Your favorite Das Lied von der Erde?

[Leo K]

Barry mentioned that he preferred DlvdE over the M9 on the other thread, and this got me wondering what everyone's current top DlvdE recording is?  Mahler's late style is very different than his earlier works, there is a mystical objective quality to many passages in DlvdE, the 9th, and 10th symphonies...

Here is my brief list:

Tied for 1st place:
Kubelik/BRS/Audite
Zagrosek/BSO/Jan 6,2006 (recorded broadcast--with the wonderful Petra Lang)

Other top tier choices:
Boulez/VPO/DG
Horenstein/BBC Northern/BBC
Klemperer/NPO/EMI
Walter/VPO/Decca

Honorable mention:
Sieghart/APO/Exton (Pristine sound)

My next DlvdE will be the new Reiner re-release SACD!


--Leo

[John Kim]

The only reason I listen to M9 more often than DLVDE is because of the rather heavy lyrics in the latter piece. Musically, both pieces are, of course, indisputable materpieces and belong to a very short list of all the greatest works that humans have ever produced. My favorite DLVDE are,

Barenboim/CSO/Erato
Ormandy/PO/Sony
Klemperer/PO/EMI
Solti/CSO/Decca (analogue)

John

[MichaelO]

Hi Leo:

Like most folks here I many--probably too many--performances of Mahler's works.  DLvDE is one of my favs to be sure. 
Here are my current favs.

Tenor/bari.  Paul Kletzki:  FD/Dickie.
Mezzo/tenor:  Kubelik/BRS/Audite
                    Klemperer/PO/EMI
                    Bertini (EMI)
                    Walter/ NYP
                    Reiner

I also have the Sieghart/APO/Exton and haven't listened to it enough to give a final ranking.  I think it is a very well sung and played version.  Cannot really fault anything about it, but so far it doen't grab me like some others.  It may once I have listened to it some more.  What do you think of this recording?

Michael

[Leo K]

Hi Michael,

Regarding the Siegart/APO/Exton,  I have had a similar reaction.  I have only heard it twice, and appreciate it's excellant sound but feel I need more listens to give a better review.  I have a feeling it's going to grow in stature the more I listen though...I feel this is a "grower" rather than an immediate grabber.  Both singers are very fine and subtle.

--Leo

[MichaelO]

Hi Leo.

Thanks for your reply.  Did you noticed by the way that the version released in Germany has a different cover?  It appears to be a collage of photos of the soloists and conductor.  I wonder if Siegart is going to record a Mahler cycle?  He already has a M6 out.



Michael

[Leo K]

Michael,

I have not seen that cover...I'll have to see if I can find it...is it on the web somewhere?

Based on the strength of his M6, I hope he does record a complete Mahler cycle.  I especially hope he records the M10 using the S/M edition for Exton in SACD sound!


--Leo

[sperlsco]

I'm going to cheat here, by using an edited copy of something I posted on another Board. 

There are probably 20 performances of this symphony that are very worthwhile.  For my money, though, I don't think that you can beat Haitink/Baker/King/RCOA for a Female/Male pairing.  The singing is absolutely first-rate, and I love Haitink's conducting and the playing of the RCOA.  Haitink has wonderfully flexible tempos, and expertly handles the many transitions.  Listen to the heart-pounding and gasping intensity of his middle (horse rider) section in "Von Der Schonheit".  Haitink's funeral march in "Der Abschied" is amazingly intense.  The tam-tam's are very audible and really add to the feeling.  The final "ewig's" are transcendent.  By the way, the sound is excellent. 

For me, the live Kubelick is in the same performance class.  Janet Baker might sing slightly better here, and I might even choose Kmentt over King.  However, I like the sound and the orchestra better in the Haitink version.  A couple of others that I recommend without reservation are Giulini/BPO, Sanderling/Berlin SO, and Oue/Minnesota.   

As I mentioned elsewhere, I like male/male versions of this symphony as much as mixed ones, there just aren't many from which to choose. The Bernstein/DFD/King is an easy choice in a male/male version.  The VPO is not always my preferred Mahler orchestra, but Lennie really draws a great performance from them.  This has to be one of the great funeral marches in Der Abschied.  I also really like the Rattle/Hampson/Seiffert version.  I must point out that I have a strong positive bias for Hampson.  The Kletzki/DFD/Dickie is very worthwhile in this category, but the Salonen/Domingo/Skovhus is probably not.  Oh yeah, now that the 1995 Mahlerfest has a limited edition release, I can also include the Haitink/Hampson/Heppner/GMJO as one of my first tier favorites.  There are a few lapses in playing, but nothing to get in the way of my enjoyment. 

There are many others that I would recommend with generally minor reservations:  Walter/Miller/Haefliger/NYPO, Bertini/Cologne, Karajan & Bernstein/Sony (both with Ludwig/Kollo), Klemperer/Ludgwig/Wunderlich, Jochum, Sinopoli, Reiner, Ormandy, Levine/Berlin, and perhaps even Inbal, Bychkov, Solti/CSO, Tennstedt, and Barenboim.   I'm in agreement with others on the Seighart SACD -- splendid sound, pretty-good singing and playing, generally well-conducted -- but none of it is quite top tier. 

A few comments on some of these:  My only knock on Walter is his slow tempo in the first drinking song.  Karajan's Berliner's are overly homogenized in the first song (i.e. some solo instruments fail to rise above the orchestra).  Tennstedt has terribly harsh recorded sound for the male songs.  It does feature a superb Der Abschied though.  The Sinopoli is fantastic throughout until you reach the final 30 or so seconds.  Sinopoli inexplicably rushes through the final "ewigs", which destroys the entire transcendent feeling. Klemperer has droopy tempos in the middle songs, but everything else about it makes it a must own recording. 

As for the Boulez, I have never liked it.  I don't like the singing or the conducting, and the VPO sound more inspired for Lennie.  I also own a few of the chamber versions of DLvdE.  None of them really move me, but Herreweghe has Birgit Remmert, so she makes the performance worthwhile.  Also worth mentioning is an atrocious chamber version on the Brilliant label conducted by Nicol Matt.  It features horrendous singing by the tenor, Daniel Sans. 

[Leo K]

Thanks for posting this Scott!  Very helpful!

I recently aquired the Guilini/BPO/DG used and the Haitink/RCO/Phillips is also new to me.  It's good to know they have been well recieved.  I also  have the Haitink 95 Mahlerfest broadcast that I have only heard in snippits...I shall review this soon as well.

I also look forward to Bertini's Dlvde from his EMI box. 

--Leo

[John Kim]

With all these said, I have a soft spot for the Solti/CSO/Decca version. The solo singing is so and so, especially Minton, but the Chicago orchestra really shines through. This was recorded when Solti was still at his peak and newly became the director of the orchestra. Again, I prefer objective readings in this piece and Solti nicely meets my criteria.

John,

[Jeff Wozniak]

[Leo K]

With all these said, I have a soft spot for the Solti/CSO/Decca version. The solo singing is so and so, especially Minton, but the Chicago orchestra really shines through. This was recorded when Solti was still at his peak and newly became the director of the orchestra. Again, I prefer objective readings in this piece and Solti nicely meets my criteria.

John,

John, this Solti recording was my second Mahler CD and my first Dlvde.  I never warmed up to it, but I was influenced by his objective approach, which I also prefer.  Someday I should seek it out again and give it another re-listen.

--Leo

[barry guerrero]

The Solti "DLvdE" is not my favorite one, but it does have a terrific sounding tam-tam in "der Abschied". For that particularly recording, Gordon Peters played a 100 cm Wuhan  (40") that belonged to Fred Beckman. Fred was the first American to import Wuhan gongs into the U.S. after trade with China became possible. Pretty much all of the big-name American orchestras have gongs that Fred brought in, including the CSO. But he kept the very best one - well, to his ears, anyhow - for his dining room. Gordon borrowed that particular chau gong, and I think it sounds great. Pittsburgh sometimes uses their 130cm (50") monster that Fred sold them. I heard them unleash that thing at the end of "Pictures", conducted by Dutoit.



Here's one of Fred's terrific black & white photographs. You can see more of his photos at www.singergallery.com.



Another distinction of Fred Beckman: during the early years of "ufologoy" - investigations into UFO sightings - Fred was the #3 expert on the topic in the U.S., behind J. Allen Hynek and Jacques Vallee - both pictured below. I believe that Jacques Vallee still teaches physics at Stanford.

[Leo K]

These connections are amazing Barry!




Seriously, that is quite interesting!

--Leo

[Vatz Relham]

Hi Michael,

Regarding the Siegart/APO/Exton,  I have had a similar reaction.  I have only heard it twice, and appreciate it's excellant sound but feel I need more listens to give a better review.  I have a feeling it's going to grow in stature the more I listen though...I feel this is a "grower" rather than an immediate grabber.  Both singers are very fine and subtle.

--Leo

Guys,

Have you listened again to the Sieghart Das Lied?
I think the recording is excellent, with a few minor reservations:

The tenor Donald Litaker has a tendancy to over do it, almost as if he was singing an operatic role which causes his voice to fad in and out in a few places as he moves in and away from the mic.
The entrance of the lads on galloping horses in Of Beauty is a bit slow, similar to Boulez and Bychkov.
Der Abschied is a little too quick, it could use a little more slowing down near the end, time 28:14

Now the good points:
Litaker does sing very well and clearly understands the text.
Christianne Stotijn is really wonderfull to my ears, she has a beautifull tone, warm and clear, closer to an alto then a mezzo which is what Mahler calls for,
and excellent control over her vibrato, no out of control wobble here, she also sings with much feeling I think.
This is the first recording I have heard of the Arnhem Phil. Orch, which is quite impressive, and only the 2nd one conducted by Martin Sieghart, the other being the S/M M10 pirate CD.
The sound is first rate, very clear and natural, (listened to CD) with good balances between the voices and orchestra,
all the small details of percussion in Of youth (cymbals with bass drum) and in Of Beauty are very good.
Sieghart has the mandolin play muted which actually sounds natural that way in Der Abschied even if Mahler does not mark it that way, in some recordings it's too tiny and old fashioned sounding.
The tam-tam as clearly audible with a nice deep tone, especially the two at the end of the funeral march of the finale.

For me this is one of the best recordings of this work I have heard in a while, along with Bertini, Reiner, Kubelik, Klemperer, Haitink, Giulini, Walter-NYPO, Sanderling, Bychkov, Bernstein-VPO.

Vatz

[John Kim]

I have this one but think the overall tempo is on a fast side, even faster than the Ormandy and Barenboim, two of my favorite DLVDE's. But as you said, the playing and sound are excellent.

John,