Chailly/Mahler 1/Leipzig

[ChrisH]

This is the last release in Chially's uncompleted Mahler cycle with the Gewandhous Orchestra. Sadly, I don't think a third is coming, which I imagine would have been terrific.

This is my favorite recording of this work, which is one of my favorite compositions from Mahler. In the small interview on the Blu-Ray Chailly talks a lot about going through Mahlers and Mengelbergs scores and using their hand written markings and ideas for this concert. He also talks a bit about Bruno Walter and his adding of timpani strokes in the Landler, which Chailly decided to use; quite effectively I might add.

The opening movement is filled with naivete, breadth, air and atmosphere. The ease of playing really brings a sense of relaxation and calm, all while staying rhythmically tight and precise. Chailly's tempos are spot on for me, broad where they need be and a foot on the gas or little push when called for. The landler is really something. Rude at times, dramatic, swelling and, in the central trio section so much calm among all the dance. The players themselves seem to be having a great time with this, as they basically dancing in their seats. It almost feels like Schubert.

The final two movements are as successful as the first two. Atmosphere and changes of mood really mark the funeral march. It's interesting how the first klezmer episode is a tad underplayed, but this pays of in spades when we transfer to the central portion, which is essentially magic on this recording. Chailly's handling of the finale is great. Powerful, tense, and filled with measured explosions, really winding it up for the coda. It's nice to see the horns stand too. Again, the musicians seems to be really into this work, and Chailly's ideas on it. So often it sounds like orchestras are just going through the motions, not this time. The Gewandhous brings it in on this recording.

I would highly recommend this Blu-Ray to any and everyone. For my tastes this is about as perfect a Mahler 1 as you could get. I'm sure others will quibble with this and that, but overall this is exception work for piece that has been recorded so many times.

[erikwilson7]

This sounds fantastic; thank you for your review and insight. Being a fan of both Chailly’s RCO cycle and Stenz’s generally less expansive cycle on Oehms, I’m very interested in this Chailly Gewandhaus cycle for its different perspectives. I haven’t checked out any of these performances yet.

Only one question though: how are you sure it’s the final installment, and that he won’t record a Third? It seems unlike Chailly to leave a cycle unfinished, since he even finished Abbado’s Lucerne cycle in his posthumous honor (quite a decent M8, for the record).

[ChrisH]

This sounds fantastic; thank you for your review and insight. Being a fan of both Chailly’s RCO cycle and Stenz’s generally less expansive cycle on Oehms, I’m very interested in this Chailly Gewandhaus cycle for its different perspectives. I haven’t checked out any of these performances yet.

Only one question though: how are you sure it’s the final installment, and that he won’t record a Third? It seems unlike Chailly to leave a cycle unfinished, since he even finished Abbado’s Lucerne cycle in his posthumous honor (quite a decent M8, for the record).

If I remember correctly, Chailly left rather abruptly. This left the cycle hanging. I didn't even think we'd get a 1st. There was a long break between releases; which initially came out at a rapid pace. It is sad that he left the 3rd, which he is excellent in. This may actually be my favorite incomplete cycle. They are all excellent, excepting the 7th, in my estimation. There may be better individual recordings of each symphony, but as a whole this an incredibly consistent cycle. The sound quality is excellent, too.

[erikwilson7]

They are all excellent, excepting the 7th, in my estimation. There may be better individual recordings of each symphony, but as a whole this an incredibly consistent cycle.

It’s funny, Chailly has recorded the Seventh from two quite different interpretive directions, but judging by your view of this Leipzig recording neither really seem to work. That’s the only numbered Mahler symphony he hasn’t mastered, in my opinion.

I’ll probably get this set when they release it as a Blu-Ray bundle instead of buying each one individually. The Seventh is on YouTube but that doesn’t do it justice.

I’m still eagerly awaiting a Chailly Das Lied some day.

[erikwilson7]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/music/2015/oct/09/riccardo-chailly-leipzig-gewandhaus-conducting-interview

That article seems to detail Chailly’s semi-“retirement” from the Gewandhaus. A funny thought: what if his successor, Andris Nelsons, finished his cycle for him? Haha

[erikwilson7]

I was thinking about this topic today and was saddened when I remembered we may never get a Chailly/Leipzig Mahler 3. I looked into the concert archive on the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig’s website and found that the only time Chailly ever conducted M3 with the orchestra was in October, 2006 with Petra Lang as the soloist. There were two performances that weekend.

Is this before he decided to record the symphonies as a video cycle? Is there any hope this was recorded?

[ChrisH]

I was thinking about this topic today and was saddened when I remembered we may never get a Chailly/Leipzig Mahler 3. I looked into the concert archive on the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig’s website and found that the only time Chailly ever conducted M3 with the orchestra was in October, 2006 with Petra Lang as the soloist. There were two performances that weekend.

Is this before he decided to record the symphonies as a video cycle? Is there any hope this was recorded?

Chailly began recording these during the Leipzig Mahlerfest in 2011. I would imagine that this 3rd has been recorded, but I would be surprised if it see the light of day. We would have seen it already, I think. The 2nd and 8th are from the concerts they did during the fest. It's too bad they didn't release a box with the entire line up of concerts from the festival.

[erikwilson7]

I also saw that Andris Nelsons performed the Third in 2016, the year after Chailly left. Accentus could easily put the Chailly Mahler cycle together and fill in the hole with that early Chailly M3 or even the Nelsons one and I’d buy it.

It’s funny, Maestro Chailly, who often records complete cycles of things, left both of his Mahler cycles unfinished (there’s no Das Lied on disc; he even did all the song cycles and Das klagende Lied).

[John Kim]

I heard a live Chailly/RCOA DLVDE in Boston some 30 years ago. It was superb.

[erikwilson7]

I'm glad to hear that. Being a huge fan of Chailly's RCO cycle + the stuff he did with Berlin, I'm hoping he finishes it out one day with Das Lied. He would be the first conductor in history (I think) to record every single work for orchestra by Mahler. Gielen is missing Das klagende Lied and Boulez is missing a full 10th (as are many other conductors).

Now if he records Das Lied someday and Decca pieces together the entire Chailly/Mahler discography I would buy it in a heartbeat.

[lschmitz]

The Dutch radio has a 1991 broadcast of Chailly conducting Das Lied with the RCOA. Jard van Nes and Siegfried Jerusalem are the singers. It is superb, with probably the most arresting oboe-playing in Der Abschied you'll ever hear. I do not know for how long it will be on the website, so make sure to check it out soon.

https://www.nporadio4.nl/concerten/9363-das-lied-von-der-erde-compleet

[barryguerrero]

I saw those same folks do it when they were on tour at Davies Hall in S.F. (same year) That was fantastic. The Schumann 4th they also did?   .   .   .   not so much.

[erikwilson7]

Did Chailly conduct the Mahler re-orchestration of the Schumann? He’s recorded the whole cycle.

[barryguerrero]

No, it was Schumann's own. Good question.