samples of I. Fischer/BFO M4 (Channel Classics)

[barry guerrero]

Here are samples from all four movements. Excellent sound!

http://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symphony-No-G-Major/dp/B001V3W14S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1236888969&sr=8-1

There's a longer excerpt of the finale at Channelclassics.com.

[sperlsco]

This one is available at eMUSIC as an MP3 download.  I've listened to it once through, but want to give it another spin before offering too many comments.  I will say this though -- Miah Persson has a superb voice for M4!  A couple of my main "focal spots" in M4 are a little disappointing.  The tam-tam in the first movement climax does not stand out (its buried under the total volume of sound).  In the adagio, the section with the increasing tempos just rather lays there.  Of course, much of the rest of it sounds right.  The adagio climax has a nice bass drum, for example.  The finale has the brisk tempo that I prefer, although the first part of it seems even too brisk in that I would like to hear Persson linger over a few phrases a bit longer.  It is well worth another listen, but I am currently on a tour of my Brahms Piano Cto 2 collection, in anticipation for this weekend's Bronfman performance in Houston.   

[barry guerrero]

Indeed, the timings seem a tad lingering in the first three movements, but swift for the finale. I too prefer that the Wunderhorn song be sung a bit on the quick side. Persson sounds excellent in the brief excerpt, and you can hear even more of her - for free! - at Channelclassics.com. If the climax to the slow movement sounds excellent (Scott's comment regarding bass drum there sounds promising), then this one will undoubtedly be a keeper for me

Barry

[Damfino]

I like those excerpts. Sounds quite promising. Bet it'll sound even more impressive in SACD.