Allow me to reprint this comparison review between two excellant M6's:
The Martin Sieghart account is an epic M6, and doesn't indulge in emphasizing the 'tragic' aspect. It's a direct reading with solid structure, but the 'color' or sound picture is interesting. It's rather a rough, course sound. The tubas are easy to hear and the other instruments don't blend too well, which is a good thing. It's not a wild or even motivating M6th...and I feel removed from the action somewhat. The image that comes to mind is the painting of a battle on an old, dusty and cracked Grecian Urn. I also imagine an archeological dig on the site of a lost city.
The sense of "lost to the ages" very much describes the drawn out spaces in much of the performance...the tempos take their time and etc. It many ways it is as bleak as Horenstein's Bournemouth account. I keep wanting to go back to it.
The Sieghart M6 only gets better with every listen. I finally got to listen to the SACD layer for the whole performance and noticed an obvious improvement in the sound, which is still very fine on the CD layer, but a little dry. Indeed, the SACD layer sounds so good (especially in the dynamic contrast and clarity of detail in the lower brass and percussion) the interpretation fares much better, and can be better appreciated along with the details heard in the orchestration.
I listened to the Sieghart back to back with the Eschenbach Philly M6 (see photo above) a couple times to compare, as both are my current top commercial recordings of the M6. In both, the lower brass and percussion are captured magnificently, thereby improving my appreciation of the dark timbre mixtures Mahler wrote into the score. I listened to both disks on the two channel stereo SACD layer through my Grato SR80 headphones and was in Mahler M6 heaven for hours.
The Siegart M6 is an incredible experience on SACD. This recording was taken from performances given on the 21-23 of December, 2003 at the Concertgebouw De Vereeniging in Nijmegen (the oldest city in the Netherlands). The natural detail, atmosphere and clarity are such a joy…it must be a good hall. I found myself holding my breath often, taken in by the waves of orchestration. Like the Eschenbach account, the tempos are heavy and movement thoughout the score is rugged, and seem to carry the weight of the world. Unlike Eschenbach, there are no obvious “dramatic” indulgences such as overemphasizing passages for effect, ala Bernstein or MTT. The Sieghart earns its power through the constant hypnotic building by playing the score straightforward…the one indulgence are the expansive tempos, yet the discourse is appealing and the awesome lower brass and percussion (not to mention the wonderful string playing), the performance never drags. The higher timbre of the flutes and other woodwinds are captured well on the wonderful high-ends of the sound picture (and doesn't tax the ear).
When I want a more exaggerated reading I will turn to the Eschenbach without hesitation. I didn’t much care for Eschenbach’s account on the first few listens, but the memory of the unique phrasing and tempo relationships stayed on my mind and grew on me, and on first hearing the SACD layer I got hooked. As fine as it is, the SACD layer of the Eschenbach is not as great as the Sieghart, but the interpretation is first rate, full of great ideas in shaping and dynamics. A favorite moment (in the Eschenbach) is the transition chorale between the march and Alma’s theme in the exposition of the first movement…it really works to slow this passage down and make much of the rather objective reflection here in the midst of the ongoing march. The tempo relationships in the Sieghart are more subtle. A highlight of Sieghart’s first movement is the execution of the Alma theme in both the exposition and the recapitulation…the tempo isn’t rushed but carefully sculpted, and the strings and horns are clearly heard within all the richness the score has to offer. The Arnhem strings easily hold their own when compared to the Philly strings, or any orchestra for that matter…they really rise to the occasion. The horns and trumpets exhibit resonating warmth and bite, whatever is needed they are there, ready to deliver...especially hear the fine blasts that punctuate the rhythm during the development of the 1st movement. The pluck of bass string and growling low brass that sets off the finale is menacing and rises like the lip of a dog bearing his teeth...Bravo!
The only drawback to the Sieghart is the availabilty...it can only be ordered from Japan (
http://www.hmv.co.jp/index.asp)...but it is sooooo worth it. The Eschenbach is much easier to find, so go for this if you don't wish to order from Japan.
--Todd
