DG to reissue Lenny's Mahler symphonies AGAIN

[Russell]

Was browsing Amazon's website and noticed that Lenny's DG Mahler cycle will be reissued yet again, this time in DG's new "Collector's Edition" series:

http://www.amazon.com/Symphonies-Coll-Gustav-Mahler/dp/B0033QC0WY/ref=sr_1_33?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1267125422&sr=1-33

By my count this will be the FOURTH reissue of these recordings by DG, but at least the price is right this time.  (Ugly cover art, though.)  It's even a little cheaper from MDT right now (about $45 without VAT).

Russell

[barry guerrero]

Hi Russell,

We talked about this before. I'm assuming that these are exactly the same as the previous DG Lenny/Mahler releases, but with just the symphonies only - no song cycles. I do wish they would use the Konzerthaus performance of the 8th, as opposed to the Salzburg Festival one. However, I assume that Unitel must own the rights to that one.

[Michael]

I wonder if these will be remastered at all from the 2005 release?  If so, I hope they fix the few wrong brass notes in the RCO M9 Finale...ouch.

[John Kim]

I wonder if these will be remastered at all from the 2005 release?  If so, I hope they fix the few wrong brass notes in the RCO M9 Finale...ouch.

What wrong brass notes?? 

John,

[Michael]

I will find the place and give the point in time to you...there is definitely something in the horns that does not sound right.  It just sticks out...I will listen tonight and report back.

[Michael]

Hi John,

Okay, the two wrong notes I noticed are either from a french horn or a trombone--I can't tell which one, I'm a string man--and they occurr at roughly 11:22 and 11:34 in.  (There is a 1-or 2-second pause before the movement begins on the recording I have.)  The notes are both G sharp, and I can say with a reasonable amount of certainty that at least the second one is supposed to be an A natural.  I think this is at what you would call the first major climax; after that things go quiet and back into C sharp major.

[Michael]

DG's website is showing the set as available in digital .flac and .mp3 format for $39.99...a good deal, I would say.
I have not purchassed anything yet or heard samples so cannot comment on sound.[

[Michael]

Well, I went ahead and baught the set on iTunes--it only just became available within the last 15 or so minutes.  From the samples on iTunes, I am noticing more ambience...just from listening to the sixth, ninth and a little of the fifth.  The sixth and ninth are the only ones I am very familiar with from this set, so I will report my findings on those recordings and leave critique of the others to people who know the works better.

Interestingly, the price of $44.99 on iTunes seems very good, and honestly I wonder how long it will stay like this.  Amazon MP3 has the set for $40.64, and DG's Web Shop has it for $39.99, and that $39.99 is for FLAC lossless audio!

[Russell]

I'd be surprised if DG remastered this set again, but then you just never know.  It will be interesting to hear your impressions.  Just wondering why you got the iTunes version (256 kbps) when the FLAC version was cheaper and is lossless.  (I know iTunes can't play FLAC files directly, but there are converters out there.)

Russell

[Michael]

Mainly because it was easier to obtain.  ;-)  I also would need to convert them into iTunes format for my iPod anyway, so...yeah.  LOL