Interesting (For Me, Anyway) New Digital Releases

[Michael]

For those like myself in the digital market, here are a few recent (or upcoming) releases I found on Amazon MP3 yesterday:
Macal M6: http://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symphony-No-6-Tragic/dp/B004CQDX3Y/
Macal M9: http://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symphony-No-9/dp/B004F7BWTW/
Haitink/BPO M6 + Jessye Norman Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen: http://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symphony-Lieder-fahrenden-Gesellen/dp/B0051U85J2/
Barbirolli/Rai Symphony Orchestra Turin M9: http://www.amazon.com/John-Barbirolli-Conducts-Mahler-Symphony/dp/B0051MDKL8/

The one that interests me the most is this Barbirolli M9 from 1960.  Anyone know anything about this performance and whether it is any good?

Thanks,

[stillivor]

Don't forget, whether a performance is any good can sometimes be a matter of taste.

Ivor

[James Meckley]

The one that interests me the most is this Barbirolli M9 from 1960.  Anyone know anything about this performance and whether it is any good?

It's from a concert given on 25 November 1960, and was originally available on the Hunt label. It features some really scrappy playing and terrible audio quality, but it's kind of an interesting performance if you can get past the sound and playing (I could not).

The label on which it's now being released—IDIS (Instituto Discographico Italiano)—is notorious for overly-filtered, "interventionist" transfers, so caveat emptor.

James

[sperlsco]

For those like myself in the digital market, here are a few recent (or upcoming) releases I found on Amazon MP3 yesterday:
Macal M6: http://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symphony-No-6-Tragic/dp/B004CQDX3Y/
Macal M9: http://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symphony-No-9/dp/B004F7BWTW/

Thanks,

Well that is quite interesting.  It appears that Exton is starting to offer their releases as MP3's in the USA.  That is a much more affordable way to get these performances versus paying $50 to ship the discs in from Japan. 

[barry guerrero]

"The one that interests me the most is this Barbirolli M9 from 1960.  Anyone know anything about this performance and whether it is any good?"

In my opinion, ANYTHING with the RAI Turin should be skipped. The orchestra just isn't very competitive (and that's being polite), and the recordings usually sound like dog-doo. I would avoid this like the plague. I also just don't think Barbirolli was all that great with the 9th.

The Haitink/BPO M6 is as flat as a pancake for the first two movements, but the slow movement and finale are pretty much excellent. Overall, I still prefer his first Concertgebouw one.