customer reviews of Abbado/Lucerne F.O. M6 on DVD from Euroarts

[Leo K]

Wow...this Abaddo M6 is absolutely fabulous...for sheer concentration and intensity I think it ties with my favorite Haitink/LSO M6 (2002) it is that good.   

The low brass are captured quite well too...this feature really makes me love this performance (thats why I like the Sieghart M6 from Exton).  Abbado has a way of making andante-scherzo work, for reasons I can't explain as of yet.

This was the kind of performance that made me aware of passages I usually take for granted...like the first forte passage after the intitial march intro--when I heard the tuba I thought of the sound world of the 7th Symphony and the movement of rowing...making the passage sound like soldiers marching into a river and getting stopped in the waves.

Also in this performance the fortissimos have real impact.  Bravo!

--Leo
 

[barry guerrero]

Yeah, I've to say: while I'm not a huge fan of Abbado's Mahler in general, this live M6 is really quite good. It's dark enough, without also feeling bogged-down.

Barry

[John Kim]

So, Leo and Barry, do you guys consider this superior to Abbado's BPO CD version?

What are the timings like?

Thanks.

John,

[Leo K]

John, I would say yes, it is that good.  I prefer his Lucerne esemble over the BPO.  The almost "Brahmsian" sound of Abbado's DG M6 is there, but there is more color from the orchestra and the tempos are slighty more wieghty...I don't have the timings with me at the moment.  Does anyone have those handy?

--Leo

[barry guerrero]

The timings are fairly similar for the first movement and scherzo. The andante movement is about a minute longer than on the CD, while the finale stretches out to nearly 33 minutes. However, it doesn't sound slow or overly weighty. I definitely like the DVD more than the CD - it just sounds better, for one thing. However, I do prefer the swifter andante on the CD.

BArry