DH dislikes Fischer/BFO M7th SACD

[John Kim]

DH dismissed Ivan Fischer's M7th:

https://www.classicstoday.com/review/fischer-defeated-by-mahler-7th/

I don't recall him giving ANY recording of the work such a low rating, 4/7.

I wholly disagree and think this is among the finest M7ths that came out recently. Surely, the best outing Fischer and Budapest FO have given in their now near complete Mahler cycle.

John

[barryguerrero]

A "4" is definitely ungenerous. You know how D.H. is: he tends to polarize things. Either he loves something, or he hates it. He doesn't like the grey areas in between, so you get reviews like this one. Frankly, I feel Ivan Fischer is just a tad too 'light weight' here. For recent recordings of M7, I prefer both his brother's Dusseldorf one, as well as Osmo Vanska (which I still really like). I even rather like Janson's final one with the Concertgebouw (a tad light weight also). Overall, I find it hard to beat Inbal/Czech Phil., but that was an expensive Exton import.

My guess is that Dave will be equally ungenerous with Vanska. He's been out to prove a point about Vanska in general - hasn't liked him since the Beethoven cycle. We'll see.

[erikwilson7]

You’re right Barry, Dave seems hell bent on destroying the Vänskä recordings. He’s a charming fella, but I do also think his reviews can be too black and white.

Frankly, I wasn’t a fan of the I. Fischer M7 either, but I certainly wouldn’t rank it that low. If I were to give it the ol’ Classics Today treatment I would probably give it a 7/8. Fischer’s interpretation was a bit soft and detached, and the sound wasn’t up to par. Sometimes detached can work, like Boulez and Gielen, but it sounds to me like Iván isn’t doing the score proper justice. I agree with Dave on that part. I haven’t heard the CD/SACD, but I have heard it on lossless FLAC with good headphones on Idagio.

To each their own though. I don’t really like any of the Iván Fischers after M4, but I respect others’ opinions. I do think Iván has something to offer, and that’s important these days. It certainly isn’t any old Mahler cycle.

[erikwilson7]

Speaking of Hurwitz and the Fischers, I’m curious about what Dave will think about the rest of the Ádám Fischer recordings. He liked the 7th, but hasn’t reviewed any since.

[John Kim]

Sorry (I guess I don't need to feel sorry^), but I really LIKE Ivan Fischer's M7th. The recording quality is about the best I've ever heard, so no need to mention about it. As for the interpretation Fischer's is perhaps the most UNIFIED and consistent throughout all 5 movts and that says a lot to me. The playing is relaxed, delicate, and very spontaneous sounding.

John

[erikwilson7]

Don’t get me wrong, the sound on this recording is very good. My sound rating of an 8 was in comparison to the other recordings in the cycle. I find the recording quality of their M2 and M3 to be even better. Regardless, I still find this to be one of the best sounding Sevenths out there. To me, Vänskä’s sounds better too.

I won’t argue that it isn’t unified. I think Fischer gets that quite well. The tempo relationships of each movement are convincing. I personally find that it lacks in the nightly characteristics that the Seventh suggests of the first three movements. I think the best movement on the recording, however, is the second Nachtmusik.

[barryguerrero]

   .   .   and to my thoughts into perspective, John, it's not so much that I think I. Fischer's M7 is poor in any way. It's just that I feel both the Adam Fischer and Vanska M7 recordings are really, really good. I think Jansons/Concertgebouw is pretty good also. That said, my favorite one from Jansons is his Oslo Phil. one on Simax. That one is a bit similar to the Vanska, actually, except that his 2nd Nachtmusik is a tad slower.