Timings for Currentzis/Musica Aeterna/Sony Mahler 6

[barryguerrero]

I like the looks of it: Long first movement, followed by a quick scherzo. The Andante moderato is less than 16 minutes.

https://www.sonymusic.pl/albumy/mahler-symphony-no-6-2

[John Kim]

Very good, I like the timings! and Yes!!!! the Scherzo-Andante order!

[ChrisH]

If you have had a chance to listen to Currentzis' Tchaikovskii 6, I think you'll gather a good idea of what's in store. Visceral and violent, with very close use of microphones.

[Russell]

The hi-res download is out now and available via HDtracks (in the US) as well as at other sites that sell Sony downloads:

http://www.hdtracks.com/catalog/product/view/id/698055/s/mahler-symphony-no-6/category/154/

[barryguerrero]

"If you have had a chance to listen to Currentzis' Tchaikovskii 6, I think you'll gather a good idea of what's in store. Visceral and violent, with very close use of microphones"    .      .     .   

Right you are! I've listened to it carefully on Spotify and your prediction is spot on.

[ChrisH]

This is a damn fine Mahler 6. It's quite in your face, emphatic, violent and really percussive. It's also very classical in Currentzis' hands; he really brings out all of the fugue and counterpoint. It's all very clean and precise, but played with such conviction that it all sounds very raw and real. What really struck me was the sense of drama, story and intensity. Currentzis conducts a lot of opera, and I think his sense of musical story telling really comes through.

[barryguerrero]

While there's a lot of visceral impact, I also feel it's lacking a bit in good balances and exposed detail. I'm going to wait and see what an eventual Adam Fischer/Dusseldorf M6 sounds like. So far, I'm really liking that cycle - enough so that it has me listening to M1 and M5 more than I normally do. However, I will give Currentzis this much: his is the best M6 to come out of Russia since the Thomas Sanderling/St. Petersburg Phil. one. Currentzis is certainly the antithesis to Vanska/Minnesota (BIS).

[John Kim]

I like Currentzis' timings and overall architecture. But I find him too idiosyncratic to be authentic or effective. Some of his phrasing reminded me of Zigeunerweisen! Also, in I. I find the transition from the end of the exposition to the repeat of the exposition not very smooth. Here he starts very slowly but within a few second speeds up breaking the flow. Overall, I'd take Nott's M6 over this one.

[pgmdir]

I have a ridiculous number of M6's.  I've never loved it the way I love other Mahler symphonies.  I've recognized it's greatness, but a recording of the sixth is not always my first choice.  HOWEVER---  I decided to take a chance on the Currentzis, and...  When it ended, I started it again.   I played it again in a couple of hours.  And so on.  Why?  Hell if I know.  I just know I love it!  It's like a lightbulb went off.  And how did they get 84 minutes on one CD?   I would love to hear what he might do with others.  The more recordings I have of individual works, the less likely I am to have one single favorite.  I appreciate different approaches.  But at least for the time being, the Currentzis is my go to M6.

[barryguerrero]

Fair enough. This is why we have so many recordings of the same works. I love the two inner movements on the Vanska/Minnesota one (BIS), but not the outer two. I'm looking forward to an eventual Adam Fischer/Dusselfdorf one. He might get it just right. For one that's somewhat like the Currentzis, I prefer the Antonio Pappano one from Rome (EMI). As of today, my favorite overall M6 is Boulez/VPO, in spite of the underwhelming hammer strokes (we ALL know what loud hammer strokes sound like). I think Zinman/Zurich is pretty strong too (RCA).

[John Kim]

Let's not forget

Harding/BRSO
Stenz/GOK
Nott/BSO

There is also a new SACD of Paavo Jarvi conducting a Japanese orchestra whose audio samples sound pretty good.

[barryguerrero]

In the Nott vs. Stenz department, in the case of M6 I prefer the Stenz one. Both are good. Boulez/VPO is just so perfectly proportioned, in my book.

[pgmdir]

Ok, next time I do M6 I'll listen to my Boulez---   it will be interesting to compare.