Seckerson on Harding/Staatskapelle Dresden M9 in London

[BorisG]

I heard the first movement of a performance in Dresden (January 8, 9) via Rapidshare. Too slow. Seemed slower than its 31:35 timing. Such slackness discouraged me from sampling the remaining movements. Doubting that Harding will adjust tempo in subsequent performances and recording, I find I must now severely curb my earlier enthusiasm for his Mahler 9.

[barry guerrero]

Giulini takes over 31 minutes on his DG recording. But I think it works pretty well because he gets the CSO low brass to really hammer out Mahler's "arhythmic heartbeat" motif at the climax; played with the "greatest possible force" - just as Mahler specifies.

You might be surprised to know that one of Boulez's BBC performances of M9 in the 1970's took up to 32 minutes on the first movement!

Barry

[BorisG]

Giulini takes over 31 minutes on his DG recording. But I think it works pretty well because he gets the CSO low brass to really hammer out Mahler's "arhythmic heartbeat" motif at the climax; played with the "greatest possible force" - just as Mahler specifies.

You might be surprised to know that one of Boulez's BBC performances of M9 in the 1970's took up to 32 minutes on the first movement!

Barry

Too slow, too slow. Later with Chicago, Boulez somewhat shaped up at 29:17. Rosbaud crawled in at 32:02. Chailly at 30:29 sounds painfully slow to me. Keeping in mind that timing isn't everything, I have yet to keep a Mahler 9 that exceeds 30 in the first.

[barry guerrero]

Well, I actually the way the piece is proportioned on the Abbado/BPO M9, where the two outer movements are somewhat over 25 minutes each. Masur did something similar.

[Leo K]

I listened to the Harding 9th twice last night.  It is a great performance through and through.  The instrumental timbre and coloring is really effective...the tempos are very natural throughout each movement and foreshadow the inevitability of loss and dissolution heard at the end.    This is a very sorrowful 9th in my view. 

[sperlsco]

I listened to the Harding 9th twice last night.  It is a great performance through and through.  The instrumental timbre and coloring is really effective...the tempos are very natural throughout each movement and foreshadow the inevitability of loss and dissolution heard at the end.    This is a very sorrowful 9th in my view. 

Did you hear a radio rip of a live performance?  If so, from where?  Was it from RapidShare?

BTW Leo:  What is the revolving picture show at the bottom of your posts and how do you do it? 

[Leo K]

I listened to the Harding 9th twice last night.  It is a great performance through and through.  The instrumental timbre and coloring is really effective...the tempos are very natural throughout each movement and foreshadow the inevitability of loss and dissolution heard at the end.    This is a very sorrowful 9th in my view. 

Did you hear a radio rip of a live performance?  If so, from where?  Was it from RapidShare?

BTW Leo:  What is the revolving picture show at the bottom of your posts and how do you do it? 

That is Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys..working his magic in the studio (as producer, arranger and songwriter).  I left you a message on your PM.