loving the Boulez Mahler box! (DG)

[waderice]

Unfortunately, the Adler recording of M6 is not the first version; it's the final version in whatever Critical Edition existed at the time. It's a bit of a mess as a performance—Adler's M3 is much stronger.

James

To me, the final movement of Adler's M3 is the best I've ever heard - though slow and the playing is a tad rocky at times, it has the most heartfelt playing I've ever heard of this music.  I have yet to hear his M6, and it's no longer available from Amazon. 

Wade

[sbugala]

I picked up the Boulez box recently. My only disappointment is that Henry-Louis de La Grange's notes were not reproduced. I may keep my individual discs (Syms. 1, 6, 7, and 9) simply because of the fine notes. Thanks for the heads up on the quality, Barry.  Overall, I liked his cycle. Despite his rep of being a sort of anti-Bernstein, most of the symphonies have plenty of power and sweep. My main problem is the M6's hammerblows. He almost seems embarrassed by them. Bring them on!

[barry guerrero]

Yeah, you're right about that. Your point about De La Grange's notes is a real good one too. Sorry about that.

You know, I kind of like having at least one M6 recording where the hammer strokes don't knock you out of the room. I sort of figure that we ALL know what strong hammer strokes sound like these days. At least Boulez employs the optional cymbals and tam-tam on the second stroke (bass drum doubling isn't optional). It has always sort of bugged me that Chailly passes on the cymbal and tam-tam doubling of the second stroke. I'm not sure, but I think he might even take out the bass drum.

On his last go-around, Abbado did the opposite: he added tam-tam on the first stroke, as well as the second. I thought that was kind of weird as well. Most of the time it's just better to do what the score tells you to do.