How do you like Zinman Mahler cycle?

[John Kim]

I have all the recordings by Zinman except for the 1st and 4th and overall I like it very much.

I'd put the 3rd, 6th, 8th, and 10th among the finest accounts of these works. The 2nd and 9th are not too behind and while critics dismissed the 5th as lackluster I like Zinman's no-nonsense but solid interpretation. I have not heard the 1st and 4th, however. Zinman's is as consistent in engineering as well as conducting/playing as I can imagine.

What are your takes?


John

[barryguerrero]

I think it's fair to say that it's a very underrated cycle. I usually got 'beat up' when I tried to defend it, mostly at Amazon. Don't forget his "Das Lied" which comes with Busoni's spooky sounding "Berceuse Elegiaque". He's also made arguably the best recording of the Carpenter 10th.

[Settembrini]

It's a very underrated cycle indeed. Beautifully engineered, played, and conducted, these recordings present Mahler's scores without an obtrusive conductor's 'interpretation' getting in the way but without ever sounding bland. Personally, I think Zinman is an underrated conductor in general (his Brahms and Schumann cycles and Strauss series with the Tonhalle are great as well) and I like his Mahler cycle more than those by Stenz and  Nott. In fact, as far as complete cycles go, I'd say it's the best one since Chailly's Amsterdam cycle (with which it has a few things in common).

[Freddy van Maurik]

Agreed! This is a very well recorded and played cycle. Zinman's no-nonsense approach appeals to me very much. I also agree on Zinman's Schumann and Brahms. I also quite like his Beethoven.

[waderice]

Sorry, I hate to be the one dissenting party.  Though I only bought M2, M3, and M10 from the Zinman cycle as "cut-outs" from Berkshire Record Outlet, overall, what I heard left me cold.  The overall sound captured the hall quite well, but inner orchestral detail sounded blurred.  And Zinman's overall approach to performing Mahler was something that I felt I could sleep through.  M2 and M3 are in my "discard/sell" pile, but I kept M10 for the particular performing version (I think it was Carpenter's).

Wade

[barryguerrero]

Indeed, it's the Clinton Carpenter version of Mahler 10.

[barryguerrero]

You know, there's a Youtube video of Zinman that is very telling. He visited a friend who was conducting a youth orchestra. They were rehearsing Stravinsky's "Firebird" and they were struggling with some of the faster sections (it's actually quite difficult). Zinman was invited to take the baton and see what he could do to improve things. Everything IMMEDIATELY snapped into place, all because of the clarity of his conducting technique (when in doubt, follow the stick).

ANYBODY can sound good when they have 'world class' players in front of them, especially if they're wise enough to know when not to intervene. But it takes a truly great conductor to get immediate results with amateur level players.  That truly separates the men/women from the boys/girls.

[John Kim]

I really like Zinman's M3rd. It is a near perfect Mahler Third in great sound and playing. I only wish Zinman delivered a touch more vehemence in the central section of V., a.k.a., "What the Angels Tell Me."

The SACD sound is about the best I've ever heard in M3rd or any Mahler recordings.

[barryguerrero]

I like his treatment of the posthorn solo in the third movement. He starts the solo far offstage, then after each little interruption or interlude, the posthorn is moved farther forward. By the time the two harmonized horns enter into the picture, they work together as a trio. It's a very classy touch.

[John Kim]

Thanks, Barry. I didn't notice it in Zinman M3: Scherzo but now I do.

[AZContrabassoon]

Coming quite late to this discussion...the Zinman set is merely ok. There isn't a single performance in the set that I would put in the top ranks. The sound is good, but never quite lives up to the hype and the hope of sacd. The playing is fine. It's the conducting that just misses the exuberance, magic and excitement. Now, if your local orchestra served up performances of this caliber you'd be quite happy. But in a crowded field of superb recordings, the Zinman was a let  down - except for the price. I got it in SACD when Amazon sold it for $30 or so. I keep it around. There's another set RCA has that I really do wish they would re-release and that is the Edo de Waart.

[barryguerrero]

I second your enthusiasm for the DeWaart set. Very underrated.

[akiralx]

I really like the Zinman M2 and M7, I have the whole cycle though not on SACD.  For M3 I would recommend Honeck.