Haitink/VPO 1995 Mahlerfest Mahler Third - truly great!

[John Kim]

I've just finished listening to Haitink/VPO 1995 Mahlerfest Mahler Third concert.  I will give out out more details later but it's suffice to say that without a doubt this is one of the greatest M3rds I've ever heard. Timings are like

I. 33
II. 10
III. 16
IV. 10
V. 4
VI. 25

So, those who have been disappointed with Haitink's latest outing with CSO might want to give this one a try.

John,

[barry guerrero]

It's quite good for another reason: it was performed in the Concertgebouw. Because the orchestra plays on relatively steep tiers in the Concertgebouw, the woodwinds stand out in better relief than in most other halls. Sure enough, the VPO woodwinds had an easier time of it than they normally do in the Musikverein. You can hear that difference a lot in the flutes and bassoons, which often times get swallowed up in the Musikverein. But the climax of the sixth movement's long brass chorale - right where the final cymbal crash is located - is much stronger on the Boulez/VPO recording; especially the trombones. Ironically, this was also one of the great highlights of the Haitink/CSO recording that just came out (but not so much the ending). On this 1995 performance, that climactic passage falls somewhere between the results on the Boulez one (very strong), and the 1980 Abbado one, where the Vienna trombones completely fell down on the job (strong horns, though). I also feel that the first movement's trombone solo is far stronger on the Boulez; played by the English guy stolen from the LSO. Also, Boulez observes the "hinauf ziehen" marking for the solo oboe in the vocal movement (fourth movement). Haitink never did. I also like the brief gratuitous brass line - unison trumpets and horns - that Boulez adds in the "bim-bam" choral movement; towards the end of it, just before the brief trombone solo.  I've never heard that line in any other recording, but I like it (it's not in my printed score). But by and large, I agree that this '95 VPO M3 from the Concertgebouw is one Haitink's best ones. I still prefer his first Concertgebouw M3 though.

Barry

[Leo K]

John, thanks for the heads up on this...I dug this recording out this morning and heard the first three movements before heading off to work.  This is a "hot" M3 and very intense.  Even the "flowers" movement is intense, as if standing under a very hot sun, fighting the biting insects while trying to enjoy the flowers.  This M3 is indeed truly great and I can't wait to hear the rest of it after work.  The difference between this M3 and the CSO is like night and day, although I still like the CSO version (it's just very different).

Since the Boulez VPO M3 is one of my favorite M3's ever it will be interesting to compare.  So far, the Haitink VPO has a bit more energy and character over the Boulez VPO.  Thanks for your interesting thoughts Barry on the comparison.

--Leo

[barry guerrero]

We are talking live (Haitink) vs. studio (Boulez), if that means much. But I still find that the Boulez leaves a stronger impression in the end. Then again, I put a lot of value on the climactic passage of the long brass chorale in the sixth movement. I also like how Boulez just plows through the harmonic cadence points at the end of each of the two major sections of the offstage trumpet solo (posthorn). I also love that gratuitous brass line that Boulez throws-in towards the end of the "bim-bam" movement. But now I'm repeating myself. I also don't feel that the sixth really needs to be any longer than 23 minutes. 22 works quite well, as long as you nail the climactic passage of the chorale.

Barry

[John Kim]

Well, for me the live Haitink/VPO > studio Boulez/VPO/DG. Boulez may have more physical beauty but it is Hatink who has more soul, and I have always thought Haitink's M3:VI is very special even in the mostly dull BPO/Philips version.

John,

[Leo K]

Interesting comments there Barry and John.  Yes, comparing a live performance with a studio may be somewhat unfair, especially in the Mahler M3.  But the VPO, with Boulez and Haitink, show their characteristic sound, and it still is interesting to hear the approaches of both Conductors.

Well, I just finished listening to the Haitink VPO M3 from the Mahlerfeest, and overall this is the strongest VPO M3 I've heard, and one of the most extraordinary M3's I've ever heard.  A truly great Mahlerian experience.  Haitink's Mahler intuition is true and liberating here.  There is much sophistication but also wonderful risk taking from the orchestra.  It's got everything I look for in a recommendable M3:

--The feeling of an unfolding structure that reveals a grand design over a large time span, carefully considered so as not to give everything away at the beginning...check.

--Details heard in the orchestration, such as timbre-mixtures, that serve to magnify the grand design in the making, and keep the journey interesting...check.

--A particular grace in the execution of orchestral details, with sophistication and risk going hand in hand...check.

--Tempos that are effortlessly felt, take your breath away, and work for the overall grand design the composer and the players are after...check.  

--A general feeling of enthusiasm from the players, excited over the work and Mahler (heard on this recording in spades)...check.

--There is a feeling of completeness after the finish, a satisfaction that can't be explained or is difficult to explain, a gestalt, or unified whole that trancends the details...check.


Again, thanks for the heads up on this recording John.  Another good thing about the Haitink CSO M3 is the Haitink M3 retrospective going on on here and the Mahler-list.

--Leo

[John Kim]

Leo,

As much as I am impressed with this live M3rd, I am equally bowled over by his live LSO M6th account. True, it is slow, very slow, but never before I felt such a fullness at the end. Haitink gets every peak and valley so perfectly gauged in tempo, balance, and dynamics that the whole piece unfolds utterly naturally. On top of it, the playing by LSO is loaded with passion and grace that make the performance spontaneous despite Haitink's tight control. Quite an achievement indeed.

John,

[Leo K]

I agree...I barely even notice the tempo in Haitink's LSO M6 because it doesn't get in the way, it's only a natural outcome of the musical progress, thoughtfully considered and executed with dedication and intense concentration, more than I usually hear in Mahler.  It is a great achievement for Mahler performance and study.


--Leo

[Leo K]

Some more thoughts on Haitink...

Out of the M9's I have been listening to lately, I have gone back to Haitink's EYCO M9 (on the OOP Phillips release) the most.  There is something so Mahlerian about this M9...something so natural in it's progress that I find myself thinking of it even when I'm going about my day.  In particular, I daydream about the very opening of the symphony, which is the most perfectly realized out of every recording I've yet heard.  There is something about the "fanfare" horn and the intensity of the horn's phrasing alongside the cellos that blows me away to Mahlerland like no other performance has done.  Sorry, I sound like a broken record here, but the concentration and focus in this M9 brings out the details and action inherent in the M9 score like I've never heard.  The timbre of the orchestra, the tempos and etc are as natural and unforced as rain.  Of Haitink's other M9's, I only knew Haitink's studio 60's recording, which I only heard once and wasn't moved to listen again.  But THIS version with the ECYO is sublime.  The scherzo actually made me laugh out loud it was so good, so much personality and connection with what I percieved to be Mahler's spirit.  Haitink's intuition with Mahler sometimes knocks me out of my seat...at his best he inspires the right amount of color and builds the solid and true architecture (with the right amount of nuance and ornamentation) that serves to bring the best out of Mahler's score. 

On the Mahler list, Bruno stated how the CSO M3 performance only comes into focus at the finish...or he said something to that effect, and I agree.  The CSO M3 is a marvel of achitectural structure and luminous recorded sound and is a high ranking M3 in my book.  I have no problem with the recording...I had an enjoyable experience with the sound quality.  Actually, the image that comes to mind when I hear this recording is that of a large spiderweb, wet with morning dew, spread over a garden of pastel colored flowers...in other words, the spiderweb saturates the colors somewhat, yet the web strands provide a sharp clarity over the colors.  I feel Haitink has further refined his conception in an interesting way.  The journey has become more reflective when compared to his Mahlerfeest VPO M3. Yet, the commercial recording captures the famous CSO brass very well, so there is action as well as reflection.  Even though this is a quieter M3, the forward movement never drags, because the structure is solid and there no indulgence in any details.  I got interested in how the musical argument was being built...I was never bored. 

--Leo