I skipped Rattle/BRSO/M6 in Chicago yesterday

[Roland Flessner]

I was on the fence because ordinarily I would almost certainly have attended this concert, but I opted for a trip to Milwaukee to hear "Symphonie fantastique" preceded by two Liszt works with Stewart Goodyear. Conductor was music director Ken-David Masur. A terrific concert and I'm glad I went.

On my two previous visits to the fabulous Bradley Symphony Center, I was toward the front on the main floor and found the sound warm but opaque. Yesterday I sat in the balcony and found the sound quite a bit better.

I've listened to the first movement of Rattle's new M6 with the BRSO, and while I think he has matured as a Mahler conductor, I still didn't find it quite convincing. Then too, I've heard fine M6s in Orchestra Hall with Haitink, Gielen, and Slatkin, and when I asked myself if I really needed to hear another M6 in congested and blaring acoustics, I answered in the negative.

Listening to the Jansons/BRSO M6, I found it a more involving performance than Rattle's, with a couple asterisks. The cowbells are clattery instead of atmospheric, the bells are inappropriately high pitched, and the hammer makes more of a sharp crack than the dull (but powerful) thud that Mahler specifies. Those aside, it's a strong performance that projects a narrative sweep from start to finish, with a sense of orchestral unanimity that few other conductors can match.

Meanwhile, on Idagio I listened to the Paavo Järvi/NHK M6 and liked it very much. Other than the cowbells being bashful, it checks all my boxes and is in the elite category of my favorites.

[barryguerrero]

Hi Roland. I do think the first movement might be the 'weakest' in Rattle's new recording of M6. As always with him, the Scherzo is terrific. But then again, it's not bad on the Jansons M6 either. They're not terribly different. I'm guessing your concert in Milwaukee may have cost you less money that the Mahler in Chicago would have. I'm glad you enjoyed your trip up there. I'm curious as to what the two Liszt works were.

Barry

[Roland Flessner]

Hey Barry,

The Liszt works were the first piano concerto and Totentanz. While I'm not a huge fan of these works, Goodyear brought out the best in them. He is just awesome. I first heard him in St. Louis in the Shostakovich first concerto, and I thought, I would go hear this guy play music I didn't like just to hear him play it. I also attended his recital at Northwestern U in Evanston a couple weeks ago, where he played several Beethoven sonatas and a couple of his own short works. Terrific event.

The MSO charges more than they used to, but it's not out of line. Ticket prices now include sales tax and a "historic preservation fee." I don't mind because they did such an incredible job restoring and expanding the Warner Theater. Previously, when they played at the Marcus Center, the difference in ticket cost vs. here in Chicago just about paid for my Amtrak fare, and acoustics there are much better than Orchestra Hall.

[barryguerrero]

I'm not a huge Liszt person, but I do really like those two works.

[John Kim]

For my money, I find Rattle's new M6th recording as perfect as I can hope for or imagine. To be sure, Rattle also left a live recording of M6th with BPO a couple years ago and that too is outstanding. Perhaps BPO is tad more versatile and has an edge over BRSO in pure technical aspects, but Rattle's reading has ripened over the years. As Gramophone magazine did in a recent issue (reviewing the Rattle/BRSO M6th) I'd put this new M6th alongside Beernstin and Tenndtest as the finest recordings of the work to date.

John