M2 conducted by Rafael Fruehbeck de Burgos

[waderice]

Most people who have been into Mahler for a long time do not usually associate Rafael Fruehbeck de Burgos as a conductor of Mahler, and they would be right, as do I.  I generally thought him to be a good conductor of most major 19th and 20th century composers, but not Mahler.  I fondly recall him here in Philly conducting a really good Orff Carmina Burana, in the last couple years of his life before cancer took him, and a Strauss Alpine Symphony years ago in Washington, DC.  He was always well-thought of, and a welcome guest conductor wherever he appeared on major orchestra podiums.

Here he is, conducting an M2 with the RAI Orchestra of Turin, in 2006.  The playing overall, is pretty good, the soloists excellent (particularly the contralto), and the chorus sings their part well.  There is no flamboyance from Fruehbeck de Burgos, nor excess from the orchestra.  He conducts the piece very well, and seems to be enjoying himself, particularly in the second movement.  Camera work is above average, with appropriate highlighting of players, soloists, chorus, and conductor at the appropriate places in the score.  This is a performance that I could live with, if it were the only M2 on video in my collection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8Z7h0Il-oI

RIP, Maestro Fruehbeck de Burgos.  I'm glad you left a good Mahler Second for us to enjoy.

Wade

[James Meckley]

While Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos didn't record any Mahler for commercial release, he performed quite a bit of it during his long career and he received the Gold Medal of the International Gustav Mahler Society in 1996. I have a very impressive air check of a Mahler 3 he did with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 2012.

James

[barry guerrero]

Not to discredit Fruhbeck de Burgos in an any way, but by 2012, you - meaning most anyone - could probably walk out on stage in Orchestra Hall, give a prep. beat on 3, have the BSO horns play their pick-up note on beat 4, get them to beat 1, walk off stage and return to collect your applause about 100 minutes later. You could even go eat someplace near by. I'm exaggerating, of course, but probably not by a whole lot.