Boulez: Best Mahler and non-Mahler recordings.

[oscar]

I am interested in Pierre Boulez Mahler recordings for DG.  Which would be the best?  I like a lot nr. 4.

And what about his other recordings ?

best regards,

Oscar.

[Russ Smiley]

The sumptuous sounds of the Vienna Philharmonic, the gritty first movement, brisk Scherzo, and earthy cowbells make the Boulez/VPO M6 one of my favorites (though the hammer strikes are too subdued if there at all).  Their M5, however, left me flat.

The M1 and M9 recordings with the Chicago SO were fine sounding, but I very much disliked the too-brisk tempi in one or two movements in each.

The M7 with the Cleveland simply didn't appeal to me the way Bertini/Köln and Halász/Polish NRSO do.  The liked the M4, but prefer a different quality of voice for the final movement (e.g. Barbara Bonney in Chailly's recording).

I haven't owned the M2, M3, or M8 and can offer no comments.

Russ

[Leo K]

The Boulez M3 is a great recording (the SACD version)...near the top of my M3 list.  Also love his M4...I was just going to listen to his M4 today actually (especially for the scherzo).  Despite lack of organ in the finale of his M8, I still really like his tempo choices and the overall estatic mood from all involved...definitely worth having.  Haven't heard his M6, M7 and M9 enough to comment yet. 

I may be just one of a few who love his Das Lied von der Erde release...near the top my my DLVdE list for sure.

--Todd

[barry guerrero]

His Varese disc with the CSO is terrific. I also like the one Ligeti disc he has made for DG. His Ravel with the BPO is quite good too. I especially like his quick paced "Daphnis & Chloe". What it lacks in sheer sumptuousness, it makes for with pure elegance and elan. Of course, any of his Anton Webern is self recommending. His recording of the complete, 3 act "Lulu" is pretty much definitive. Then there's the entire Bartok cycle with the CSO. All of it is at least good, if not outstanding. I'm hoping that DG will put his Bartok into a nice box of some sort. On DVD, he gets high marks for his "Pelleas & Melisande" (Debussy), and I feel that his recent one of Janacek's "From The House Of The Dead" is outstanding. I'm really glad that he's been acknowledging Janacek in the last few years. If you can deal with Chereau's 19th century industrial revolution context for Wagner's "Ring", Boulez's conducting of it is pretty darn good. All of the Stravinsky discs he has made with the Cleveland Orch. are quite good too, with the exception of one slight disappointment: Petrushka/Rite Of Spring. For some reason, his latest "Rite" sounds a bit lethargic and/or didactic. His earlier Cleveland one on Columbia (Sony) is better. Go figure! And of course, Boulez conducting Boulez is the real deal.

Seriously, it's hard to go wrong with Boulez in any 20th century music.

[Damfino]

Barry, even better, IMO was Boulez' Rite of Spring on the Nonesuch label with the Orchestre National de la RTF. I think I went through two LPs of that one.

[Russell]

My favorite Mahler with Boulez is the 6th, followed by the 4th.  I also like parts of his M8.  But I do wish that Sony would reissue his recording of the M10 Adagio that he did in 1970 with the LSO.  I used to have it on a Japanese Sony CD set but stupidly got rid of it.  (I did copy the M10 Adagio to a CDR, though.)

As for his other recordings, I like his earlier stuff the best.  His 'La Mer' with the New Philharmonia Orchestra is legendary, though it sounds kind of muted in its latest incarnation in the Great Performances series on Sony (not available in the US--I had to order mine from the UK).  His 'Rite of Spring' with Cleveland from 1969 on Sony is also legendary and, I think, superior to his DG remake.  I also like his NY Phil 'Petrushka'. also for Sony.

Russell

[Don]

I second Russell's mention of the Cleveland/Sony Rite and NYP Petrushka, classics rarely if ever equaled.

As for Mahler, the only Boulez I have heard with any regularity is the Das Klagende Lied with the LSO. My favorite performance of this not all that commonly recorded work.

[john haueisen]

If you feel like WATCHING a Boulez Mahler performance, you might try the DVD of the Dresden Staatskapelle with Boulez conducting Mahler's Second.
Besides an opportunity to watch the beautiful soprano Diana Damrau sing very movingly, you will see Boulez in one of his very rare moments:  he actually SMILES.
True, it isn't until after being called back by the audience for a third or fourth time, but even the usual metronome-like Boulez finally has to acknowledge how much this performance was appreciated.
--John H

[john haueisen]

FYI:   Follow-up on Boulez M2 dvd:

Amazon currently offers it for $25.99 with a pre-Christmas special of free shipping.
Both Barry and Scott Morrison have given it excellent reviews.

[cilea]

[...] DVD of the Dresden Staatskapelle with Boulez conducting Mahler's Second. [...]

Actually, the orchestra is the Staatskapelle Berlin, Barenboim's band.

[john haueisen]

Thank you--you're absolutely right!
I have a problem with "Staatskapelle."  The first one I heard was Dresden, so I carelessly keep remembering that.  It is, as you say correctly the Staatskapelle of Berlin.

[akiralx]

For Mahler, I think his M2 and M3 are the best of his set.

For non-Mahler, on DG I like his Daphnis et Chloe + La Valse CD, and his Ravel CD (both Berlin PO).

[klingsor]

The only Boulez Mahler I know is Das Klagende Lied, one of the earliest recordings of the work. I remember liking it, but it's been years

For Non-Mahler Boulez, I'd recommend his Bartok--The Wooden Prince and Cantata Profana, a tremendous recording on DG, and his Sony Bartoks are excellent too, along with the Sony Debussy

Boulez's DG recordings of his own music are among the best he has done in any category, particularly SUR INCISES, an incredibly dynamic piiece.

And I can second the recommendation for the Ligeti concerti recording---wow, what music and performances!

**
One thing that has intrigued me: Boulez conducting Bruckner 8 on DG... Anybody know it?

[akiralx]

One thing that has intrigued me: Boulez conducting Bruckner 8 on DG... Anybody know it?

Yes, a very fine - and fiery - recording.  The last movement goes at quite a clip and is very exciting.  I also have the TDK DVD of the same live performance. 

The funny thing is Boulez was attracted to do the Eighth as he said he was impressed by a Klemperer performance - which turned out to be the Fifth, so Boulez's memory was playing him false...

[chalkpie]

Boulez does Debussy and Ravel very well. TRack down both DG Debussy recordings - his Prelude/Faun is unbelievable and will spotlight Debussy's genius. Ravel - both DG discs with Daphnes and Bolero/Mother Goose are essential.

Also, the 1st Webern set (Sony Classical) is essential and I own part of the DG set - also great. I prefer his earlier STravinsky and Varese to the later stuff (he mellowed bigtime on the CSP DG Varese disc), but it's all good.

All in all, probably my favorite conductor , and one of the most important figure in 20th/21st century music.