New M2 with Netopil / Essen; continuing cycle

[erikwilson7]

It’s been a few years since the last installation in this cycle. We got a M9 and a M6, both of which were… decent at least.

This new release, M2, is definitely a step up. And as far as Oehms goes this is a better M2 than their Stenz one.

This doesn’t replace any favorites and it’s not one of the greats, but it satisfies me and ticks all the boxes.

It has a larger, more reverberate sound like I. Fischer’s and Chailly’s. In other words, the opposite of the spot-miked and drier mixes from BIS and the Boulez DG cycle.

[barryguerrero]

I think that's a very fair assessment. It was, of course, dismissed out of hand by D.H. in one of his online reviews. While this release certainly wasn't 'needed', it's not that bad. In fact I think it's quite decent, if not earth-shaking in the process. 

[erikwilson7]

I've learned that, for the most part, whenever Dave Hurwitz dislikes a Mahler recording I am most likely going to enjoy it.

Although I don't agree with every point he makes, he's right in that this recording was not needed. He tends to way over-state his gripes with things. He says that he likes the big col legno moment in the first movement, but it is so loud that it detracts from the main melody in the brass. I didn't find that to be the case at all; if anything, it's just that the brass isn't projecting strongly enough with their sound, and it's not a problem with the string players or the audio mixing.

However, I'm not going to complain about more Mahler recordings existing.

[barryguerrero]

Me neither. The bigger the gene pool, the more likely some recording is going to 'tick all the boxes' and sound like a real performance in the process.