relistening to Rattle M3/Wunderhorn songs (EMI)

[barry guerrero]

I guess I'll bump heads somewhat with Scott on this topic, but I really like the M3/Wunderhorn songs (the male songs) from Simon Rattle on EMI. I really feel that this is among his very best Mahler recordings. I know that he rushes the end of the sixth movement a bit - the sustained chords accompanied by two sets of timpani. But honestly, I much prefer this kind of fast treatment to the slow crawl that MTT gives us. What would have worked best, is if Rattle had progressively slowed down for the final few chords as well (Chailly does that!). But I think that his pacing everywhere else in the symphony is exemplery. The coda to the third movement is terrific, and I really like Birgirt Remmert - a really good Mahler mezzo, in my book. Better yet, is Simon Kennleyside in the additional Wunderhorn songs; he's outstanding!

Going back to to M3/6, I really like how Rattle conducts the "development passage" of this movement - if such a thing exists. I don't know how else to describe it, except by giving an actual timing (or bar numbers). It's about half way through the slow movement - maybe a bit more. It's where the music gets quicker for a bit. ANYWAY, I think that Rattle does a superb job of conducting his way through that passage (anyone wants a timing, I'll be glad to give it).

I also like that his "bim-bam" choral movement clocks in at a tad less than four minutes. Yet, it doesn't sound rushed either. I guess he doesn't slow down as much as some folks, in the slower central section of it. 

Another good example of Rattle's pacing, is back in the first movement - the quieter section that leads up to the beginning of the  development section (where the low strings play their big soli). Many conductors go slow through this passage, but Rattle keeps it flowing. It's an important and long, "linking" passage. Good coda to the first movement as well. All in all, there are far worse M3's out there.

.    .    .   oh, and I'll also add that the childrens chorus sounds really big, just as it did on Rattle's M8 also. For me, a small childrens chorus was the one shortcoming of Esa-Pekka Salonen's otherwise really fine Mahler 3rd. No such problem with Rattle and co. It's nice to live in an age when we're so spoiled

Barry

[sperlsco]

I guess I'll bump heads somewhat with Scott on this topic, but I really like the M3/Wunderhorn songs (the male songs) from Simon Rattle on EMI. Barry

...no butting heads here at all.  I re-listened to this last week.  My memory told me that this was one of the better M3's up until the last minute of the performance.  I never really liked the way Rattle sped up at the conclusion of the final movement (that is, "how much" he speeds up).  To clarify, I am not necessarily bothered that some conductors speed up at the end, just that it seems particularly rushed in the Rattle (and Barbirroli).  He does make up for it somewhat by holding the final chord, so he does not completely shortchange the ending.  Bottom Line:  I was previously making too much of my dislike of the ending, and it is much more tolerable once the shock factor of hearing it the first time is gone.  BTW - I had mentioned in a previous post that Ozawa's ending is similarly rushed -- but it really is not comparable to the Rattle one. 

Otherwise, there is just too much to like about this M3.   Other than a couple of times where I would have liked a little more low brass from the CBSO, the orchestral execution is fabulous, the Southern Storm is rather intense, the closing of the first and third movements is done well, the soloist is superb, and as you state, Rattle does a great job with keeping the tempos flowing.  Oh yeah, and the percussion is wonderfully strong throughout. 

[barry guerrero]

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