samples of F.-X. Roth/Gurzenich Orch./Harmonia Mundi M5

[barryguerrero]

I'm sure few people here would need to be informed that the Gurzenich Orchestra in Koln (Cologne) gave the world premiere of Mahler 5. Here are samples of their new M5 with Francois-Xavier Roth (what a name!), courtesy of JPC.  Harmonia Mundi rarely records Mahler, so they must think that they have something special here (?).

https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/symphony-no-5/hnum/7830913

[akiralx]

Wasn’t Roth’s M1 the top choice of the French programme ‘Jardin des Critiques’?

[ChrisH]

I downloaded the Roth Mahler 5 yesterday and let me tell you, don't waste your dollars. As a pretty big fan of Roth's Mahler 1, I was looking forward to this disc. His first hit all the right notes for me, great atmosphere and playing with a non-intrusive, organic interpretation. It reminded me of Kubelik, Zinman, and Gielen. Three recordings of the first symphony that I really enjoy. I was looking forward to this Mahler fifth.

What I heard instead, was  one of the most limp, colorless, and underplayed recordings I have ever heard. Well, it's not as bad the Firebird I picked up with the Georgian State Symphony when I was in High School, but I wonder why this was even recorded. There was no tumult, or storminess in the first movement. The second movement is very flat, the climax almost non-existent. The Scherzo sounds nothing more than a run through. A forgetful adagio leads us into a Finale with no life, joy or brightness. It's all very rote and disappointing.

Even the recorded sound is about 5/10, which is odd considering Harmonia Mundi generally does a good job in that department. All in all, skip this one, save your money. Maybe there needs to be a moratorium on Mahler recordings for a bit.

[Chatlonut]

I think so I thought it was a good idea. I'm very good

[John Kim]

On the contrary, I think Roth's is a terrific M5th. It is extremely well 'choreographed' (for lack of words). Roth perfectly captures the ebb and flow of the symphony; it's so well coordinated it almost sounds like dancing music!

[Freddy van Maurik]

On the contrary, I think Roth's is a terrific M5th. It is extremely well 'choreographed' (for lack of words). Roth perfectly captures the ebb and flow of the symphony; it's so well coordinated it almost sounds like dancing music!

I agree. I liked Roth's First, too, but wasn't keen on getting this one. But then a friend, whose opinion (where recordings of Mahler's music are concerned) I usually share, pointed out that he liked this one very much. So I decided to buy it, and I'm very happy that I did. Roth gives the music a kind of transparency, with a very clear bass-sound, that allows one to admire the architectural outline of it. Especially in the Finale, of course.

[barryguerrero]

David Hurwitz gave it a very good review, and he's pretty darn fussy about his Mahler. He doesn't like a lot of German radio orchestra performances of Mahler - thinking many of them to be too, "Mahler lite". So, I have to think there's something good happening here. Also, Harmonia Mundi doesn't offer a lot of Mahler, which makes me think they must be quite selective as well.

The 5th symphony is difficult, although the last two movements often times just 'play themselves'. It requires a lot of gear changes (tempo shifts) from the conductor. Much of what happens early on - the first three movements - needs to be 'expressive' without also sounding overwrought or too trudge-y. It's a difficult tight rope to negotiate. It needs contrapuntal clarity without sounding too antiseptic at the same time.

[barryguerrero]

Never mind that stuff. If you've got a Spotify account, go the 13:08 spot in the second movement and listen to the tam-tam smash. This is how it should go! In so many performances and recordings, the bass drum stroke actually covers over the gong. There's a lot of noise going on at that spot, but the tam-tam really cuts through on this Roth recording. It makes a big difference!

https://open.spotify.com/album/1XdxlmmXykJoZ9Nn4Y9g4s