I watched the last two movements of this again, late tonight (after the Giants victory). I really don't think that the problem here is Boulez, although he certainly could have come a bit more "unglued" in the back half of the finale. I've always wondered why the C.S.O. has never been my favorite Mahler orchestra, and I'm convinced that the hall is a big part of the problem. I heard them do Mahler 7 in Carnegie Hall, under Barenboim, and they sounded so much better.
Hearing the CSO in Orchestra Hall is not terribly unlike hearing the LSO in The Barbican. You can hear the woodwinds in Orchestra Hall, but the acoustics make them sound so dry and ugly. The clarinets, in particular, really seem problematic. I also just think that their percussion section isn't all that great. I guess that comes from decades of the brass calling the shots there, I don't know. And the hall isn't terribly flattering to the brass either (even though they play with great competence). The horns sit in the row in front of the low brass in a single line. They use those Geyer horns, which become very "bracky" sounding when blasted upon on at a full fortissimo (they sound great at softer dynamics). I would try to place the horns in the back row, and try to get them to blow a bit softer (let the back wall do the work). Either that, or get some big Conn 8D's into the mix (or Wiener single F horns). You can make space by pushing the trombones one chair over; sit the tuba one row closer, and divide the percussion across two tiers. I would also keep the trumpets off to the left side, and ask them to use German rotary valve trumpets (they generally have faster bell tapers that mellow the sound a tad).
The percussion are a little "off" too. The timpani are a bit dry and thuddy sounding. In that hall, I think you need to use sticks that are just a notch "mushier" in density and sound. Striking the cowbells with small mallets is effective for softer passages, but for the end of the finale, you really ought to have two players holding up two straps of cowbells and shaking the daylights out of them. Also, for the "tiefe glocken" part, why not bring a few large bells on to the stage instead of the ubiquitous tubular chimes (holy doorbells)? Pretty much all orchestras have a set, so why not make use of them.
There's no question that this orchestra really knows its Mahler. I just think that the hall makes it a bit dry, sterile, and brittle sounding. The unflattering acoustics also bring out the minor shortcomings of their woodwinds and percussion. These things weren't at all noticeable in Carnegie Hall. There, they sounded much more blended without individual strands becoming inaudible or too "muddy" sounding.
Topic: Boulez-CSO Mahler 7 on PBS Great Performances Tonight (Read 11002 times)