DH gives 3/8 rating for Petrenko's M7th CD.

[John Kim]

https://www.classicstoday.com/review/petrenkos-munich-mahler-7th-boulez-without-the-warmth/

[John Kim]

I kinda had the same feeling about it - a beautifully manicured but soulless take on the composer's most colorful and kaleidoscopic work.

John

[erikwilson7]

Yeah, I agree with Hurwitz on this one. I might not go as low as 3 for artistic quality because the playing is very, very good. I would give it a 5/8.

[John Kim]

The paying is pretty good, yes. But Petrenko has little natural feel for the symphony especially when it comes to 'atmosphere'. He more or less rushes through these moments mechanically.

John

[barryguerrero]

I wonder what he would say about the Bloch/Lille/Alpha M7?      .       .     .    I think he would like it more than the Petrenko, but would probably say that these people have no business doing a Mahler cycle.

[erikwilson7]

Surely he'd say something like that. Personally, I see value in it. The first "French" Mahler cycle? Count me in.

[shawn]

There was a time when I visited classicstoday.com regularly. But I kinda got fed up. I find their reviews overdone, often to the point of handing out extremely low scores just to cause a stir and more traffic to their website.

Now I read that the recent YNS M8 is 'the floor', as if it's the worst recording ever made of the symphony. Come on, it may not be perfect (which recording is?), but is it really necessary to bash it like this? They have sacrificed all sense of proportion in favor of arrogant, exaggerated reviews which of course do wonders in increasing the numbers of visitors to classicstoday.com.

They may have impressive credentials as reviewers, but that doesn't justify this kind of sensationalism.

Kind regards,

Shawn

[sbugala]

I don't know if I'd go as low as a 3...but I "get" the Boulez/Cleveland connections. But I'm astonished that Gramophone praised this recording as much as they did. To me, it's severed from everything that makes it nocturnal, powerful, and beautiful. I haven't watched Dave's video of it yet...but I wonder if he mentions their glowing review.


Strangely, I LIKE Boulez's video of the same work with the Concertgebouw. I wonder if their vision kinda overwrote his. It's been awhile since I heard it, but I seem to recall loving Boulez's swift, but not un-atmospheric Natchmusik I.

[erikwilson7]

For me, there’s always a time and a place for Boulez and that’s what makes his recordings special. They may not be my go-to, but they’re always there when I want a different ‘opinion.’ For that, his Mahler is indispensable even if you disagree with him.

[erikwilson7]

And to Shawn’s point, I agree. Dave’s new Classics Today shirt in his videos says, “Abnormal is fine. Stupid is not.” I thought this guy was supposed to be the antithesis of the snobby, elitist classical music world, but lately he embodies it (literally). I’m all for making classical music more approachable and accessible, especially for non-musicians. That’s the only way it can survive in the 21st century. We don’t accomplish that by flaunting a sense of superiority.