revisiting Abbado/C.S.O. M6 - my thoughts, and your input wanted.

[barryguerrero]

I've been listening again to Abbado's earlier Chicago M6 on Spotify. It's really very good - the corporate sound of the orchestra is mostly excellent. However, other than the timpani, the percussion are too recessed and are overpowered by all that noise from the brass (albeit, very good brass). Gordon Peters probably covered the bass drum. He was a great percussionist, but I felt that he often times underplayed the bass drum in the context of that orchestra. The gong is sometimes there, sometimes not. The fellow who covered cymbals in those days consistently sounded awful, regardless of which pairs of cymbals he used (he'd have a table with about five pairs of cymbals - each worse sounding than the last pair). Also, I don't think Abbado doubled the cymbals on those two last cymbal crashes in the final 'charge' section of the finale. Maybe so, but it doesn't show. If that weren't enough, the cowbells are generally too distant.

As good as this performance is, it's comes off a bit as a symphony for brass and timpani. In a way, it's a bit too Bruckner like. For those of you who may own the Japanese shm-sacd pressing of this, are the balances corrected at all?   .    .    .   I realize there's only so much 'restoration' they can do. Any input is welcome.

[John Kim]

Barry,

Thanks for the report of your reappraisal of Abbado/CSO M6th. I don't have the SACD but I have SACD of Karajan/BPO M9th (analog) and can attest that the single layered SACD doesn't reveal all that much more than what redbook CD version have already done. I find Abbado's first 3 movements very satisfying particularly in I where Abbado's steady but moderate temp pays off, but like you said his Finale is a bit letdown because of the mitigated percussion, especially the two hammer blows. OTOH, the brass, especially horns are really prominent and are having their field day.

John

[barryguerrero]

Thank you, John. As tempting is it might be, I just can't justify a $50 expenditure to get this on the shm-sacd disc. I probably should, before they're all gone. Regardless, I'm really very satisfied with the Paavo Jarvi/NHK Tokyo one on RCA. All four movements are really good, but could use a bit better cowbells.

And by the way, John, did you happen pick up that Decca cycle of Bruckner symphonies with a Hun-Joung Lim and the Korean Sym. Orch.?    .    .     .   It has a performance of the Schalk Bruckner 5 that will just knock your socks off!

[erikwilson7]

Side note, I love the Järvi M6. I just wish the deep bells were audible in the finale. It’s like the Boulez, but they traded deep bells for hammer blows.

[John Kim]

Barry,

No I didn't pick up the Im Bruckner cycle though I heard someone saying really great things about it.

John

[barryguerrero]

If you ever have time to kill, just listen to end of his Bruckner 5 (Schalk version).

[John Kim]

Barry,

Thanks for the heads up.

The same orchestra (Bucheon Phil. ) is doing a Mahler cycle with another conductor, Young Min Park. So far they've released M1, 6, and 9 on Sony. I haven't tried them yet.

John