Recent Posts

41

Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Austrian Radio (O1) broadcast of Y. Sado/Tonkustler Orch. M8

« Last post by barryguerrero on June 14, 2025, 05:36:47 AM »

Here it is. So far, the performance seems really good. That said, the 'three penitent women' passage in Part 2 is slower than I generally like. However, the sound quality leaves a lot to be desired on this broadcast recording (there's a good deal of dynamic compression). I really like the Doktor Marianus on here - he nails the "blicket auf" solo. He doesn't have a beautiful voice, but my goodness - is he ever expressive (and in a good way)! Obviously the official CD will sound much, much better.

https://oe1.orf.at/player/20250610/797562

Ahhh, here it is in somewhat better sound, but it's also harder to jump around:

https://oe1.orf.at/programm/20250610/797562/Mahlers-Symphonie-der-Tausend

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / DVD/BluRay of M4/Berg: Violin Cto. coming with A. Nelsons/Vienna Phil./C. Karg

« Last post by barryguerrero on June 02, 2025, 11:41:10 PM »

This might be really cool: https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9779866--andris-nelsons-conducts-the-wiener-philharmoniker-alban-berg-violin-concerto-gustav-mahler-symphony

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / New M6 on Exton, Jonathan Nott/Tokyo S.O. - 5 hammer strokes?

« Last post by barryguerrero on April 22, 2025, 04:28:46 AM »

Hi Folks. John Kim relayed that someone told him there were FIVE hammer-strokes in the new Jonathan Nott/Tokyo S.O. M6 on Exton. Here are some brief snippets from the four movements. Lo and behold, you HEAR one of those additional hammer-strikes in the brief excerpt of the Finale. It's located right at the fortissimo A-major chord near the start of the Finale. Check it out. I really like how this performance is proportioned, so I'll need to hear this on Spotify - if and when it gets on there.

https://www.musicjapanet.com/Music/Product/Jonathan-Nott--Tokyo-Symphony--CD-4526977008543?srsltid=AfmBOornZ1wzrn7jQst2l7CO5LKfVrkSGyT80ZIRsqhjSWTGS0dhT2Jz

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Yutaka Sado, Tonkünstler-Orcheste

« Last post by barryguerrero on March 21, 2025, 10:30:25 PM »

John, I doubt David will review that, as it's available only through streaming. He pretty much only reviews CD's and SACD's.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Yutaka Sado, Tonkünstler-Orcheste

« Last post by John Kim on March 21, 2025, 06:42:51 PM »

For me and for now the Bychkov/NYPO M6th beats all other versions. It's an absolute winner!

PS: Now that I've praised Bychkov/NYPO M6th to heaven, I have be afraid that DH will HATE it. hehehe~

John

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Yutaka Sado, Tonkünstler-Orcheste

« Last post by Roland Flessner on March 21, 2025, 05:55:20 PM »

>>Did you try Bychkov/NYPO M6th?

John, not yet but I'm beyond the point of M6 saturation and it will have to wait a while.

Jansons/BRSO is also excellent with way better SQ than some of the other BRSO entries, including Harding, a strong performance but rough going sonically. The Jansons/LSO Live has long been one of my favorites and it still impresses with an intense performance, terrific execution, and really good SQ.

And I was really surprised by how much I like Barbirolli/Philharmonia. The 1967 sound holds up very well and the slower tempo in the first movement has always felt right to me (though he omits the repeat). Almost everyone else sounds frenetic instead of powerful by comparison. And the woodwinds are no shrinking violets: they play with both unanimity and power that nothing else matches, though some come close. The oboes really shine.

I like Simone Young/Hamburg very much too. Third hammerstroke in place, very good SQ with genuine depth for a live recording, and a strong narrative line start to finish. Execution is a little ragged in the Scherzo.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Yutaka Sado, Tonkünstler-Orcheste

« Last post by John Kim on March 21, 2025, 05:15:45 PM »

Roland,

Turn the volume of Sado M6th up, way up!

I like it very much and think it's one of the best - playing, sound, interpretation - that have come out in recent years. Jarvi/NHKSO is pretty good too but compared to Sado it lacks character.

Did you try Bychkov/NYPO M6th?

John

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Yutaka Sado, Tonkünstler-Orcheste

« Last post by Roland Flessner on March 21, 2025, 03:13:11 PM »

I listened to the Sado M6 yesterday and at the risk of sounding jaded, I was underwhelmed. While I do think Sado projects an idiomatic understanding of Mahler, the recording could be more transparent, especially in the string parts, and some other live recordings are more polished. At times the strings seem to be "swimming" with the rhythmic pulse not well maintained.

It is possible that I was spoiled by listening to the P Järvi M6 with the NHK SO. Execution is first class and the SQ delivers both detail and impact.Violin sections are antiphonally divided and when I hear the interplay between the sections it seems obvious that Mahler expected that placement. Järvi's conducting also brings firm propulsion and a welcome sense of narrative sweep.

Sado reinstates the third hammerstroke but oddly not the accompaniment that Mahler thinned out when he removed the hammer. The hammer itself is lacking in weight and sounds more like a big thwack on the timpani.

And finally, I admit that I AM jaded. I've listened to way too many M6s in the last week or so.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Yutaka Sado, Tonkünstler-Orcheste

« Last post by barryguerrero on March 21, 2025, 06:09:36 AM »

I too like the Y. Sado/Vienna Tonkunstler Mahler recordings. I think they are by far the best sounding orchestral recordings ever to have been made in the Musikverein (most of the classic Decca recordings of the V.P.O. were done in the Sofiensaal). The orchestra plays many of the same indigenous Viennese instruments that the V.P.O. uses, so they sound a lot like them. Frankly, I think the Tonkunstler has the better percussion section, which is important for Mahler.

Sado's M1 very successfully integrates "Blumine" into the standard, revised version of the symphony, by taking the Scherzo a tad slower than usual (with lots of swing!), and the "Frere Jacques" in minor round a tad swifter than usual (third movement). I like both his M2 and M3 very much as well. I don't own either the M4 or M5. I wasn't crazy about the soprano on the M4, but it is a good reading. As John has already informed you, the M5 was recorded on tour in the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. For the M7, I was lucky enough to have friends who were vacationing in Vienna, so they picked up a copy of it for me at the Tonkunstler's ticket office in the downtown area (Herrengasse). The M6 will be coming out on CD's soon, but can be heard at Spotify and - I presume - Idagio. It is much better recorded than the much ballyhooed Bernstein/V.P.O. recording on DG. They will be performing M8 on the first weekend of June, so I will be very much looking forward to hearing that eventual recording.

Purely by coincidence, S. Bychkov/Czech Philharmonic are also doing M8 on the very same first weekend of June. I look forward to that recording as well.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Yutaka Sado, Tonkünstler-Orcheste

« Last post by John Kim on March 20, 2025, 08:35:38 PM »

Michael,

For the M2nd and 3rd I bought CDs while I was visiting S Korea. For the rest I downloaded files. I vastly favor the physical medium over files, so I plan to pick discs when their M8th and 9th are released.

BTW, Sado's latest release, the M6th is also terrific, beautifully played and richly recorded at the same venue, very expressive but not excessively, with a great sense of architecture and flexible tempi.

John