A newbie's beginning Mahler collection

[hrandall]

Hello Everyone!

I thought it might be interesting for some of you to list what CDs a Mahler neophyte might purchase when left to his own devices, and the tender mercies of Tony Duggan, Dave Hurwitz and random Amazon reviewers. Many of the most recent ones that I've bought are a result of your input here on the board, too.

I've marked favorites with an asterisk. I've not included any digital downloads of which I have a few (mostly paid for, some found) or trades / gifts from you generous board members.

I await your analysis, comments, suggestions or brickbats. :-)

Once again, I want to thank all of you for your advice and insight here on the board. It's been a real pleasure reading your messages and getting to know some of you.

Cheers,
Herb

M1
Kondrashin / NDR
Tennstedt / LPO

M2
Abravanel / Utah
Fischer / Budapest Festival
Fried (Naxos version)
Jurowski / London *
Kaplan (The Mahler Edition / London)
Colorado Mahlerfest XII (1999)
Mehta / Vienna *
Suitner / Staatskapelle Berlin *
Tennstedt / LPO (studio)
Tennstedt / LPO (live) *
Wit / Warsaw

M3
Bychkov / WDR Koln
Martinon / Chicago * (The one exception I'll make to listing a CD-R trade since it has far and away become my favorite)
Rogner / Rundfunk Berlin (just got this and have not yet listened to it fully)

M4
Zarajan / Berlin
Kletzki / Philharmonia *

M5
Barshai / Junge Deutsche Philharmonie *
Neumann / Leipzig

M6
Barbirolli / New Philharmonia *
Saraste / Oslo *

M7
Barenboim / Staatskapelle Berlin *
Kondrashin / Leningrad *

M8
Inbal / Tokyo Metropolitan *
Colorado Mahlerfest VIII (1995) *
Ozawa / Boston *
Shaw / Atlanta
Tennstedt / LPO (live)
Wit / Warsaw *

M9
Ancerl / Czech *
Barshai / Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra
Haitink / RCO
Colorado Mahlerfest XVIII (2005) *
Rattle / Berlin *

DLvdE
Bernstein / VPO *
Gielen / SWR
Haitink / RCO
Kletzki / Philharmonia
Kubelik / Audite live *
Oue / Minnesota *

M10
Barshai / Junge Deutsche *
Noseda / BBC *
Olson / Warsaw *
Ormandy / Philadelphia

Lieder
Baker / Barbirolli *
Hampson / Bernstein

DKW
Otter / Quasthoff / Abbado *

DKL
none yet - recommendations for a single purchase? I was thinking about getting the one from Colorado Mahlerfest.

Box sets
Bertini / Koln * (I would highly recommend this to any new Mahlerite as a first purchase, or if I had to begin my own collection again)

[barry guerrero]

For DKL, unless you're really into sacd playback, you'd probably want to just find the original RCA version of the MTT/SFSO one. That would be far less expensive than the sacd reissue of it from the SFSO directly. I'd also look into Kent Nagano's recording of the original first version. Some folks say that the dvd of the Jurowski performance is real good. I'm hoping Boulez will record it for DG.

I think you need to get about 10 more M2's  ;-)

[stillivor]

From your list, you don't sound too much of a newbie :-)

As well as your list of 'authorities', don't forget the reviewing mags [The gramophone mag has archived most of their entire run from 1923] and the many book guides to recordings [you remember books?].

Otherwise, who knows who will turn you on, conductor-wise.

I can but mention some faves.


From your list, you don't sound too much of a newbie :-)

As well as your list of 'authorities', don't forget the reviewing mags [The gramophone mag has archived most of their entire run from 1923] and the many book guides to recordings [you remember books?].

Otherwise, who knows who will turn you on, conductor-wise.

I can but mention some faves.

M1
Horenstein/LSO
Mitropoulos/Minneapolis



M3
Abbado/Lucerne

M4
Sejna/CPO
Abbado

M5
Scherchen {1950s]

M6
Horenstein
Charles Adler

M7
Mitropoulos
Bernstein
Kubelilk
Rosbaud [2nd recording c.'57]

M8
Horenstein

M9
Walter


Iow, a vote not to overlook recordings of the more distant past.



    Ivor

[hrandall]

I think you need to get about 10 more M2's  ;-)

Barry,

Yes - if my Mahler CD collection were an investment portfolio it would be overdue for a rebalancing.

Cheers,
Herb

[techniquest]

I think that's an impressive list for a newbie! However I agree with BG that you need more M2's! And a lot more M3's come to that.
The problem - or is that the beauty - of listening to and enjoying music, and maybe especially the music of Mahler, is that one person's super-dooper performance is another persons ho-hum. That's me with the M2's of Klemperer and Kaplan: they simply don't grab me.
I have a lot of digi-downloads mostly of live concerts (radio broadcasts), some of which are pretty awful, but some of which are superb such as the M2 by the Sao Paulo State SO under John Neschling; the 1975 Boulez Proms performance of M8, and the Marin Alsop / Bournemouth SO M3 from 2007.
I also have some oddities such as DLvDE sung in Chinese, and some non-commercial provincial releases such as M3 by the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra under Marko Letonja, and the same by the Scottish Sinfonia under Neil Mantle; an M2 by the Bristol Concert Orchestra under Stefan Hofkes from 2010 and an M1 by the Wiltshire Sinfonia under Malcolm Binney from 2008 (with a cracking 2nd movement).
Of the commercial recordings not yet mentioned, I particularly enjoy the following:
M1 - London Philharmonic / Delogu
M2 - CBSO / Rattle; Robert Schumann Philharmonie / Caetani (a bit ropey in places to be honest but with the very best of big finale endings, especially if you get the audio dvd version)
M3 - Sofia Philharmonic / Tabakov; Philharmonia / Zander (despite the posthorn being on the moon, but especially the manically fast end of the 1st movement!!)
M4 - Ljubljana / Nanut with Max Emmanuel Cencic, boy treble
M5 - I don't know this one so well, but the Symphonica of London / Wyn Morris recording is fantastic.
M6 - LSO / Levine
M7 - Yes, I like the ultra-slow Klemperer here (even though I don't like his M2's)
M8 - Warsaw forces / Wit
M9 - Klemperer again for me, New Philharmonia; but also the Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Saarbrucken / Herbig

I don't know the 10 or DLvDE or the song cycles well enough to offer options, but I do have the Nagano DKL and it is superb!

[Michael]

M6:
Saraste / Oslo Philharmonic
Rattle / City of Birmingham Symphony
Zander / Boston Philharmonic

M7:
Jansons / Oslo Philharmonic
Bernstein / New York Philharmonic (1960s Sony Recording)
Barenboim / Staatskapelle Berlin

M9:
Rattle / Berlin Philharmonic
Bernstein / Berlin Philharmonic
Giulini / Chicago Symphony

[waderice]

If anything, I feel that a "newbie" to Mahler needs to be slowly brought into the Mahler fold through allowing him/her to investigate recordings through library sources that will allow the individual to determine whether or not he/she finds Mahler to his/her liking.  We are assuming beforehand that the "newbie" already likes Mahler when in fact that may not be the case.

If library sources do not suffice, I think that the complete, inexpensive, early stereo symphony cycles (Bernstein, Solti, Haitink, Abravanel) from the 1960's age of Mahler's renaissance are the proper way for the "newbie" to spend a minimal amount of money and decide at the outset if he/she does or does not like Mahler.  The "newbie" can then decide from the purchase of that budget cycle what symphonies are to their liking, and THEN branch out from there to investigate other approaches to the works he/she find preferable.  That's when the lists given previously can come into play, and not result in an unwanted expenditure of money that ended up producing unsatisfying results.  In other words, take it step by step and allow the "newbie" to "grow".

Most all of us here are experienced Mahler listeners and have our individual preferences as to how we feel these works should sound.  And if the initial impressions do not work out for the "newbie" to a way we had hoped, then the "newbie" will not have lost a significant amount of money.

Wade

[Roffe]

If library sources do not suffice, I think that the complete, inexpensive, early stereo symphony cycles (Bernstein, Solti, Haitink, Abravanel) from the 1960's age of Mahler's renaissance are the proper way for the "newbie" to spend a minimal amount of money and decide at the outset if he/she does or does not like Mahler.  The "newbie" can then decide from the purchase of that budget cycle what symphonies are to their liking, and THEN branch out from there to investigate other approaches to the works he/she find preferable.  That's when the lists given previously can come into play, and not result in an unwanted expenditure of money that ended up producing unsatisfying results.  In other words, take it step by step and allow the "newbie" to "grow".

Wade

Do not forget box editions like the EMI 150th anniversary edition, RCA's Levine conducts Mahler, DG People's edition and others that can be found for $25-50. Hey, we are talking $2 to $3 per CD here, so the investment isn't that big if you dont like it. We are, furthermore, talking about recordings, that have been chosen to be the best of the best.

Roffe

[Freddy van Maurik]

I always like to state some favourites, so I guess I'll put my two cents in as well.
Your list is already quite impressive. I won't repeat suggestions already made by other (like the Giulini Chicago M9).

M1:
RCO Amsterdam - Bernstein (DG)
Boston SO - Ozawa (DG; includes Blumine and is very cheap on Eloquence)

M2:
There are so many great recordings of this symphony - so yes, you do need to get even more of this. I'll just mention a few.
I'm slightly suprised that you don't consider the Fischer as one of your favourites - I love it!
PhO - Klemperer (EMI; yep, I'm one of those that really like this)
Saito Kinen - Ozawa (Sony)
Dallas SO - Litton (Delos)

M3:
RCO Amsterdam - Chailly (Decca)
New York PhO - Bernstein (both Sony and DG, thought years apart, are great performances)

M4:
Budapest FO - Fischer (Channel)
Cleveland O - Szell (Sony, nice price on Essential Classics)

M5:
The Barshai is great, but you might consider adding one of these:
GO Köln - Stenz (Oehms)
RCO Amsterdam - Chailly (Decca)
Boston SO - Ozawa (Philips - again, on Eloquence for a very fair price)

M6:
Philadelphia O - Eschenbach (Ondine)
Arnhem PhO - Sieghart (Exton)
Wiener PhO - Boulez (DG)

M7 (get the Bernstein on Sony, already mentioned by Michael!):
London SO - Tilson Thomas (RCA)
Chicago SO - Abbado (DG)
Staatskapelle Berlin - Barenboim (Warner)

M8:
DSO Berlin - Nagano (Harmonia Mundi)
RCO Amsterdam - Chailly (Decca)
Chicago SO - Solti (Decca)

M9:
RCO Amsterdam - Chailly (Decca)
Berlin PhO - Von Karajan (DG)
Bamberger Symphoniker - Nott (Tudor)

dLvdE:
You're well on your way here, but some additions can be made.
SOdBR - Kubelik (Audite)
NPhO - Klemperer (EMI)

For M10 there are quite a few possibilities that you may or may not like. I'd say you'd could check out one of the Carpenter-versions (Litton or Zinman). And try to grab the Sanderling-recording of the Cooke-version.

Cheers!
Freddy

[John Kim]

Freddy,

I like that you mentioned,

Ozawa/BSO/Philips M5th
Nott/BSO/Tudor M9th


These are among my top choices for the symphonies too.

Thanks.

John,

[hrandall]

Thanks for all the advice here - a lot for me to digest. I've heard a fair number of these, but there's plenty left to explore.

Cheers,
Herb

[Don]

A wonderful and quite eclectic collection. I would also suggest Sanderling/Berlin SO on Berlin Classics 94422 for a completed 10th.

[Michael]

The Wigglesworth/BBC Cooke M10 is also good, if you can find it.

[Don]

Yes it is, you can sometimes find them in used bins or on Ebay.

[barry guerrero]

"I would also suggest Sanderling/Berlin SO on Berlin Classics 94422 for a completed 10th"

Good call, as the Sanderling is a slightly suped-up, slightly reinforced Cooke II, I believe (and there's no a lot difference between Cooke II and Cooke III).