A newbie's beginning Mahler collection

[Roffe]

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

It's available at Amazon marketplace for very little money:

http://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symphony-No-10/dp/B000BJOOF2/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1311309470&sr=1-1

Roffe

[barry guerrero]

Or you could pay tons more money and get the MacKerras Mahler 6.

http://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symphony-No-6-Gustav/dp/B000JQ14HI/ref=pd_sim_m_4

I probably would pay that much money to see the 6th conducted by Mahler himself.

[mister bob]

Heavens, that particular purchase of BBC Music Magazine in 2005 [I think] looks like a very smart investment on my part!!! 

[hrandall]

<snip>
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!
</snip>

Freddy,

I think I ended up already with so many M2 recordings because it's a favorite of mine and yet I haven't quite settled on a favorite recording. And I'm not sure why, but I just can't seem to "connect" with the Fischer / Budapest Festival recording. I can appreciate that it's very well done, a beautiful recording... and yet... I don't know. I just don't end up listening to it very often. I'll have to give it another few listens, I guess.

I'm still pretty early in the phases of figuring out what styles of interpretations I enjoy most for each symphony.

When listening to a new-to-me M2 recording, I find I have about 4 or 5 touchpoints that I check to see how they are handled by the conductor & orchestra. (The big climax two-thirds of the way through the first movement, for example, and the sound of the strings immediately after that).

I'm just thankful that there are so many versions available and eventually I suppose we all find one or a few that we like best of all.

Best,
Herb

[hrandall]

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!

Thanks for these suggestions, quite a few of which I've not even heard of. I definitely have begun collecting more M3's as it is quickly becoming one of my very favorite of Mahler's symphonies. I just got the newly released Jansons / Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra  M3 and have been enjoying that. M2's - your Caetani recommendation is awfully tempting, the (too brief) Amazon MP3 samples of it are interesting. It would be great to find a copy of the Sao Paulo broadcast you mentioned.

In general I like your idea of branching out and seeking recordings from lesser-known orchestras. I've been listening to some of the Colorado Mahlerfest recordings with Robert Olson (with a new batch on the way soon!) and have really liked those too.

Thanks for the advice and sharing your list!

Best,
Herb

[Damfino]

I think I ended up already with so many M2 recordings because it's a favorite of mine and yet I haven't quite settled on a favorite recording. And I'm not sure why, but I just can't seem to "connect" with the Fischer / Budapest Festival recording. I can appreciate that it's very well done, a beautiful recording... and yet... I don't know. I just don't end up listening to it very often. I'll have to give it another few listens, I guess.

I'm still pretty early in the phases of figuring out what styles of interpretations I enjoy most for each symphony.

When listening to a new-to-me M2 recording, I find I have about 4 or 5 touchpoints that I check to see how they are handled by the conductor & orchestra. (The big climax two-thirds of the way through the first movement, for example, and the sound of the strings immediately after that).

I'm just thankful that there are so many versions available and eventually I suppose we all find one or a few that we like best of all.

Best,
Herb

I think I am the same way with M2 recordings. I also have many version, but never could settle on one as "the one". I agree about the Fischer recording as well. I can't say anything is wrong with it; I just don't find as exciting or as moving as some other versions I have.

I also have a list of things I look for in a M2 recording. the one you mention in the first movement is one of mine as well. I like to hear the pace pick up as it approaches the climactic moment; and I like to clearly hear the col legno strings clearly. When you look at all that has to happen to make M2 successful, it is no wonder I cannot find THE one.

dave

[techniquest]

In general I like your idea of branching out and seeking recordings from lesser-known orchestras. I've been listening to some of the Colorado Mahlerfest recordings with Robert Olson (with a new batch on the way soon!) and have really liked those too.

Yes, I have 3 of the Colorado Mahlerfest recordings (Symphonies 2,3 & . I have also ordered two recordings from the Green Mountain Mahler Festival in Vermont: should be interesting!

[hrandall]

In general I like your idea of branching out and seeking recordings from lesser-known orchestras. I've been listening to some of the Colorado Mahlerfest recordings with Robert Olson (with a new batch on the way soon!) and have really liked those too.

Yes, I have 3 of the Colorado Mahlerfest recordings (Symphonies 2,3 & . I have also ordered two recordings from the Green Mountain Mahler Festival in Vermont: should be interesting!

I can't thank you enough for mentioning the Green Mountain Mahler Festival - somehow I'd never heard of this. They're performing Mahler's 2nd on September 11th - I'm definitely going!

Best,
Herb

[techniquest]

Herb - the recordings arrived today and I would advise you to keep an open mind when you go to the M2. However, playing M2 on September 11th is inspired scheduling and I wish the performers a successful concert.