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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Vanska/MO/BIS M3rd SACD is pricey!

« Last post by barryguerrero on May 02, 2024, 05:21:03 AM »

Good grief - buying the Vanksa M3 from Amazon is almost half the cost of buying the complete cycle, as Amazon is showing a preorder price of $43. I have a feeling that's going to get corrected. I noticed Presto Classical has repriced their hard disc release of it to $30.25 (U.S.).

https://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symphony-No-Minnesota-Boychoir/dp/B0D2KRFRG4/ref=sr_1_36?crid=AVIQ8DSLPC6B&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.2tXE09FnvL1LR1T7uLOcCPrknmgdXR917Uwjfe9Q3mKtyQsRVtqL3Axs0RTv_1K_EDOcAmJ22E5Uy9TJGSaimw.iO4fUPpdlTfipnIb8zhchHIL_rW5Ou1xBWJ71w2Qgb4&dib_tag=se&keywords=mahler+symphony+no.+3&qid=1714626924&s=music&sprefix=mahler+symphony+no.+3%2Cpopular%2C169&sr=1-36

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9622893--mahler-symphony-no-3-in-d-minor?_gl=1*1mnbypk*_up*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0MexBhD3ARIsAEI3WHLPahnvThM2PaYLdFiz4ebSfkaYtU6fdtSDi9s8mzMPbL5TMaNEG20aAuWPEALw_wcB

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Vanska/MO/BIS M3rd SACD is pricey!

« Last post by Russ Smiley on May 02, 2024, 12:22:35 AM »

I see Amazon is releasing Vanska/Minnesota's "Mahler: Symphonies Nos. 1-10" on 7 June for $90 for 11 Hybrid SACDs.
https://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symphonies-Nos-Minnesota-Orchestra/dp/B0D2KQW1KW

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Vanska/MO/BIS M3rd SACD is pricey!

« Last post by John Kim on April 30, 2024, 05:57:54 PM »

I have an aircheck of Vanska/MO M3rd. Its timings are almost identical to those listed on the official release, so I think I know how the SACD will sound. In short, it is a vast and profound reading spectacularly played and recorded, a far cry from Maazel who took whopping 1 hour 51 min. in his VPO performance!!

To his credit, Vanska lets the Minnesota brass roar and rumble, above all in the opening 'Pan Awakes, Summer Marches In.' The woodwinds are excellent too and very prominent throughout. The Finale clocking just under 24 min. is neither too short nor dragging and culminates very nicely in the final hymn like climax. I'll see if I can find a place where I can order it with some discount.

John

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: I skipped Rattle/BRSO/M6 in Chicago yesterday

« Last post by John Kim on April 30, 2024, 05:49:48 PM »

For my money, I find Rattle's new M6th recording as perfect as I can hope for or imagine. To be sure, Rattle also left a live recording of M6th with BPO a couple years ago and that too is outstanding. Perhaps BPO is tad more versatile and has an edge over BRSO in pure technical aspects, but Rattle's reading has ripened over the years. As Gramophone magazine did in a recent issue (reviewing the Rattle/BRSO M6th) I'd put this new M6th alongside Beernstin and Tenndtest as the finest recordings of the work to date.

John

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: I skipped Rattle/BRSO/M6 in Chicago yesterday

« Last post by barryguerrero on April 30, 2024, 08:17:07 AM »

I'm not a huge Liszt person, but I do really like those two works.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: I skipped Rattle/BRSO/M6 in Chicago yesterday

« Last post by Roland Flessner on April 30, 2024, 05:05:08 AM »

Hey Barry,

The Liszt works were the first piano concerto and Totentanz. While I'm not a huge fan of these works, Goodyear brought out the best in them. He is just awesome. I first heard him in St. Louis in the Shostakovich first concerto, and I thought, I would go hear this guy play music I didn't like just to hear him play it. I also attended his recital at Northwestern U in Evanston a couple weeks ago, where he played several Beethoven sonatas and a couple of his own short works. Terrific event.

The MSO charges more than they used to, but it's not out of line. Ticket prices now include sales tax and a "historic preservation fee." I don't mind because they did such an incredible job restoring and expanding the Warner Theater. Previously, when they played at the Marcus Center, the difference in ticket cost vs. here in Chicago just about paid for my Amtrak fare, and acoustics there are much better than Orchestra Hall.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: I skipped Rattle/BRSO/M6 in Chicago yesterday

« Last post by barryguerrero on April 30, 2024, 04:14:25 AM »

Hi Roland. I do think the first movement might be the 'weakest' in Rattle's new recording of M6. As always with him, the Scherzo is terrific. But then again, it's not bad on the Jansons M6 either. They're not terribly different. I'm guessing your concert in Milwaukee may have cost you less money that the Mahler in Chicago would have. I'm glad you enjoyed your trip up there. I'm curious as to what the two Liszt works were.

Barry

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / I skipped Rattle/BRSO/M6 in Chicago yesterday

« Last post by Roland Flessner on April 30, 2024, 03:04:10 AM »

I was on the fence because ordinarily I would almost certainly have attended this concert, but I opted for a trip to Milwaukee to hear "Symphonie fantastique" preceded by two Liszt works with Stewart Goodyear. Conductor was music director Ken-David Masur. A terrific concert and I'm glad I went.

On my two previous visits to the fabulous Bradley Symphony Center, I was toward the front on the main floor and found the sound warm but opaque. Yesterday I sat in the balcony and found the sound quite a bit better.

I've listened to the first movement of Rattle's new M6 with the BRSO, and while I think he has matured as a Mahler conductor, I still didn't find it quite convincing. Then too, I've heard fine M6s in Orchestra Hall with Haitink, Gielen, and Slatkin, and when I asked myself if I really needed to hear another M6 in congested and blaring acoustics, I answered in the negative.

Listening to the Jansons/BRSO M6, I found it a more involving performance than Rattle's, with a couple asterisks. The cowbells are clattery instead of atmospheric, the bells are inappropriately high pitched, and the hammer makes more of a sharp crack than the dull (but powerful) thud that Mahler specifies. Those aside, it's a strong performance that projects a narrative sweep from start to finish, with a sense of orchestral unanimity that few other conductors can match.

Meanwhile, on Idagio I listened to the Paavo Järvi/NHK M6 and liked it very much. Other than the cowbells being bashful, it checks all my boxes and is in the elite category of my favorites.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Vanska/MO/BIS M3rd SACD is pricey!

« Last post by Roland Flessner on April 30, 2024, 02:34:07 AM »

I've heard Vänskä's M5, M6, and M7, and based on those I don't think he has a real feel for Mahler. I hate to say that because BIS is just about the only label making studio recordings of American orchestras these days.

Labels probably derive more revenue from downloads than from physical CDs. Streaming, probably not, although Idagio pays by the second rather than by the track and claims to be fairer to musicians and labels.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Vanska/MO/BIS M3rd SACD is pricey!

« Last post by ChrisH on April 30, 2024, 01:06:46 AM »

Perhaps they are trying to drive customers away from discs, or treating the discs as a premium item.  This is what's been happening with 4K Blu-ray. Suddenly the prices have jumped $10+, coupled with low inventory. They want everyone streaming. At least if I buy a download from Presto, or eclassical, I own the files DRM free.

I'd think the profit margin is much higher on digital, than on a physical product. The CD quality download is $18.75 and $25.00 for hi-res. It'll be even cheaper than that on eclassical when it releases. Purchasing discs is something I only do when there is no digital available.