M8 Inbal, Tokyo Met SO, Exton Label – A Real Winner!

[sperlsco]

Surprisingly, this one is a real winner.  In some respect, I shouldn’t be “surprised” because Inbal’s first commercial M8 attempt (Denon/Brilliant label) is very good.   Also, the Tokyo Met SO recently made some very nice recordings under the baton of Bertini.  However, I was most disappointed with the Bertini MSO M8, which was way too single-mindedly fast and had generally sub-par singing from the all-Japanese cast – especially from the three male soloists.  The Gretchen from that performance was probably the best of the singers, although not quite top flight (a bit timid in voice) – and carries over to this performance where she does the Magna Peccatrix part (at least I am assuming).  The two altos, Mater Gloriosa, and the tenor also carry over from the Bertini to the Inbal performance.  Fortunately, the tenor does not repeat his poor performance and is much improved here.  He tends to bark out his words a bit, but at least he is strong voiced.  I may not LOVE the singing here, but it is good enough – and MUCH better than the Bertini/TMSO.  The different bass and baritone singers are a much-needed improvement.      

This is generally a brisk performance, clocking in at about 74 minutes (excluding 30 seconds of applause at the end) – which puts it on the faster side of the spectrum along with Jarvi/Gothenburg (just over 70’), Kubelick/Audite (72’) and the aforementioned Bertini (72’).  What Inbal does much better than any of them is make slight variations of tempi to build and release the tension at critical points.  To my ears, the other two sound like sprints from start-to-finish – whereas Inbal has very good feel for the music and all of its transitions, even at tempi that I tend to think of as too fast.

This is a stereo-only SACD that features really superb, crystal-clear sound.  There is an amazing amount of transparency where you can hear many layers of music.  This pays particular dividends in the amount of woodwind detail.  Also, many of Mahler’s special-use instruments standout (mandolin, celesta, piano, harps, ...)  The downside is that it clearly picks up Inbal’s humming and singing throughout the performance (which might be a deal killer for some – and it is rather annoying).  The playing is quite spectacular in general, although the horns sound a bit watery in one or two spots.  In several sections, the massed violins seem to be playing with less vibrato and stand out for their clarity.  The massed choirs are good and the children’s chorus is properly audible.  The organ is prevalent, but not in the same category as the recent Gergiev.  

The ending to both Parts I & II are superb – but the ending to Part II is simply one of the best I’ve heard.  Inbal’s Franfurt one was similar to Bertini’s Cologne one in terms of the slow, drawn-out, grand ending.  As such, I had high hopes going into this one – offset by the experience of Bertini’s TMSO one that was a sprint through the finish and had nothing in common with his first version.   Here, Inbal takes his time with the entire last section, slowly building the Chorus Mysticus to a deafening pitch.  All five of the tam-tam smashes are quite audible, but the last three (the ones doubled by cymbals – and in perfect unison may I add) are simply gigantic.  Inbal has the bass drum play a crescendo into the first of the last three smashes a la Sinopoli.  After the final smash, you can plainly hear a tuba blow out its support – something I’ve never heard before.  At the final note he has the entire orchestra play a crescendo (a la Shosty 7 perhaps) – including a huge bass drum crescendo and that tuba again!  I love having applause at the end of a concert, and this one features a typically boisterous Tokyo crowd expressing their loud approval (I think I would enjoy being part of this crowd).

So to sum it up, I can enthusiastically recommend this recording.  The only knock is the solo singing – including Inbal’s distracting noises throughout.  

[John Kim]

Thanks for the enthusiastic report, Scott.

I am not surprised at all by the success of this M8th, having heard excellent live Mahler recordings - M3 & M8 both with this same orchestra - Inbal made in Japan.

I heard Inbal's recent M5th with TMSO also received pretty good reviews.

I also have a M9th he did with NHK Orch. back in late 70's and that too is pretty darn good.

So, Inbal seem to have done really well in Japan.

I will look for this M8th when I order bunch of discs from Japan next time .

Best,

John,

[Leo K]

Thanks for the excellant review!  I too will add to make next Japan purchase...

Inbal's commercial M8 on Denon was the recording that first really awakened me to how great this work really is (after only hearing the Solti for some time)...I still think this is one of the great M8's.


--Todd

[barry guerrero]

This is good to hear because the Youtube excerpts aren't nearly so impressive. No doubt, Exton's sonics make a huge differnce.

[Amphissa]

I've got Inbal's Frankfurt cycle and IMO, it is really underrated. Quite a decent series of recordings. I've never heard any of his other recordings. I'm not crazy about the 8th, so I probably would not go to any great lengths (or expense) to hear this one. Same regarding hs 6th, which I know he also recorded with the Tokyo Met. But, are there any Inbal recordings of any of the other symphonies with the Tokyo Met? Or with any orchestra other than Frankfurt that I might want to hear? I admit, I've not looked around.
 

[barry guerrero]

I listened to a burn copy of Inbal's new Japanese M8. While I do agree that it's very good, I can't muster the same degree of enthusiasm for it that Scott has already expressed. Once again, there's an organ problem. The very opening chord is fantastic, but then we never hear that much density of sound from the organ ever again. I don't understand that because at the end of both parts, Mahler very clearly writes "fortissimo" with the words, "volles werke" throw in (all stops out, basically). That said, the endings to both parts are done very well under Inbal's direction. The tam-tam smashes at the end of Part II are about as strong as I've ever heard them (but check out the 50" Wuhan tam-tam on the final Maazel/VPO M8 excerpt on Youtube). The choral singing is very good throughout, but I'm not really happy with the cast of soloists.

The upper two soprano soloists are pretty good, and the tenor is passable (but not great). But the two mezzos and the lower soprano leave plenty to be desired. They're truly the weak link, vocally speaking (and again, I'm less than thrilled with the ever critical tenor solos). The baritone and bass-baritone are decent. But there are things about Inbal's conducting I find a bit bothersome as well.

For me, Inbal's a bit too "contrasty" throughout the performance - making big contrasts between fast and slow sections. Like Solti, he starts Part I with a fairly fast beginning, but then - also like Solti - slows down markedly for the second subject; allowing his cast of soloists to wallow in a bath of excessive swells and wide vibratos (I'm convinced that the soloists should be back in the chorus for Part I). That said, Inbal does very well with the climax to the big double fugue - the unison reiteration of "Veni, Veni Creator Spiritus". He also turns in about the best "Gloria" passage I've yet to hear; although, the descending 8th note runs in the offstage trombones - located about six bars from the end of Part I - are completely inaudible (hey, there's a ton of noise going on there). A bit more organ would have made Part 1's ending truly sensational.

The start of Part II demonstrates more wide contrasts between fast and slow sections. Personally, I like for a tad more unification of tempi - the slow beginning to Part II not taken quite so slowly. But for the most part, things go fairly well. The Mendelssohn-like passages for the childrens chorus go, indeed, quite swiftly. But then Inbal makes a huge miscalculation, as his impatience gets the best of him: he takes the soft passage for high strings, harps, and harmonium - later to be joined by the woodwinds and chorus - too fast by almost half. It's over with before you even know it, and you're suddenly having to deal with the three Penitent Women (oh boy!). Those penitent gals aren't terrible, but they're not great either. But the final soprano solo - "Mater Somebody-or-another" - is fairly good, as is the offstage soprano solo that sets up the "Blicket auf" passage. It's also worth noting that the mandolin is quite audible in its few, brief appearances. Anyway, Both the "Blicket auf" and "Alles vergaengliche" passages are truly excellent, and I suppose that's what really matters most in any Mahler 8 performance. Again, I would have liked more density of organ sound at the end, as well as more organ pedal in the bass. But hey, at least there's a big bass drum crescendo in the final bar. And again, the tam-tam smashes are about as strong as one could hope for (save the Maazel/VPO 50" Wuhan monster).

I've done a lot of fussing about small things, but that's because the major things are really covered quite well by Inbal. The sound is very good, which is also a problem: Inbal's grunting, singing, and other unidentified vocalizations, are completely audible. I also wish that he hadn't rushed that beautiful passage for high strings, harps, and harmonium (chamber organ). For me, that's a pity.

Barry Guerrero

[Damfino]

Posted by Barry G: Inbal's grunting, singing, and other unidentified vocalizations, are completely audible.

That has always annoyed the heck out of me with Inbal. I like to recommend his original Mahler set as a great value when it is cheap (I paid $20 or so-a steal), but I really hate listening to his "singing". It is particularly audible if you are listening with headphones. With speakers, you can dismiss the sounds like any other sounds you hear when listening to music (clock chiming, dog barking, phone ringing, etc). But with headphones there is no escaping it. I guess they need the Cone of Silence to descend when Inbal is recording.

[John Kim]

Posted by Barry G: Inbal's grunting, singing, and other unidentified vocalizations, are completely audible.

That has always annoyed the heck out of me with Inbal. I like to recommend his original Mahler set as a great value when it is cheap (I paid $20 or so-a steal), but I really hate listening to his "singing". It is particularly audible if you are listening with headphones. With speakers, you can dismiss the sounds like any other sounds you hear when listening to music (clock chiming, dog barking, phone ringing, etc). But with headphones there is no escaping it. I guess they need the Cone of Silence to descend when Inbal is recording.

In this regard, nobody can beat Ken Ichiro Kobayashi. In virtually every recording he has made, he let himself be a vocal part of his orchestra. All the more reason why I hate it because his is not a pretty singing .

John,