quick report on Dudamel M7 (DG)

[barry guerrero]

The Dudamel/Simon Bolivar Y.S.O. M7 comes out this coming Tuesday, but I had the opportunity to purchase one today. It's very good. It's quite intense in the first and middle movements; appropriately 'mystical' for the second movement (first Nocturne); appropriately serenade-like in the fourth movement (2nd Nocturne [and with lots of guitar and mandolin]), and absolutely rockin' in the finale. In fact, for just the finale itself, this is right up there with Markus Stenz. The timing of 17:55 is misleading as DG leaves on a good amount of applause (hate that!). The actual timing for the finale is more like 16:30. The sound is very good, but you can tell that the acoustics of the hall in Caracas, Venezuela aren't really the best. Still, there's very little to complain about. The Simon Bolivar Y.S.O. plays with a lot of enthusiasm and muscle. All departments of that orchestra are amazingly good.

I wouldn't say that this necessarily better than 4 or 5 other really top-notch recordings of the work, but it's truly right up there. I don't think anyone will go wrong buying this.

[pianobaba]

I actually prefer when the applause is left on for live recordings, conversely I hate when the live applause is very quickly faded out (I'd prefer the applause to be cut out completely in that case). 

[barry guerrero]

OK. I have to say that, to me, they left on just enough. It's not real long applause, but neither did they fade it out quickly. The more I listen to this 7th, the more I like it. In terms of sound quality, it's not quite up there with Barenboim, Stenz, Nott and one or two others. But it's still plenty good by DG standards, I suppose. I just wish it had been with the L.A. Phil., but these kids are pretty darn good.

[Russell]

Just downloaded the 96/24 file from ProStudioMasters (http://www.prostudiomasters.com) and will give a listen this evening.  It should sound better than the CD.

Russell

[sperlsco]

Just downloaded the 96/24 file from ProStudioMasters (http://www.prostudiomasters.com) and will give a listen this evening.  It should sound better than the CD.

Russell

Thanks for that link.  I may check there first, before ordering CD's in the future. 

[sperlsco]

I'm only half-way through the recording at this stage.  I'm quite liking it, but noticed a few things that bother me as of now.  In the first movement, the harps are not always audible -- though on a couple occasions are just fine.  I have the same complaint with the cymbals.  They are great on occasion and too reticent (for my taste) on others.  I quite like the way Dudamel builds and releases tension.  He does an especially good job of this at the end of the first movement, where he has a similar approach to Jansons/BRSO. 

In the third movement, the timpanist is way too tame.  This really blunts the impact of the music.  It is the only substantive aspect of the recording that is bothering me so far. 

Haven't started movements 3 or 4 yet. 

[barry guerrero]

It definitely has some issues on the 'micro' level. What I like is Dudamel's 'take' on the work at the macro level. I'm not sure I've heard anyone else - maybe Nagano - who just 'gets it' that the seventh is this gradual transition from the dark 6th symphony, and dumps us right on the doorstep of "Veni, Creator Spiritus". If other conductors also 'get' that basic concept, they're not nearly so seamless about it.

To be more specific, a lot of performances that are fast with the last two movements, are also relatively quick with the second movement (first Nachtmusik). Dudamel keeps the first Nachtmusik stretched out to 16 minutes (and by the way, I think there's some marvelous woodwind playing in this movement). Dudamel's first movement is so intense, that it's like hearing a condensed and harmonically more advanced re-dux of the entire 6th symphony. He really plays up the final perorations - in minor - near the end of the first movement (great low brass, and high E on the trumpet too). It's both harsh and exhausting - and that's the point. Then the rest of the symphony is just a gradual accelerando and 'lightening' of shade until the very end.

But yes, on a micro level, there are some balance issues. It's also not the best sounding 7th out there by any means. But it's just good enough for a listener to 'get' what it's all about    .     .     .   well, that's may take, anyway.

[barry guerrero]

scott,

I didn't mean to scare you off - I know I'm a bit over-enthused about Dude's M7. I'd really like to know what you think of the rest of it.

[sperlsco]

scott,

I didn't mean to scare you off - I know I'm a bit over-enthused about Dude's M7. I'd really like to know what you think of the rest of it.

I'm with you on this performance.  I've been waiting to hear a well-performed, well-conducted M7 that has the tempi pick up as the movements move along.  Overall, I really like Dudamel's way with M7.  Picking up where I left off, the second Nachtmusik is about as good as it gets.  I prefer the overall swifter tempi, enjoy his attention to detail, and appreciate the very audible presence of the guitar and mandolin.  What's funny is that most of my first tier favorites (Lennie/NYPO/DG, MTT/LSO, Tennstedt/LPO/Live, Levine/CSO) are way too slow in this movement for my taste.  Despite this, they do plenty else well enough to land at the top of my list. 

I assume that the tame timpani in the third movement is an interpretive choice by Dudamel as opposed to a balance issue, since the finale features excellent full-throttle work from timpanist.  Dudamel does a nice job with the various transitions in this movement.  Although the climax is generally well done, I still think it is not up to the level of my aforementioned favorites.  To be specific, listen to the climactic section where the horns are repeating their screaming proclamation from the end of the first movement, with the trumpets soaring their fanfare above it.  It is pretty well done in the Dudamel, but played up as glorious (helped along with deep bells) in my favorites. 

It's definitely worth giving this one another spin in the next few days. 

[waderice]

I decided to pick this up, though I felt it was pricey.  My first listening was today, and overall, I liked what I heard.  I expected the total time of the performance to be shorter than most, based on the comments above, but it is is about as long, if not a bit longer than many.  Like Barry and Scott, I think the orchestra is very good.  Bass drum was good and solid, at least on my system.  I can't fully comment on the tempi, but I did note that various passages that are generally slower than most other conductors, Dudamel takes a quicker pace.  I'll have to give this another listen in several days.

Has anyone bought and heard his M5 with the same orchestra and M9 with LA Phil?  Comments?

Wade

[barry guerrero]

I'm certain that M5 is with the Simon Bolivar Y.S.O.  The 9th is L.A. Phil. and I really like it. However, I couldn't argue that it's better than Karajan or Bernstein that their best. The L.A. strings are very good.

[ChrisH]

Musicweb International has a glowing review of this recording. It changed the authors mind of the status of this symphony!

http://musicweb-international.com/classrev/2014/Oct14/Mahler_sy7_4791700.htm

[barry guerrero]

.    .    .   and again, 17:55 is misleading for the finale because they leave on at least 10 seconds of applause or so.

And yes, this reviewer 'gets it' now, but I also have trouble understanding why people can't almost immediately see that Mahler is poking fun at himself and the entire late-romantic idiom in the finale. It's as though one immediately recognizes the absurdity of a fully-formed western society based on Zeppelins, Titanics and giant Howitzers on the one hand, while sitting around sipping various forms of coffee, smoking and reading newspapers in Europe's cafes at the same time. It also just dumps you at the doorstep of "Veni, Creator Spiritus".

Consider this: the end of Mahler 7 ends in D major, while the beginning chord of M8 is a big, fat Eb - just one half-step higher. One wonders if Mahler planned such tonal schemes.