Rattle / BPO M9 might really be something...

[je-b]

I attended last night's performance of M9 as performed by Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic which was this season's opening night. As the three regular performances of this symphony in October will be recorded and thereafter released by EMI, I'd like to give you some hints what to expect.

Well, Rattle's is one of those M9s that will leave you shattered, exhausted, and probably deeply moved. Even though there were some odd tempo choices in the inner movements that one might not agree with (he was for example very fast with that short "glimpse of heaven" passage in the Rondo), his overall approach seemed extremely well thought-out and consistent till the very last bar. This is an M9 as dark and heavy as it gets, often times very slow and probably comparable in style to Chailly / RCO, Kobayashi / JPO (but with way better playing by the BPO), Abbado / BPO (Mahlerfeest '95), Bernstein / BPO, Sinopoli / Dresden, or MTT / SFS. It's one of those "old world" interventionist M9s that milks the music for every drop of emotion, that doesn't shy away from the most extreme outcries (some of the climaxes were so forceful it almost hurt), and that somehow seems to see the end of a whole world, a whole universe (rather than "just" that of one individual life, or of a certain symphonic tradition) in this work.
If you like your M9 to be more in the "modern" and aggressive way of say Barenboim / Staatskapelle or Ancerl / CPO, then you might find Rattle's way with this work overtly emotional and drawn out. But if you're in for a Mahler Ninth as grim, heavy, brooding, tortured and violent as it gets, I'd say you may really look forward to this one if EMI gets it right.     

[John Kim]

Many thanks for your detailed review.

Temporally, this one sounds rather different than Rattle's earlier version with VPO. But the Vienna performance was also loaded with extreme emotions and dynamic ranges that defy even the limit of modern digital recording. But I liked most of tempos that he chose in that performance. What were the timings of the four movements like?

John,

[je-b]

What were the timings of the four movements like?

John,

that's a bit hard to tell as I didn't check my watch during / after the movements. What I can say for sure is that the performance was on the slow to very slow side. Particularly the outer movements seemed very expansive - I'd say about 28-30 minutes for the first and 26-28 for the last. The inner movements seemed just about average in terms of tempi, while the Rondo was - despite the very fluent "glimpse of heaven" section - probably a good deal slower than on the recent Barenboim recording. All in all I'd say this was probably a performance of 85 - 90 minutes. But don't take my word on that. I can let know more precisely about timings in October, when I'll certainly be attending one of the three regular performances of the work then.
On a side note, the normally extremely anti-Rattle "Berliner Zeitung" today writes that the M9 was "one of the most wonderful performances Simon Rattle has ever conducted at the helm of the Berlin Philharmonic". I tend to agree.     

[John Kim]

je-b,

Rattle's VPO recordings has something like,

I. 27.5
II. 15.5
III. 13
IV. 24.5

So, it seems the Finale got expanded a few min. in the BPO concert. Is there any chance to hear this concert on web?

John,

[cilea]

[...]  Is there any chance to hear this concert on web?

It's been uploaded into OperaShare. The timings are:

1. 28:13
2. 15:31
3. 12:35
4. 27:32

Total 83:51

[barry guerrero]

ahhhhh, that's more to my liking.

Barry

[je-b]

Wow, I was totally wrong about the Rondo then.  It somehow felt slower in performance.
Well, at least I got the outer movements somewhat right.

[je-b]

[...]  Is there any chance to hear this concert on web?

It's been uploaded into OperaShare. The timings are:

1. 28:13
2. 15:31
3. 12:35
4. 27:32

Total 83:51

Hm, I'd love to hear that again and see if my very favorable judgement remains the same after listening to a recording of it.
So, as OperaShare is currently a bit difficult to join, would any OperaShare member here be willing to send me a membership invitation? If you are, please PM me - that would be great. Many thanks in advance!

[Leo K]

Symphony No.9

Berliner Philharmoniker
Simon Rattle

Philharmonie Berlin, 25-VIII-2007

http://rapidshare.com/files/51286911/Mahler_9.Rattle_07.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/51288584/Mahler_9.Rattle_07.part2.rar


 

[je-b]

You're the best, Leo! 
Many thanks.

[John Kim]

I've just finished listening to the first movt. Sadly, I was not that impressed. Lot of it sounds much like Abbado/BPO/DG which was recorded not too long ago, in 1999. Also, the level of the intensity is not up to Rattle's VPO recording, with many passages rounded off and softened off. In one word, I don't find much new or unique about this recording. It sounds like a combination of other BPO recordings that are already available, Abbado, Karajan, to name a few. I will next listen to II-IV.

John,

[je-b]

To a certain point, I have to agree with John here. The recording somehow can't compete with the concert experience I had. This has certainly also to do with the seats I had in the hall (very close to the orchestra - where the sound was really extremely direct). But I also feel they leveled down the percussion and strings somewhat that were both overpowering a bit during the performance. Maybe the October performances will be better / differently captured.
That said, I'm still pretty much in love with the second and fourth movement - even on the recording.

[Leo K]

I listened to this Rattle M9 broadcast tonight (from link posted above).

I really loved the performance, epic and slow in the first movement, but well constucted and strongly played.  The middle movements have plenty of flow and action, with colorful instrumental detail, in contrast the outer movements are definitely heavier and "meditative" overall...but the underlying archictecture is felt...each part of the "building", each "ornamentation" captured my attention.  I have not heard Rattle's VPO, so I can't compare with his EMI release.   

Judging by this concert, I really feel his upcoming commercial release has great potential.  Time will tell.

John, I know you wern't impressed by the first mov...but did you hear the rest of this performance?  It is really good.     


--Leo 

[John Kim]

Leo,

I can't comment on the recording objectively based on the broadcat alone. I will defer my judgement until I hear the official recording. For one thing, what I heard was taken from a concert before the EMI recording was made, so there is possibility Rattle's view or the playing or the sound might have changed since then.

John,

[Leo K]

Yes, I understand as there is some problems with the sound of this broadcast (balances are off, and the sounds drops out etc), so it is hard to judge.  And it will be interesting to finally hear the commercial release to hear Rattle's official reading.


--Leo