brief review of A. Fischer M9 from Spotify

[barryguerrero]

The new Adam Fischer/Dusseldorf M9 is up on Spotify and is available to purchase as a download. No cd as of yet. Musically, I'm becoming ever more impressed with Adam Fischer.

In the first movement - performed faster than usual (25 minutes) - Fischer nails the main climax of the movement, capping it with an incredible tam-tam smash. The last movement is outstanding (also 25 minutes) and is the 'crown jewel' of the performance. Once again, A. Fischer does nearly as well as the '80-something Karajan with the main climax. In fact, IT IS the best I've heard it done since Karajan. The two inner movements are nice and propulsive. I particularly like the way Fischer handles the slower, middle section of the Rondo-Burlesque. However, these two inner movements are where the 'slicker' playing of the Berlin Phil. trumps the Dusseldorfers a tad. Their more 'rustic' style doesn't serve them so well in these two movements. Still, I very much like Fischer's conducting throughout. If this gets issued on CD, I'll add it to the collection.

[erikwilson7]

Musically, I'm becoming ever more impressed with Adam Fischer.

I couldn’t agree more. His conducting style and interpretations are some of the best I’ve heard in Mahler, ever. The way he captures the innermost details and treats every line of every section as significant is outstanding to me.

Yes, Düsseldorf isn’t as refined as the world’s major orchestras, but what I really admire about this cycle is that it forces the players to give it their all. These recordings have that in-the-moment magic of the recordings of the past when the world was still discovering Mahler’s music and it was still a feat to pull them off in performance. As opposed to hearing world-class orchestras play the symphonies like it’s any other “day at the office.”

[barryguerrero]

Agreed.