Reiner/CSO Mahler 4

[Seán]

Whilst on my travels I got a second hand copy of Fritz Reiner’s Mahler Four.  It was recorded in 1958 and features Reiner with the CSO.  I understand that this was Reiner’s first Mahler recording and by his own admission he had only come to appreciate the greatness of Mahler’s music later in life rather than earlier in his career.   It is a pity that he did not record the full cycle of symphonies as his interpretation of the Fourth is magnificent, the finale of the third movement is extraordinary.  One can only wonder what Reiner would have achieved had he recorded all of them.

I love this:



I have several versions of the Fourth, my favourites are Szell/PO and Kubelik/BRSO.  I thiink that Reiner's is up there with the best of them.  Do any of you have strong feelings about this recording?

[Don]

A classic and deservedly so. The Szell/Raskin is right along with it.

For a slightly more modern version I have long admired the Judith Blegen, Levine, CSO on RCA from the early 70's.

[barry guerrero]

For me, the famous Szell recording has too much obvious compression at peak climaxes; especially the climax to the slow movement. I agree that it's a great performance, but I like the mono Walter/N.Y. one even more (even though it has an even more limited dynamic range).

On the Reiner recording, I like it that you can very clearly hear all twenty-something tam-tam strokes leading up to the first movement's big climax. However, Lisa Della Casa has never been one of my favorites in this work. Both Szell and Reiner are very good with the scherzo (not everybody is).

For a slightly more modern version I have long admired the Judith Blegen, Levine, CSO on RCA from the early 70's.

Me too! Although, Blegen might not be to everyone's liking either.

Barry

[barry guerrero]

By the way, Reiner did conduct a performance of Mahler 7 with the Cincinnati Symphony, sometime before he came to Chicago (perhaps even before his Pittsburgh period).

Barry

[sbugala]

For me, the famous Szell recording has too much obvious compression at peak climaxes; especially the climax to the slow movement. I agree that it's a great performance, but I like the mono Walter/N.Y. one even more (even though it has an even more limited dynamic range).

On the Reiner recording, I like it that you can very clearly hear all twenty-something tam-tam strokes leading up to the first movement's big climax. However, Lisa Della Casa has never been one of my favorites in this work. Both Szell and Reiner are very good with the scherzo (not everybody is).

For a slightly more modern version I have long admired the Judith Blegen, Levine, CSO on RCA from the early 70's.

Me too! Although, Blegen might not be to everyone's liking either.

Barry

I picked up the Szell M4, and although I'll never be counted as a Szell groupie, I really like this recording. But I completely agree with you regarding the compression. The slow movement climax is ruined by it.  Szell passes most of my little benchmark tests in the first movement, including that weird, phatasmagoric chord a few minutes after the "Asian flutes."  (I know I'm not being very specific, but you probably know where I mean.) 

[Seán]

For me, the famous Szell recording has too much obvious compression at peak climaxes; especially the climax to the slow movement. I agree that it's a great performance, but I like the mono Walter/N.Y. one even more (even though it has an even more limited dynamic range).

On the Reiner recording, I like it that you can very clearly hear all twenty-something tam-tam strokes leading up to the first movement's big climax. However, Lisa Della Casa has never been one of my favorites in this work. Both Szell and Reiner are very good with the scherzo (not everybody is).

For a slightly more modern version I have long admired the Judith Blegen, Levine, CSO on RCA from the early 70's.

Me too! Although, Blegen might not be to everyone's liking either.

Barry

I picked up the Szell M4, and although I'll never be counted as a Szell groupie, I really like this recording. But I completely agree with you regarding the compression. The slow movement climax is ruined by it.  Szell passes most of my little benchmark tests in the first movement, including that weird, phatasmagoric chord a few minutes after the "Asian flutes."  (I know I'm not being very specific, but you probably know where I mean.) 

I agree with everything that you both have said regarding the compression and have made that point on other boards too.  I bought a copy of the Szell M4 on CD and was not impressed with it.  However, I later picked up a second hand copy of it on vinyl and it is superb.  Szell PO M4: Vinyl? Yes, CD? No!

[akiralx]

I'm not too keen on the Reiner - never heard the Szell (to my shame)...

Note the Reiner is available on SACD which will probably sound more congenial than the CD:

http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/3189

I have a few LS reissues and there is always a sonic improvement, albeit of varying amounts.