know I feel about his work - worst conductor I've ever seen in a live performance ever. To be fair, it was pretty late in his career.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: What next? . . .

« Last post by ChrisH on April 18, 2024, 02:00:16 PM »

It seems Bychkov is leaving the Czech Philharmonic in 2028. This report from Slipped Disc claims that the Mahler Cycle is basically ready to go.

"Here in Prague, we will combine (not in the same performance!) two enormous masterpieces which are so related spiritually: Bach’s B minor Mass and Mahler’s 8th Symphony. Mahler’s performances will bring us to the completion of the recording cycle of his symphonies, which will have taken 7 years to realize."

https://slippedisc.com/2024/04/breaking-bychkov-names-exit-date-at-czech-philharmonic/

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: What next? . . .

« Last post by waderice on April 16, 2024, 10:38:05 AM »

Even though the early M8 recordings (Abravanel, Bernstein, Haitink, Kubelik, and Solti) were all studio recordings, nearly all live recordings of the work after those five sound so much better as performances, not as big blast fests.  I know that there are a few recordings after those initial five that were recorded as studio ones, but I don't know nor particularly care what those are.  I'm quite happy that the recording by Philly/Nézet-Sëguin observing the hundredth anniversary of the work's first performance in America was a live recording, and that has the intensity as to how the work should sound.  Musical.  Not a blast fest.  And I'm so happy that I was at that performance!  You could feel how charged the air was in the Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center (Verizon Hall will shortly be renamed/rededicated as the Marian Anderson Hall) when the performances took place.

Wade