Bernstein M2/NYPO -- Sony vs. DG (remastered)

[merlin]

This is by far my favorite Mahler work, and Bernstein's DG interpretation tops all I have heard, including Fischer/BFO.

But I am wondering about his earlier version, still available on SACD from Japan.  How does it compare in terms of both SQ and perfomance?

And what about his M3 with NYPO on the same labels?

[waderice]

My personal preference of these two performances is the earlier one, performance-wise.  To me, Bernstein has greater control in his earlier performance than in the later DG one, though he does wear "heart-on-sleeve" in both performances.  There are things about the SACD remastering of the Sony/Columbia that are good and things that are bad.  The good:  You can hear a greater sense of the performing venue, as well as air around the instruments.  Increase in dynamics is only minimal.  The bad:  The organ at the conclusion of the work is not as well heard on the SACD remastering as in the initial one by Columbia Masterworks, plus the extra cost to only gain minimal returns from purchasing the SACD remastering is not worth it.

Bottom line:  You're better off buying the entire regular CD set of the entire Bernstein Sony/Columbia cycle on the Carnegie Hall label for $21.00 less than you would pay for the Japanese SACD version of M2 alone (as of this writing).  Both the Japanese SACD of M2 and the entire cycle on Carnegie Hall are from the same DSD remasterings by Andreas K. Meyer.

I'm unable to comment on his later M3 performance on DG, because I don't have it.  I do like his earlier Sony/Columbia performance.

Wade

[techniquest]

Bottom line:  You're better off buying the entire regular CD set of the entire Bernstein Sony/Columbia cycle on the Carnegie Hall label for $21.00 less than you would pay for the Japanese SACD version of M2 alone (as of this writing).  Both the Japanese SACD of M2 and the entire cycle on Carnegie Hall are from the same DSD remasterings by Andreas K. Meyer.

Agreed. I ought to point out however that although the performance and recording of the M2 on Sony is superb, there is an almost total lack of the high/low tam-tam salvo at the end which may or may not be important to you.
The Bernstein M3 on Sony is absolutely wonderful and widely considered to be one of the finest available - even today.

[Damfino]

I quite like both of the Bernstein versions, but prefer the earlier Sony/CBS one, which I find to be the most exciting of Lenny's versions. I can hear the organ clearly in both the standard CD issues of these recordings (Sony & DG). I'm puzzled at the lack of organ on the SACD of the earlier version. Isn't the Carnegie Hall set a 2-channel mixdown of the SACD versions? Are the SACDs in multichannel or only 2-channel? If multichannel, have those of you who have heard it played it in both versions?

My only complaint about the standard CBS/Sony recording is that the balance of instruments seems a little quirky with a lot of brass on one side and a lot of strings on the other.

It's been a while since I've played the DG version. I think I'll give it a listen in the next day or so.

[waderice]

I need to clarify that the organ is lacking as well on the Carnegie Hall standard CD version, as well as on the SACD version, which I'm only able to listen to on 2-channel stereo.  I couldn't hear any difference in the amount of organ on either the Carnegie Hall standard CD or the Japanese SACD.  The initial Columbia Masterworks mastering used up until the remastering done by Andreas K. Meyer has more organ coming through than what Meyer has allowed.

Wade

[merlin]

The organ on the DG version comes through very strongly -- one of the reasons I love it.  Also, there is plenty of bass throughout.  The remastering for the boxed set definitely is an improvement over the original discs.