1st impression: new "DLvdE" on Naxos is really good!

[barry guerrero]

Great tam-tam at the start of "der Abschied"! Jane Henschel sounds pretty good too. I am biased because I greatly prefer hearing a mezzo in "DLvdE", rather than a baritone. The sound is a tad 'boomy' and I do need to listen more closely. However, the playing of the Houston S.O. is superb.

I received an early preview copy.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=747313249879&x=0&y=0

Great funeral procession. Henschel sounds really good at the concluding section too. I really like this, but will have to listen more closely.

[barry guerrero]

OK 'gongheads', I've played the start of VI over again, and the amount of tam-tam at the very start is amazing. In fact, Graf is good at tapping the more colorful effects of the score throughout. That keeps it from just sounding like "Winterreise" on steroids.

[Russell]

Thanks, Barry--looking forward to it.

" 'Winterreise' on steroids" -- I love it!

Russell

[sperlsco]

Wow, I was wondering if this was ever going to be released!  I attended 2 of the 3 performances (first and third).  Though far from my ideal, the live performances were quite enjoyable and well done.  I believe I posted some impressions on the forum at the time.  I can't wait to buy it. 

[barry guerrero]

I've listened to this a bit more, and I really think it's quite good - especially for the price. Neither singer is the VERY best, but they're more than adequate. Since I'm not a fan of the chamber version, or versions that use a baritone (most of them are bad), I haven't liked another "DLvdE" this much since the De Young/Eji Oue/Minnesota S.O. one on Reference Recordings. That said, I haven't heard the Wunderlich/D. F-D./Krips/DG one yet.

[sperlsco]

These were my comments from the original concerts.  Apparently I went to the first 2 performances and couldn't find a babysitter for Sunday.  


THURSDAY
Well, they've got some work to do if they want to have something worth releasing.  There was quite a bit to like, but also some real problems to work out.

First the good.  The tenor, Gregory Kunde is excellent.  He voice was equally suited to all three of his songs, which is a fair accomplishment.  His voice needlessly belted on a couple of occasions, but overall his voice was rich and strong where need be and sensitive to the lyrics.  Graf's tempi were on the brisk side throughout.  He did a particularly good job with the horserider section of the Beauty song.  There was also an amazing transparency to the music (which is one of Graf’s hallmarks).  For a symphony to which I’ve listened hundreds of times, I was amazed at all the details.

 I generally don't consider the strings to be an HSO strong point (except the double bass section, which is always outstanding), but they alternately showed good body and sensitive touch.  We don’t have a permanent Concertmaster, but the Acting one (who is the long-time Associate) was quite outstanding in all of his solos.  As usual, the percussion section was mostly outstanding.  The tam-tam was perfectly played.  You could hear every strike; was never too loud; was its loudest at the peak of the funeral march; was always allowed to ring on.  The glockenspiel was a bit too loud at the end.  With one exception, the winds were exceptional -- as were the brass.  

On the downside:  Jane Henschel was nothing special – and I’m being kind.  Hopefully she was just having an off night.  Her voice was rather flat.  She had a false opening during the Autumn song.  She seemed to stumble on a word.  Her voice cracked once or twice.  etc...

The orchestra sounded a bit out of sorts in the first half of the Autumn song.  Der Abschied had two particular problems:  1) the mandolin was inaudible, and 2) there was a clarinet solo that showed little feel for the music and was rushed.  I also felt that a couple of the songs had endings that were truncated – including the end of the symphony.  IOW, I would have liked for Graf to have allowed the final note to ring on a bit longer.

Hopefully Saturday and Sunday will be even better!  

SATURDAY
Saturday night's performance seemingly answered most of my complaints about Thursday night.  Most important, Jane Henschel was in MUCH better voice throughout.  Next, the orchestral problems in the Autumn song were corrected.  It seemed that Graf took the Autumn song at a slightly slower pace this evening -- all to the better.  Come to think of it, he may have taken the first drinking song more slowly.  It sounded a bit less aggressive this evening (I preferred Thursday).  In Der Abschied, the wind solo that I complained about was not evident this time (and now I'm questioning whether it was a really clarinet or oboe solo about which I meant to complain).  Also, the turncated endings were now allowed to linger a bit longer -- which was especially appreciated in the Beauty and Farewell songs.  The only thing that still wasn't addressed was the complete lack of mandolin.  

It was really evident (or I just paid more attention) how distinct the winds and brass are at the live concerts as opposed to all the recordings to which I've listened this week.

I am really looking forward to a recording from these concerts now.  I may not get to go again tomorrow if I cannot find a babysitter.  

MP3 DOWNLOAD

I downloaded this from eMusic and have listened to it once through in my car.  My reaction was similar to that of the Saturday performance -- given that they almost certainly scrapped the Thursday performances of Henschel.  

This recording is a nice representation of Graf and my local heroes, the Houston SO.  We've been quite fortunate to have Graf as our musical director for the past 10(?) years.  We're lucky to get Mahler once-per-season, but when we get it Graf generally does a very good job.  

On a side note, Eschenbach comes back to perform M5 with the HSO in December.  I missed all of the Eschenbach years (and all of his Mahler), so I am quite excited!