Your favorite Das Lied von der Erde?

[barry guerrero]

I agree with Russell. The Haitink/Cocertgebouw "Zarathustra" sounds amazing, and Haitink's Ravel cycle sounded real good too. Too bad it all went down hill when they plugged the existing Philips equipment into digital tape decks.

[Prospero]

The Klemperer with Wunderlich and Ludwig on SACD is stupendous in both sound and performance. And don't forget the exquisite Horenstein BBC performance.

The recent Abbado broadcast with Kaufmann and von Otter is very fine--to be released on DVD soon.

[John Kim]

The Klemperer with Wunderlich and Ludwig on SACD is stupendous in both sound and performance. And don't forget the exquisite Horenstein BBC performance.

The recent Abbado broadcast with Kaufmann and von Otter is very fine--to be released on DVD soon.

The Klemperer on SACD??

Aren't you referring to the Japanese reissue on SHMCD?

John,

[Prospero]

No, the Esoteric SACD edition of the Klemperer DLvdE. While too expensive, perhaps the finest of the Esoteric remasters I've been able to hear, next to the Solti Ring.

Best,

Tom

[chalkpie]

Count me in as a fan of the Boulez Das Lied. Violeta's vibrato can be annoying at times, but her intonation is dead-on perfect, way better than her counterpart in the Bertini. Boulez doesn't milk every phrase to death of course, and maybe he could be be a bit more sensitive to the overall shape at times, but those are my main gripes of an otherwise killer DL. The transparency of the orchestral colors is pretty much unmatched in every version i own, even clearer than my usual favorite - Oue/Minn.  I close my eyes and seeing the score in front of me is effortless with this recording. The playing is also beyond gorgeous, and there is some extreme sensitivity to timbre and color in this recording. Most important, it moves me, which ultimately is the most important thing.

I know our good pal Barry here gave it a whopping one out of five stars at Clamazon, so we will have to agree to disagree on this one

[Russell]

I feel I should throw in a good word for the recently issued live performance from 1964 on DG with Wunderlich and Fischer-Dieskau, Josef Krips conducting.  Here, even more than his other recorded performances, Fischer-Dieskau makes as good a case for the baritone version as I've ever heard, while Wunderlich is, as always, ardent and mellifluous.  But the big surprise here is Krips, not really known as a Mahler conductor, who turns in a performance so full of angst, intensity, and sensitivity.  Unfortunately, the only blight on this recording is the orchestra (the Vienna Symphony), which sounds pretty mediocre here.  Sound quality is early-60's broadcast-quality mono--not great, but very serviceable.  A must-hear for lovers of DLVDE, nonetheless!

Russell

[barry guerrero]

"I know our good pal Barry here gave it a whopping one out of five stars at Clamazon, so we will have to agree to disagree on this one"

Yep - possibly THE WORST commercial recording of "DLvdE" ever made, and the one dark spot on Boulez's generally very good Mahler cycle. If nothing else, Urmana is recorded WAY too closely, and the tenor is awful.

[Russell]

.... and the tenor is awful.

Yes, he's awful, but he sounds like a god next to the one on Kent Nagano's recording.....

Russell

[Leo K]

Count me in as a fan of the Boulez Das Lied. Violeta's vibrato can be annoying at times, but her intonation is dead-on perfect, way better than her counterpart in the Bertini. Boulez doesn't milk every phrase to death of course, and maybe he could be be a bit more sensitive to the overall shape at times, but those are my main gripes of an otherwise killer DL. The transparency of the orchestral colors is pretty much unmatched in every version i own, even clearer than my usual favorite - Oue/Minn.  I close my eyes and seeing the score in front of me is effortless with this recording. The playing is also beyond gorgeous, and there is some extreme sensitivity to timbre and color in this recording. Most important, it moves me, which ultimately is the most important thing.

I know our good pal Barry here gave it a whopping one out of five stars at Clamazon, so we will have to agree to disagree on this one

I agree with every word. The Boulez Das Lied is amazing!

[barry guerrero]

Amazing for what? If you want to hear a great "DLvdE" that employs the VPO, try the 'live' Giulini on Orfeo, which also uses the team of Fassbinder and Araiza (granted, it's expensive). There's no comparison.

[waderice]

Amazing for what? If you want to hear a great "DLvdE" that employs the VPO, try the 'live' Giulini on Orfeo, which also uses the team of Fassbinder and Araiza (granted, it's expensive). There's no comparison.

Barry,

I bought this CD in Salzburg a year ago, and have yet to listen to it, amongst all the numerous interests and things I have to do.  Along with it, I also bought an earlier mono recording of DLvdE conducted by Kubelik.  Eventually, I'll post a review of these two recordings here at the board when I have listened to them.

Wade

[hrandall]

Amazing for what? If you want to hear a great "DLvdE" that employs the VPO, try the 'live' Giulini on Orfeo, which also uses the team of Fassbinder and Araiza (granted, it's expensive). There's no comparison.

I'm a sucker for great DLvdE reviews... I ordered this one from Amazon this morning after listening to the online samples. Can't wait to hear it. Membership here on the board is free, but it definitely extracts a price!

[brunumb]

There is another live DLvdE from 1984 with Fassbaender/Araiza/Giulini and the Berlin PO on Testament (SBT1465).
Does anyone know how this recording compares with the 1987 Wiener PO one on Orfeo?

Edit :  I just noticed that Amazon has it scheduled for release in October in the US.  MDT and Presto in the UK already have it available.