On hearing Klemperer's M7 the first time

[hrandall]

I just listened to the Klemperer M7 for the first time. It reminds me of those devices you could see advertised in the back of guitar magazines years ago, now replaced by software, to slow down a recording while maintaining pitch so that you could learn a riff.

I guess it might be a good one to listen to when studying the score...

Apologies to anyone who counts this one a favorite. Just my opinion.

Cheers,
Herb

[perotin]

I just listened to the Klemperer M7 for the first time. It reminds me of those devices you could see advertised in the back of guitar magazines years ago, now replaced by software, to slow down a recording while maintaining pitch so that you could learn a riff.

The parts II-IV are interestingly painted but finale is just plain awful. Is there any other Mahler recording which is similarly disliked as this?

[Roffe]

I just listened to the Klemperer M7 for the first time. It reminds me of those devices you could see advertised in the back of guitar magazines years ago, now replaced by software, to slow down a recording while maintaining pitch so that you could learn a riff.

The parts II-IV are interestingly painted but finale is just plain awful. Is there any other Mahler recording which is similarly disliked as this?

If you are looking for extremely slow performances, Maazel's M3 on CBS/Sony with the VPO runs for a good 110 mins. Just awful.

Back to Klemp: It's a bit strange that his M7 is so extermely slow considering his other M recordings having "normal" tempi and are, generally speaking, very good to excellent.

Roffe

[techniquest]

Maybe it something to do with the number '7', but here is Klemperer conducting the finale of Beethoven's 7th and it is sluggish to say the least! 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNjxELUSMZo

The Klemperer Mahler 7 was the first one I heard, so to me for a long time it was the norm. I was really shocked and horrified when I saw Haitink conduct at at a New Year concert on TV - it sounded so rushed and seemed to lose a lot of it's impact. Of course now I realise that the fast way is the correct way and that Klemperer is glacial in comparison.

[Psanquin]

Incredibly as it seems many people around loves this recording. Even somebody has said that this is the correct tempi; all the others conductors are wrong 

[barry guerrero]

If some-one said, then they obviously didn't look at Mahler's own timings, which somebody in either Prague or Amsterdam took note of.

[Sturmisch Bewegt]

If some-one said, then they obviously didn't look at Mahler's own timings, which somebody in either Prague or Amsterdam took note of.

William Ritter noted 17 mins in Prague.

[Roffe]

If some-one said, then they obviously didn't look at Mahler's own timings, which somebody in either Prague or Amsterdam took note of.

Mengelberg noted in Amsterdam:
I: 20
II: 17
III: 11½
IV: 13
V: 20

Roffe

[Sturmisch Bewegt]

More precision: Ritter noted in Prague :

I: 21
II: 16
III: 10
IV: 10 (!!!)
V: 17

[perotin]

V: 20

vs

V: 17

that's what they called "a different mood" 

[Roffe]

V: 20

vs

V: 17

that's what they called "a different mood" 

And compare that to Klemp's

V: 24½

[Dyolf]

Hi all
Have not been around for a while, so I'm reading up on old posts

I have always loved the Klemperer M7, and I think the main reason for this is that it was this, or the Bernstein/Sony LP's that were the only ones I had for a long time. Since I always found Bernstein a little vulgar in Mahler, I ended up listening mostly to Klemperer. With the extremely vast numbers of Mahler recordings to choose from today, I tend to appreciate the ones that stands out. Another favorite is the 1965 live M2 from Munich, where he in the finale, unlike any other conductor I know of, insists on slowing down in the "march of the dead" so it actually becomes "Maestoso" as Mahler has named it.
Steen

[barry guerrero]

Yes, but there's also no indication in the score that the finale should like-wise sound like a 'march of the dead'   

[Dyolf]

Yes, but there's also no indication in the score that the finale should like-wise sound like a 'march of the dead'   

Ha-ha, got that, but I remember a live performance with Manfred Honeck, where he took the part in mention at a hilarious speed, so that it all just became cartoon like funny, and that can't be correct.
Back on track with M7, with much of the score entitled "Nightmusic" one could put in a wide interpretation, also when it comes to speed, and Klemp was an old man at the time
Steen

[barry guerrero]

The entire 7th symphony is a gradual accelerando from beginning to end, taking one from the tragic 6th symphony and dumping them on the doorstep of the life-affirming 8th; the symphony that Mahler himself stated as being his most important and greatest. In the finale of M7, Mahler makes fun of himself and the entire late romantic genre. And by the way, the "Song of the Night" business was not dubbed by Mahler.

Mahler referred to the finale of M7 as being "a ray of sunshine in C-Major", and had the Czech Phil. jump to the finale when his wife entered the hall during one of the final rehearsals. I wonder what she made of it ?!?