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51

Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / M5 -P. Jarvi/Zurich Tonhalle . . . not sure what to think (?)

« Last post by barryguerrero on March 07, 2025, 08:22:39 PM »

Hi. I'd like to get some other folks input on this. I've listened through the Paavo Jarvi/Tonhalle Zurich recording of M5 at Spotify. It seems a decent enough performance. But the recording itself .   .  I'm not so sure about. It appears to be one of those recordings where everything sounds loud. Yes, there's dynamic range to it. However, the low strings are so boosted up that it just seems to make everything sound loud. As if to underline my point, all the soft tam-tam strokes in the first movement are really audible, but the big, fortissimo tam-tam smash towards the end of the second movement seems no louder. Perhaps it's because I've been listening to the excellence of the new Bychkov/Czech Phil M3. Or, perhaps, it's just that every conductor and every orchestra on Earth appears to recorded Mahler 5 multiple times. Frankly, I think it's a mistake for these record labels and conductors to begin their cycles with the fifth symphony. As David Hurwitz says, it's the hardest one to get right. Perhaps more accurately, M5 is the most difficult one to make distinguished sounding. With all its Bach-like, contrapuntal chugging, it's very easy for it to sound routine.

The last Mahler 5 to knock my socks off, was the completely ignored Jaap van Zweden/London Phil. one (it's on the LPO's inhouse label). 

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Bychkov/Czech Phil. M3 - I think this is a home run!

« Last post by barryguerrero on March 07, 2025, 05:22:27 PM »

Hi. I know I tend to get enthused over new recordings, but this Bychkov/Czech Phil. M3 is much, much better than I had anticipated. I think this may truly be a home run. I till need to do more listening to get the overall effect, from start to finish.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Bychkov/CPO/Pentatone Mahler Third to be released on March 7th.

« Last post by barryguerrero on March 07, 2025, 03:47:20 AM »

It's up early on E-Classical. What I've heard so far, I think Bychkov might have hit this one right out of the park. I'm very pleasantly surprised. Even though the first movement stretches to 35 minutes, it just doesn't sound like it does. He seemed every detail correct across the entire first movement. My ONLY slight complaint have about the first movement, as I would have liked for the offstage snare drum solo - just before the recapitulation - to have been a tad less distant and a tad slower. That's pretty minor. I like how does the end of the symphony too. It's a little bit different, but I like it.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Kobayashi/Czech Phil. M3 vs. Macal/Czech Phil. M3 (both Exton)

« Last post by barryguerrero on February 22, 2025, 04:01:49 AM »

Hi folks. Having recently bought a copy of the Zdenek Macal M3 for half price at Grooves Land, I was finally able to do an A/B comparison with that and the Ken-Ichiro Kobayashi M3. Both are on the Japanese Exton label. Both are with the Czech Philharmonic. The copy I have of the Kobayashi M3 is a pair of 'burnt' discs, most likely made on a computer burner. They were sent to me years ago. The sound quality is not as good as it is on the Macal M3, although there may have been a small amount of degradation in making the Kobayashi copy on a computer. In order to make the comparison somewhat more comparable, I played them both on my Sony five-disc CD changer, and not on the Toshiba DVD player I own, that can also play SACD layers. Enough of the preliminaries.

I like both of these performances very much. The timings are rather similar. Both are performances that 'flow along' nicely. Kobayashi is a bit heavier and more intense, particularly in the two outer movements. Macal's performance is more relaxed; has excellent sound quality, and can be described as a thoroughly 'musical' rendition. As a result, I like Kobayashi more in the two outer movements (the climax of the long brass chorale in the finale is outstanding!!!), and Macal more in the inner four movements. Macal clearly has the better mezzosoprano with Birgit Remmert (she's also on the Simon Rattle/Birmingham M3).

The offstage posthorn solo (third movement) is excellent on both recordings (same trumpeter?). Although, it could be argued that it's not far enough in the distance on both recordings. Personally, I like that, as I hate having to struggle to hear any offstage instruments. As I recall, everybody praised the offstage posthorn on the Vaclav Neumann recording on Supraphon as well. Perhaps it was the same trumpeter for all three (?)  .   .    .   And speaking of 'offstage', the brief offstage snare drum solo in the first movement is much better on the Kobayashi recording.

To summarize: Kobayashi for the two outer movements, Macal for the four inner movements (particularly the second movement). The sound quality is excellent on the Macal M3.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Honeck/P.S.O./Exton M4 - where can I hear it?

« Last post by barryguerrero on February 21, 2025, 11:12:14 PM »

Thank you for checking. The link that John provided to me sounds quite good, so I'm set for the time being.

Barry

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Honeck/P.S.O./Exton M4 - where can I hear it?

« Last post by akiralx on February 21, 2025, 11:40:50 AM »

I just sold my SACD on eBay last week. I may have ripped it previously, will check tomorrow.

EDIT - sadly I did not, I only have his M1, 3 and 5.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Young/SSO/DG Mahler Second released today (out of no where!)

« Last post by akiralx on February 21, 2025, 11:39:26 AM »

I’m flying up from Victoria to hear them next Saturday in the Elgar Violin Concerto and Vaughan Williams’ ‘A Pastoral Symphony’. Two of my favourite works.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Brief samples of upcoming P. Jarvi/Zurich Tonhalle M5 from Presto Classical

« Last post by barryguerrero on February 15, 2025, 08:38:27 PM »

I think having the V.P.O. doing Bruckner 8 will make any conductor sound great. Think of how they played it so idiomatically for Boulez, of all people! I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Brief samples of upcoming P. Jarvi/Zurich Tonhalle M5 from Presto Classical

« Last post by John Kim on February 15, 2025, 07:31:18 PM »

As for Muti's Bruckner, I urge you to seek and listen to his recent Bruckner 8th with VPO. It will change your mind!^

John

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Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions / Re: Brief samples of upcoming P. Jarvi/Zurich Tonhalle M5 from Presto Classical

« Last post by John Kim on February 15, 2025, 07:28:48 PM »

Barry

Agreed on Jarvi's Bruckner. But I adore Andris Nelsons Bruckner cycle very much, particularly his Wagnerian style conducting recorded in utterly natural and gorgeous sound.

John

PS I attended a Bruckner 9th concert by Nelsons/Gewandhaus Leipzig in S.Korea two years ago. It was spellbinding and just as outstanding as the recording.