M6/Gielen/Salzburg 2013

[erikwilson7]

I personally think the exposition repeat is significant to the structure of the symphony. It’s the only one in any of Mahler’s works beyond M1.

I understand skipping it for conductors’ artistic reasons (like the Barbirolli), but I think skipping that repeat is always a risk and it doesn’t often pay off (again, it does for Barbirolli).

[John Kim]

TWO things I can't stand when it comes to M6th:

1) No exposition repeat in I.
2) A-S order

John

[John Kim]

My point about the 2013 Gielen M6th is this:

I am not going to return to it everyday or even weekly or monthly. For that I already have Bernstein, Levi, Tennstedt, to name a few. But it's a performance that's worth a visit from time to time, especially when my mood is right for it. It's not dull or bland musically and I am glad Gielen left such a performance.

John

[erikwilson7]

Good point. Like the Klemperer M7, I’m just glad it exists for my listening pleasure when I’m in that specific mood.

John, why do you like the Levi M6 if there’s no exposition repeat? Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a fantastic recording otherwise.

[barryguerrero]

I hate all of you and I'm going to give it a one star rating at Amazon!       .     .    .   What I do wish THEY would reissue, are the early BBC Mahler performances conducted by Boulez. Now THERE'S an interesting Mahler 6. Boulez took the first movement at a slower than normal gait - just like on his VPO M6 (and without dragging the "Alma" theme passage) - but did the remaining three movements on the fast side. It really worked. Boulez came up with very interesting performances in his first go around, without betraying his Darmstadt/Donaueschingen/Ojai roots. In other words, Bruno Maderna, Hans Rosbaud and M. Gielan, would all probably have approved.

[erikwilson7]

I STILL haven’t heard any of Boulez’s live Mahler, but I hear it’s usually better than the studio ones (which are already mostly good). I want to watch that lauded M2.

[barryguerrero]

His earlier BBC Mahler recordings all got issued on expensive Italian 'pirates'. The sound wasn't great on any of them. The M8 was pretty cool and I think it was recorded in Royal Albert Hall (huge organ on the recording). However, the tenor was in bad voice, and his voice actually gives out on one of his big Part II solos! There were two different M9's. One of those M9's had a Gilulini like, 32 minute first movement that worked quite well. No M3, M4 or M7. I remember the M5 being really good. The N.Y. Phil. Mahler box has a Boulez M3, but I think those have all dried up - hard to find now. Frankly, it wasn't as good as the Vienna one.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
The DVD of M2 is good, but certainly no better than the Chailly/Leipzig one, or the A. Nelsons/V.P.O./Salzburg Festival one. I have all three of those.

[erikwilson7]

The Chailly / Leipzig M2 is my favorite recording of the work. If it were issued to audio it would easily replace his RCO account for me.

I’ve been on a Chailly Mahler kick lately and I’m still holding out for an eventual Das Lied. Its just gotta happen! How could he record every single other work by Mahler and not that one? It will probably be with Lucerne if it ever happens since Chailly is “retired.”

[barryguerrero]

It's strange that Decca didn't issue a Chailly "DLvdE". He did perform it - Jard van Ness was the mezzo. They took it on tour and I saw it in S.F. The performance was fantastic, but it came at a time when I was greatly distracted by an incident that had recently happened. I do have a pirate of Chailly doing it with van Ness. Here's the funny thing: Jard van Ness was performing on Van Ness St. - the street that Davies Hall is on.

The Chailly/Amsterdam/Decca cycle is really very good. Like any cycle, some are better than others. I like the M1, M4, M5, M6 and M9 quite a bit. M3 is pretty darn good to. They're all at least good - none are bad. The M2 might be the weakest (but not so with the Leipzig one!).

[erikwilson7]

As far as full cycles go, Chailly's has got to be one of the most consistent along with Bertini and de Waart. You're right, the M2 is not great, but it's at least still good. The M7 is weird, but I admire it. The M3, M4, M5, M6, M8, M9, and M10 are among my favorite recordings of those works.

Strangely, it seems no one really talks about the Chailly Decca cycle anymore.

[barryguerrero]

.   .    .   only because there's soooo much Mahler now. Also, I think there are those, myself included, who would have liked for him to have finished his Leipzig video cycle.

[erikwilson7]

Having the Chailly / Leipzig cycle in a box that includes the Blu-Rays and CD versions would be an absolute dream cycle.

[barryguerrero]

 .    .    .    wouldn't hurt!

[ChrisH]

I find it odd that you never see Chailly as a guest conductor anywhere. He didn't seem to do too much of that anywhere he was MD. Now, it's like all you hear about him is at the Lucerne Festival, and his post at La Scala. Other than that, nothing. it's strange, he's a damn fine conductor and he had  a lot of success wherever he's been.

[barryguerrero]

If I'm not mistaken, I think he's very much a family guy and likes to stay close to home. Therefore, I think you'll find him conducting in Italy more these days. He just came out with a Respighi disc on Decca with the Filarmonica della Scala (Milan). Of course Covid has changed everything, and will continue to do so.