I know most on the list are looking into recent and soon to appear performances. But the occasional historical performance of interest does appear.
The Canadian historical Immortal Performances has recently issued a collection of rare Bruno Walter items. Of note here is a significant 1948 NY Philharmonic M2. Although there are expected sonic limitations, this seems to be Walter’s most completely compelling version of M2. Both more dramatic than you might expect from Walter but also having much sensitive playing from the orchestra. In following the critical score, you can see and hear the close observation of tempo and dynamic nuance and presentation of great detail and naturalness. Also the recording does register a good deal of the instrumental layering of the score. The sonic restoration by Richard Caniell is impressive given the flawed original sources.
The text is in English as was common around WW2 as it is in Walter’s M2 on Music and
Arts from 1942.
Henry Fogel in Fanfare in the recent March/April issue comments on Walter’s Mahler interpretation with admirable balance. He writes that this is “by far Walter’s most dramatic and fiery Mahler Second performance to survive . . . Bruno Walter was, in fact, a man of the theater, and he brings this work to a close in a blaze of glory that clearly ignites an audience ovation at a time when Mahler was still a concert hall rarity. Where Bernstein emphasizes the music’s emotional turmoil, Solti its brilliance, and Haitink its warmth, Walter tries to balance those elements more evenly. Here he succeeds.”
Even with sonic limitations and the English text this is one of the most complete and integrated M2 performances that I have heard.
