Mahler box set of Gabriel Feltz conducting

[barryguerrero]

I've been listening through this cycle on Spotify and like how Feltz 'characterizes' every little section within his Mahler. Sometimes he exaggerates the contrasts between fast and slow sections, but I can live with that for most of that. Given that this cycle is available at such a low cost, I'm thinking of adding it to my excessive collection. Your thought (?).

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Symphonies-Stuttgarter-Philharmoniker/dp/B09QP3K85T/ref=sr_1_1?crid=387U3N4BWA9U8&keywords=mahler+feltz&qid=1656360438&sprefix=mahler+feltz%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-1

[erikwilson7]

I do like this cycle quite a bit. Admittedly, I have been on the fence about buying it since its release only because I like but don't love any of them. This is one of those cycles that works better as a whole than it does individually, with some exceptions. Note: I don't find any of the vocal soloists in this cycle to be particularly excellent, but I am no expert on voice at all.

I'll give some brief thoughts on each recording:

1. This is one of the better recordings in the cycle in terms of being youthful and characterful. Feltz is very good with the "Mahler quirks" and nuances here, as he is in the Third too.

2. Certainly one of the most unique M2 scherzos I've ever heard, and in many ways it works well. Extremely long finale, but it's pulled off very well, only missing tam-tam smashes at the end. Considering how prominent the tams are elsewhere, this might be intentional.

3. One of the best in this cycle. I haven't heard it in a while, but I found it strong from start to finish with emphasis on all of the Mahlerian nuances; in my opinion, this is the Mahler symphony that always benefits from going over the top with those nuances.

4. This might be the cycle's weakest link. It's not bad, but I don't think it's particularly good. I should revisit it, but I distinctly remember the finale soloist––arguably the symphony's most important aspect––being very average.

5. Quite good for the most part, but I'm not a fan of an Adagietto that approaches 13 minutes. It's followed by a fast and thrilling finale.

6. It's good-not-great and I have no complaints. It checks the boxes and does nothing more for me.

7. Mostly good with a very fast and exciting finale. I like this one a lot but the non-first rate playing edges it out of any sort of Mahlerian greatness.

8. This has been discussed extensively on this forum elsewhere. I do indeed find this to be the cycle's strongest installment.

9. Another very good one up there with the M3 and M8; this one has also been discussed a lot on here already.

I haven't heard the Tenth segments; I don't really ever listen to segments of an incomplete M10

[barryguerrero]

I agree with your assessment, but have three things to add. First, I think Feltz turns in one of the best performances of the scherzo to the sixth symphony that I have EVER heard. He characterizes every moment in that scherzo, so the movement isn't just a 13 minute 'filler' in what could otherwise be a great three-movement symphony. Second, he does an excellent job with the brief 'Alpine' moment in the Andante Moderato movement of M6, located about seven minutes in. Third, you ought to give those two M10 movements a whirl. They're really well done, and he manages to make the brief "Purgatorio" sound a bit different and unique. I also like his M1, M3 and M7 quite a bit also.

 I already own the M8 and M9. I now think that Feltz has the best overall ending to M8 going, and that that counts for a whole lot! I love how you can actually hear the children's chorus in the louder part of the "Chorus Mysticus". I love how - like Colin Davis and JoAnn Falletta - Feltz has his choirs hang on to their very syllable in the symphony: "hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan"    .     .    .   Love that - it makes all the difference! Plus, his handling of the orchestral postlude is wonderfully done. Terrific tam-tam smashes, of course. It's just great.

[erikwilson7]

I really ought to revisit this M6 then! And I will check out the M10 fragments. I remember sampling that Purgatorio once and never before did I expect to hear applause after that movement. Certainly a first for me.

Something I've learned is that our perspectives on Mahler's music (and all music in general) are evolving all the time; recordings I once disliked or brushed aside sometimes––and somehow––get better with age. Maybe some of these Feltz recordings I listened to years ago have aged well.

Here are some recordings that I disliked previously but recently discovered I really like: Jansons/Concertgebouw M7, Fischer/Budapest M3, Harding/BRSO M6, Nagano/Berlin M8, Nézet-Séguin/LPO Das Lied. Those are all so much better than I had remembered.

[barryguerrero]

Yes, I knows what you mean. I like Nagano's Part I to M8 quite a bit, but less so his Part II. The tenor, for me, is just awful. He even switches into falsetto at one point. Also, I don't dig the 'registration' of the organ at the end - too many 'pipey' highs, and not enough lows (I know next to nothing about that issue). I also like the Nezet-Seguin/LPO "DLvdE".

[barryguerrero]

I traded a pile of stuff at my local used CD store today, and picked up the G. Feltz M6 and M7 in the process. I now own Feltz's M6 through M9. I also picked up (via special order) the Andris Nelsons/Boston Symphony/Leipzig Gewandhaus box of Richard Strauss material on DG. I listened to most of it on Spotify before ordering it. It's really quite a bargain steal!

They also have the G. Feltz M3, but I have so many really good M3 recordings already. I might pick it up later sometime.

[John Kim]

Barry,

Do you like the Nelsons/Boston Symphony/Leipzig Gewandhaus Strauss box set??

Just curious ...

John

[barryguerrero]

John, I listened to nearly all of it on Spotify first. Yes, I like it quite a bit. "The Alpensifonie" is on the expansive side, but it's really good and very detailed. I've never liked "Sinfonia Domestica", except for the finale. However, I found Nelsons/Boston to be the most 'convincing' recording I've yet to hear of it. The first three movements didn't annoy me nearly so much, mainly because I heard lots of interesting detail that's not clear on other recordings. This set clearly has Yo-Yo Ma's better rendition of "Don Quixote" - a work that Mahler liked very much as well. "Zarathustra" was quite adequate, and I have other recordings of it already. Yuja Wang is great in "Burleske". All of the other 'fillers' seem good to me also. I didn't check "Till Eulenspiegel", "Ein Heldenleben" or "Metamorphosen" because, quite frankly, I don't like those pieces. I can't stand "Heldenleben". Regardless, for the price of admission, what's not to like!

[John Kim]

Barry,

Sorry to differ, but I fell asleep while listening to most of the set ... slow, clinical, and lethargic. BUT THAT'S JUST ME^ I know there are lots of folks out there who like it. Yes, it's a good bargain though.

John

[erikwilson7]

That organ in the “Alpensinfonie” is insane though… I was floored.

Like Barry said, it’s very expansive. I still prefer Kempe and Blomstedt (and surprisingly Solti) in that work.

I don’t understand the box art being loud yellow and black design. It almost looks like a street sign telling me to avoid listening to it.

Nelsons / Boston is normally an excellent pairing (love their Shostakovich), but I have to admit I’m not a big fan of any of Nelsons’ other stuff. He’s another one of today’s “safe” conductors who doesn’t really do anything all that interesting in his recordings, like Abbado and Jansons were (for the most part). “Vanilla” is another way to put it. I miss when conductors weren’t afraid to be risky, ugly, and sexy with their interpretations. Today’s fellas ought to listen to more Gielen, Bernstein, and Kubelík. Simone Young really knows what she’s doing, as does Antonio Pappano and the Fischer brothers. François-Xavier Roth can be hit or miss, but he sure knows how to add character to the music.

[barryguerrero]

Erik, I can't claim to be a big expert on Andris Nelsons. I like this set, but I don't take Richard Strauss all that seriously to begin with. To be perfectly frank, I really got this set more for the excellent playing of the Boston Symphony. The Gewandhaus is pretty darn good too. I do think it's fair to say that his Gewandhaus stuff - mostly Bruckner, obviously - does sound a tad 'safer' than the Boston stuff. I think that kind of 'goes with the territory', so to speak. I think some of his Boston Shostakovich is really pretty darn good. I especially like the 'twofer' that has S6 and S7. Also, I very much like my DVD of Nelsons doing M2 at Salzburg with the Vienna Phil. That said, I don't think his Berlin one comes off quite as good (included in the BPO's own set of Mahler symphonies).

I saw Nelsons conduct the Vienna Phil. in Berkeley in several works, the most memorable being the Bruckner 6th. I definitely felt that he was better and more 'inspiring' than the average.

Also, I'm not bothered by the looks of this box at all. In addition, I think many of the fillers are really very good. Yuja Wang 'knocks it out of the park' on "Burleske", for example. I'm not a huge Yo-Yo Ma fan, but he plays fabulously on this "Don Quixote" - much better than he had previously with Ozawa (Sony Classical)

Later on:  I just listened to the "Zarathustra"/"Aus Italien" disc. The Zarathustra was perfectly fine, with a really good opening fanfare (per Erik). The "Aus Italien" is great on here. That's probably my third favorite orchestral work by Strauss, preceded only by "Alpensinfonie" and "Don Quixote". I think the finale of "Aus Italien" is hysterical. Look, if nothing else, this set is certainly a lot better recorded than the EMI Kempe set.

Days later: The "Till Eulenspiegel" is fantastic. It actually sounds mischievous and funny, for once. I normally can't stand that piece. Many of the 'off the beaten path fillers' in this set are very good. I'm happy I picked this up.  I'm also happy that I don't listen to other people.