Favorite M9?

[John Kim]

But for me, it is the Oue's version that reigns over all other recordings for now. Todd, Barry, and I discussed about the recording numerous times, so please refer to the old postings for details.

John,

[chalkpie]

Chailly/RCO

[Michael]

I've spent a bit of time listening to the Lenny/RCO M9 and I must say...I really like it!  It's too early for me to say definitively yet but I think that one might be my favorite Bernstein M9th.
However...that said...it seems in the Finale as though the sonic characteristics change a couple of times.  I've only listened once, and I hope that is not the case...because honestly it was quite noticeable and distracting from the mood of the performance.
Any thoughts, John or anyone else who is a little more familiar with this recording?

[John Kim]

I've spent a bit of time listening to the Lenny/RCO M9 and I must say...I really like it!  It's too early for me to say definitively yet but I think that one might be my favorite Bernstein M9th.
However...that said...it seems in the Finale as though the sonic characteristics change a couple of times.  I've only listened once, and I hope that is not the case...because honestly it was quite noticeable and distracting from the mood of the performance.
Any thoughts, John or anyone else who is a little more familiar with this recording?

Michael,

As far as I can recall, there were no such sonic glitches. But perhaps I should return to the recording and listen carefully.

Can you give me the spots in IV you found problematic?

John,

[Michael]

Hi John,

Well, on second listening, everything sounds okay.  I probably had my volume too high and admittedly I was not in the best of listening environments.  Also, I'm having a few problems with headphones, so...

Take care,
Michael

P.S. Is it me or is the Finale really slow?

[John Kim]

P.S. Is it me or is the Finale really slow?

Its is SLOOWWW. But it is INTENSELY slow, so every bar, every measure counts in Lenny's reading.

So, it doesn't matter and doesn't bother me at all that it's SO slow.

John,

[John Kim]

It's amazing because if you look at the score there aren't all that many pages for the Adagio. You would think the movt. will be all done within just 10 min.

John,

[mahler09]

Riccardo Chailly & RCO's recording of the ninth is good and his complete Mahler symphonies (in box set) are very well done overall.  (In fact they make up my favorites for many of the symphonies.)  My favorite has Simon Rattle with the Berlin Philharmonic though for No. 9. 

[barry guerrero]

single disc: Alan Gilbert/RSPO (BIS)

2 disc set: "live" Karajan, 1981

bootleg: Bernstein/B.S.O./Tangelwood, 1979

[Leo K]

single disc: Alan Gilbert/RSPO (BIS)

2 disc set: "live" Karajan, 1981

bootleg: Bernstein/B.S.O./Tangelwood, 1979

You have reminded me to return to the Gilbert M9...

His M3/NYPO is out of this world...it has become one of my favorite recordings of Mahler ever.

--Todd

[John F]

A couple other recordings not yet mentioned that I enjoy are:

Kurt Sanderling / BBC

Barenboim / Staatskapelle Berlin

John

[chalkpie]

I gave Bernstein RCO a spin yesterday - I have to say it is a good disc, but the intonation of the lower brass just almost spoils the deal for me. And it is not just isolated to one or two spots - it is pretty consistently out. Anybody else bothered by this?

[Leo K]

I gave Bernstein RCO a spin yesterday - I have to say it is a good disc, but the intonation of the lower brass just almost spoils the deal for me. And it is not just isolated to one or two spots - it is pretty consistently out. Anybody else bothered by this?

The brass sounds fine to my ears, but it may be the limitations of the CD mastering that effects the timbre of the orchestra...the vinyl sounds incredible, the RCO sound fantastic.  It is just fantastic.  I wish I knew how to make a needle drop!

--Todd

[John Kim]

I don't have the trouble with the brass. I think the RCO brass always sounds a little too cultivated and cautious or even reticent. What concerns me though is the less than ideal recording quality which is rather shrill and lacks bass. I picked up a French remastered version of this recording at a used CD store and can attest this one sounds better than the US release or any other version I've encountered.

John

[Michael]

There is an issue in the Finale quacks a wrong note near the first climax in the Finale...terrible.