It's that time again: your best Mahler for 2009

[barry guerrero]

2009 started with a whimper, but sure ended with a bang. For me, the "best" Mahler recording for 2009 is the Ivan Fischer/BFO/Miah Perssons M4 on Channel Classics. But there were certainly plenty of other good candidates as well. However, my "favorite" Mahler release for 2009 is the Schwarz/Seattle M8. I've given all the reasons before - the main one being that it's just so naturally recorded. Here are some other "honorable mentions"

DVD of Mahler 1 with Fabio Luisi/Staatskapelle Dresden

Haitink/CSO M2 - it may not be real "special" in any particular way, but I find it fairly satisfying on the whole. It's certainly a huge improvement for the Haitink/CSO series.

DVD of Mahler 3 with Abbado/LFO - wasn't that 2008?

Marcus Stenz/Gurzenich M5 on Oehms - this would be my "other" best-of-the-year. However, Stenz did make a perfectly fine  recording of M5 for ABC Clasics, so I chose to stick with the Fischer M4. That said, this is a really fine Mahler 5 in every sense possible. I would have just liked for some of the horn solos in movement III to sound a bit bigger than they do here. That's not a major complaint by any means.

Jansons/Oslo M7 on Simax - I really like movements I, II, & V on this one. Now, if only movements III & IV were better.

Zinman M7 on RCA - I know, I know; Zinman isn't exactly setting the world on fire with his Mahler. But this is just so musically done that I simply can't ignore it. The slow, "moonlit" episode in the fist movement is simply to die for. And, believe or not, you can actually HEAR the stupid cowbells at the brief passage where the solo horns play their lonely signals back and forth to each other (movement II). Turn this baby up fairly loud, and it's truly quite satisfying. Sorry, but I really like it.

Gergiev/LSO M8 - was this one 2008 also? Regardless, it's worth mentioning from my perspective. It's certainly not the only way to do M8, but I really like it for what it is. I enjoy the several seconds of "hang time" captured at the end of both parts (St. Paul's Cathedral).

Gilbert/Stockholm M9 on BIS.

Alright, alright; I know that this is a controversial choice with some folks as well. But I certainly haven't found a single disc Mahler 9th that I've liked better than this one. It's proportioned a lot like the Abbado/BPO M9, but with stronger percussion and better sound quality. Again, I just find this to be quite satisfying.

Well, let's hope that something interesting comes out in 2010. I'm looking forward to the Zinman/RCA M8, naturally.

[John Kim]

I haven't bought many Mahler CDs this year. Most of time I was revisiting my old ones and found several surprises.

Not including these oldies, I must limit my choices to the followings:

Zinman/ZTO/RCA M7th
Jansons/OPO/Simax M7th
Nott/BSO/Tudor M9th
Gergiev/LSO/LSO M3rd

All four new releases are excellent with the Nott M9th taking the top prize. I have given plenty of reasons why I was so fascinated by Nott's take on the Ninth. As for the Zinman, I find it the very naturally played and recorded, sort of like his M6th. I am not sure, however, if this recording is as successful as the M6th (I will give my thorough analysis later).

Regrettably, I have not heard the Fischer M4th and Haitink M2nd. But I trust Barry that they are as good as he says they are.

John,

[barry guerrero]

"I am not sure, however, if the Zinman M7 recording is as successful as his M6th"

I do think that the 6th is the stronger of the two. But I still like his M7 also.

Barry

[sperlsco]

I would list these as my favorite 2009 releases:

M4 Fischer
M5 Stenz
M6 Zinman
M7 Jansons/BRSO
M8 Gergiev/LSO and Inbal/Tokyo MSO
M9 Nott/Bamberger


I'd really have trouble picking a best of the year, as I think that the Gergiev and Inbal M8's and the Stenz M5 are among the all-time greats.  I'd certainly list all of the above as first tier favorites though. 

I have a few more in my "to be played" stack:
M7/Jansons/Oslo (Mp3 download from Amazon)
M9/Gilbert/Stockholm
M1/Honeck/Pittsburgh

I think that all of the following ones are 2009 US releases. I wouldn't list any of them among my favorites, although many of them have their moments: Zinman M7, Nagano DLvdE, MTT M8, M2 Eschenbach, M1 Haitink, M2 Gergiev, M9 Rattle/Berlin, Schwarz M8. 

[Leo K]

I am also quite behind on the last year, and after I hear the Nott M9, Jansons M7 (Simax) and Gergiev M8 will then announce my winners!

So far, Oue's new M9 is at the top, with Zinman M6 and Schwarz M8 

--Todd

[barry guerrero]

Oue's new M9

That's an interesting choice. It's a real strange performance, don't you think? The first movement climax is tremendous. But then the inner movements are so slow, relatively speaking - especially the second mvt. I'm also not sure that Oue doesn't actually change some of the percussion parts either; here and there. The last movement certainly has a very elegiac quality to it. I guess that's good. Interesting but strange choice.

[Leo K]

Oue's new M9

That's an interesting choice. It's a real strange performance, don't you think? The first movement climax is tremendous. But then the inner movements are so slow, relatively speaking - especially the second mvt. I'm also not sure that Oue doesn't actually change some of the percussion parts either; here and there. The last movement certainly has a very elegiac quality to it. I guess that's good. Interesting but strange choice.

Indeed, I think it may be the strangest M9 I've ever heard, probably not my "go to" M9 everytime but certainly one to return to for special occasions...and the recorded sound is the among the best I've heard on Exton and anywhere else.  I think these factors, along with that tremendous 1st movement climax you mentioned have really drawn me to this performance...in a way the whole arc of Oue's M9 is unproportioned (if that makes sense)!  And not much predictability either...like Oue is improvising through the work willy nilly and stopping to smell the flowers more than MTT does.  The middle movements are "late-Klemperer" like but Oue really seems to make it work somehow.

I look forward to hearing the Nott soon, it may beat the Oue out for top choice, from what I've heard it sure sounds like a contender.

--Todd

[John Kim]

I just finished listening to the Fischer M4th and I have to agree this is the BEST Mahler recording of 2009.

Not only the Channels offers ideal sonics with absolutely no trace of digital glare, Fischer's take on this frequently recorded symphony is really special, full of fresh, novel ideas and touches.

Further, his reading is not wanting poignancy, e.g., middle section of III. and the final pages in IV. What I like about the way the entire Finale is laid out is that the conductor really slows down in the closing pages nicely making up for the somewhat speedy (but FRESH!!) treatment of all the previous parts up to that point. In fact, despite the lean and classy playing of the BPO this M4th is abound with many different moods as any great Mahler performance should.

Bravo to Mr. Fischer, his orchestra, and Channels for bringing one of the most outstanding Mahler recordings ever produced.

John,

[John Kim]

As Barry wrote in his amazon.com review Fischer's first three movts are 'moody' indeed. Listen how he handles the the second theme and its variation in III. He is as somber, serious, religious, and intense as I can ever recall, something I've never heard since Tennstedt's EMI recording. In the first movt. it seems Fischer injects his own touches changing balances and dynamics occasionally, but the end result is so refreshingly insightful that I was totally bowled over. However, most of Fischer's ingenuity lies in the soft, chamber music-like sections, and as such the climactic passages (in I. and III.) didn't sound particularly novel to me.

All in all, a remarkable achievement.

What's next in his Mahler cycle? I can't wait .

John,

[Leo K]

Been listening to Nott for the first time (SACD stereo layer) and I have to say I am quite bowled over here...a different animal altogether from the recent Oue and Gilbert...more thoughts later, but I can say I don't think I've heard I recording where the first movement was paced so perfectly according to the score. And the power unleashed because of it.  Amazing, amazing work.

--Todd

[Freddy van Maurik]

My favourites for 2009 are:

- M4 - Fischer
- M9 - Nott
- M9 - Gilbert (quite different from Nott, but I really like both of these)
- M6 - Zinman
- M2 - Haitink (a pleasant surprise indeed, as I feared Haitink had lost his way with Mahler entirely - M2 was always his best though)

Looking forward to Zinman M8 as well!

Freddy

[John Kim]

Oue's new M9

That's an interesting choice. It's a real strange performance, don't you think? The first movement climax is tremendous. But then the inner movements are so slow, relatively speaking - especially the second mvt. I'm also not sure that Oue doesn't actually change some of the percussion parts either; here and there. The last movement certainly has a very elegiac quality to it. I guess that's good. Interesting but strange choice.

Indeed, I think it may be the strangest M9 I've ever heard, probably not my "go to" M9 everytime but certainly one to return to for special occasions...and the recorded sound is the among the best I've heard on Exton and anywhere else.  I think these factors, along with that tremendous 1st movement climax you mentioned have really drawn me to this performance...in a way the whole arc of Oue's M9 is unproportioned (if that makes sense)!  And not much predictability either...like Oue is improvising through the work willy nilly and stopping to smell the flowers more than MTT does.  The middle movements are "late-Klemperer" like but Oue really seems to make it work somehow.

I look forward to hearing the Nott soon, it may beat the Oue out for top choice, from what I've heard it sure sounds like a contender.

--Todd

It happens that the Oue/NDR/Exton M9th is the recording I've visited most frequently lately. It's a lot like the MTT recording but it has better sonics that's not only smoother, warmer but with more details. Like MTT Oue uses rubato a lot holding the tempo here and there but IMO his tempos are better coordinated than the MTT. Alas, the orchestra is not always in top form, e.g., the first cymbal crash at a wrong spot in I. but it can be easily forgiven in the light of Oue's fascinating achievement. Above all, this one is a recording that makes listening to the piece an enjoyable experience.

Very special.

John,

[Leo K]

Oue's new M9

That's an interesting choice. It's a real strange performance, don't you think? The first movement climax is tremendous. But then the inner movements are so slow, relatively speaking - especially the second mvt. I'm also not sure that Oue doesn't actually change some of the percussion parts either; here and there. The last movement certainly has a very elegiac quality to it. I guess that's good. Interesting but strange choice.

Indeed, I think it may be the strangest M9 I've ever heard, probably not my "go to" M9 everytime but certainly one to return to for special occasions...and the recorded sound is the among the best I've heard on Exton and anywhere else.  I think these factors, along with that tremendous 1st movement climax you mentioned have really drawn me to this performance...in a way the whole arc of Oue's M9 is unproportioned (if that makes sense)!  And not much predictability either...like Oue is improvising through the work willy nilly and stopping to smell the flowers more than MTT does.  The middle movements are "late-Klemperer" like but Oue really seems to make it work somehow.

I look forward to hearing the Nott soon, it may beat the Oue out for top choice, from what I've heard it sure sounds like a contender.

--Todd

It happens that the Oue/NDR/Exton M9th is the recording I've visited most frequently lately. It's a lot like the MTT recording but it has better sonics that's not only smoother, warmer but with more details. Like MTT Oue uses rubato a lot holding the tempo here and there but IMO his tempos are better coordinated than the MTT. Alas, the orchestra is not always in top form, e.g., the first cymbal crash at a wrong spot in I. but it can be easily forgiven in the light of Oue's fascinating achievement. Above all, this one is a recording that makes listening to the piece an enjoyable experience.

Very special.

John,

I agree with your impressions John, despite the misplaced cimbal crash, the sound quality and performance all combine into a unique experience indeed.  It may be the best sounding M9 in my collection...it is that sonically impressive.  

--Todd

[sperlsco]

I would list these as my favorite 2009 releases:

M4 Fischer
M5 Stenz
M6 Zinman
M7 Jansons/BRSO
M8 Gergiev/LSO and Inbal/Tokyo MSO
M9 Nott/Bamberger


I'd really have trouble picking a best of the year, as I think that the Gergiev and Inbal M8's and the Stenz M5 are among the all-time greats.  I'd certainly list all of the above as first tier favorites though. 

I have a few more in my "to be played" stack:
M7/Jansons/Oslo (Mp3 download from Amazon)
M9/Gilbert/Stockholm
M1/Honeck/Pittsburgh

I think that all of the following ones are 2009 US releases. I wouldn't list any of them among my favorites, although many of them have their moments: Zinman M7, Nagano DLvdE, MTT M8, M2 Eschenbach, M1 Haitink, M2 Gergiev, M9 Rattle/Berlin, Schwarz M8. 

I'm just adding to M1/Honeck/Pittsburgh recording to my best of the year.  This belongs in the same category as Gergiev and Inbal's M8's and the Stenz M5 as one of the all time great recordings. 

[John Kim]

I've spent $$ already getting the Nott M9th, Zinman M7th, and Fischer M4th SACDs  . Now your enthusiasm about the Honeck M1 makes me to continue to throw away my hard earned money .

Is there an end??

John,