Conducting Mahler/I Have Lost Touch With the World

[Jeff Wozniak]

This wonderful video really helped me fall in love with Mahler's music a while back.  The DVD contains two features, each a little over an hour long.

"Conducting Mahler" features Chailly, Haitink, Abbado, Rattle and Muti discussing Mahler and rehearsing with the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Berlin Philharmonic and the Weiner Philharmoniker at the Mahler Festival in May 1995.

"I have lost touch with the World" is based on Mahler's 9th.  It features Mahler biographer Henry-Louis de la Grange.  It also shows Chailly conducting parts of the 9th with the Concertgebouw in his last performance with the orchestra in 2004.   This DVD really got me into Mahler and Chailly's recording of his work.

Highly recommended to any Mahler freak out there who has not seen it yet. 

[Leo K]

I agree and second the recommendation, I have really enjoyed this DVD.  It is also a good overview of the '95 Mahler Festival in Amsterdam.

--Leo

[John Kim]

I don't know if you had a chance to listen to the live Chailly/RCO M9th concert but I slightly prefer that concert over the Decca commercial recording. The live concert is more tightly constructed and as a result is more exciting. But both are outstanding.

John,

[Jot N. Tittle]

I remember enjoying this DVD but regret not having heard the Chailly M9 live broadcast.

I did see him conduct once--the NYPO in M7. I sat above and at his left, so I had a good view of him doing battle with the string section. He reminded me of a scene in the Humphrey Bogart move, Beat the Devil--when the ship is about to sink and the captain goes crazy. That was Chailly. Anyone remember that movie? (Not to start a new thread!)

     . & '

[Jeff Wozniak]

If it was a broadcast then there must be a recording of it somewhere.

A future SACD maybe?