Otmar Suitner's Mahler

[Wunderhorn]

Anyone have views of whether Otmar Suitner's Mahler is worth consideration?

[BorisG]

Anyone have views of whether Otmar Suitner's Mahler is worth consideration?

Definitely. His readings are thrilling. He has a firm hand with some of the best attacks in Mahler land.

Fair warning regarding his Mahler 1, 2, 5. He moves these works along at a good clip. If you like some of the more sluggish performances, then Suitner may not be for you. You will not do without detail or nuance with Suitner, but you will do without dawdle.

My favorites in order are 2, 5, 1. Mahler 1 is a 1962 recording with Dresden Staats. The sound is okay, though it can be harsh in spots. 2 and 5 are 1983 and 1984 recordings with the Berlin Staats. Their sound is warmer. 5 has also been remastered in Japan, and is understandably costlier.

[Wunderhorn]

Anyone have views of whether Otmar Suitner's Mahler is worth consideration?

Definitely. His readings are thrilling. He has a firm hand with some of the best attacks in Mahler land.

Fair warning regarding his Mahler 1, 2, 5. He moves these works along at a good clip. If you like some of the more sluggish performances, then Suitner may not be for you. You will not do without detail or nuance with Suitner, but you will do without dawdle.

My favorites in order are 2, 5, 1. Mahler 1 is a 1962 recording with Dresden Staats. The sound is okay, though it can be harsh in spots. 2 and 5 are 1983 and 1984 recordings with the Berlin Staats. Their sound is warmer. 5 has also been remastered in Japan, and is understandably costlier.

Thanks!

[Leo K]

Anyone have views of whether Otmar Suitner's Mahler is worth consideration?

Definitely. His readings are thrilling. He has a firm hand with some of the best attacks in Mahler land.

Fair warning regarding his Mahler 1, 2, 5. He moves these works along at a good clip. If you like some of the more sluggish performances, then Suitner may not be for you. You will not do without detail or nuance with Suitner, but you will do without dawdle.

My favorites in order are 2, 5, 1. Mahler 1 is a 1962 recording with Dresden Staats. The sound is okay, though it can be harsh in spots. 2 and 5 are 1983 and 1984 recordings with the Berlin Staats. Their sound is warmer. 5 has also been remastered in Japan, and is understandably costlier.

That was very helpful Boris...thanks! 

[barry guerrero]

There's an even better Staatskapelle Dresden M1, conducted by Watanabe. However, it's hard to find. It has an expo. repeat, whereas - if memory serves - Suitner's doesn't. I like the bonging church bell - a big one - at the end of Suitner's "Resurrection". He was very good with Bruckner as well.

Barry

[Wunderhorn]

I just ordered Suitner M2 and M5, as well as Karajan Gold M9; Some think Karajan conducted Mahler out of a 'jumping on the band wagon', but that is silly mostly because he knew he'd turn many of the anti-Mahler crowd for a loop by conducting him. Unlike Boehm who recorded historic recordings of Berg, but only about a mouse's fart of Mahler, who was a major influence on Berg. Same goes on with Wand and Thielemann, it is becoming quite a joke by now, the supposed purity of Austro-Germanic music.

[barry guerrero]

"Same goes on with Wand and Thielemann, it is becoming quite a joke by now, the supposed purity of Austro-Germanic music".

Wand, I can forgive; but it's downright unforgivable with a younger guy like Thielemann - talk about over-rated! We certainly don't need Thielemann's Mahler, but his attitudes are provocative, to say the least. To your list, you can add Harnoncourt, which is kind of a pity. I think he could do a truly great M1, if he wanted to. Anyway, these guys just give me one more reason why I don't consider Mahler to be an "Austro-German composer", but history's first truly cosmopolitan composer instead.

[pincopallino]

Wakasugi, Barry. Not Watanabe.

[Wunderhorn]

"Same goes on with Wand and Thielemann, it is becoming quite a joke by now, the supposed purity of Austro-Germanic music".

Wand, I can forgive; but it's downright unforgivable with a younger guy like Thielemann - talk about over-rated! We certainly don't need Thielemann's Mahler, but his attitudes are provocative, to say the least. To your list, you can add Harnoncourt, which is kind of a pity. I think he could do a truly great M1, if he wanted to. Anyway, these guys just give me one more reason why I don't consider Mahler to be an "Austro-German composer", but history's first truly cosmopolitan composer instead.

I think perhaps Franz Liszt was the first cosmopolitan composer.

[barry guerrero]

"Wakasugi, Barry. Not Watanabe".

Thanks. I couldn't get to the disc without waking up the wife - or a good chance of that happening. Also, I think I must have watched "Midway" or "Tora, Tora, Tora" too recently.

"I think perhaps Franz Liszt was the first cosmopolitan composer".

Fair enough. Although, the U.S. certainly wasn't part of the equation. Also, I'm not so sure that anyone other than piano buffs would care so much. Still, point taken.

[John Kim]

Barry,

You once confused some Japanese conductor's name - Ken something - with Ken "Karaoke"

John,

[barry guerrero]

I had probably just listened to one of my favorite Jobim bossanovas, "Carioca".   

[Wunderhorn]

Just got Suitner's Kindertotenlieder with (East) German baritone Siegried Lorenz, just to complete my Suitner collection with the Staats. Berlin.