So it's official: Pentatone issuing a 1-9 Bychkov Mahler box

[barryguerrero]

So only M3 and M8 are on two discs. M9 is 87 minutes long!

[erikwilson7]

I'm looking forward to hearing these. If I'm being nitpicky, these timings are far too long for my taste aside from the 7th. I should've seen it coming when the 2nd was also 87 minutes!

[barryguerrero]

Yeah, but that M2 doesn't sound real slow to me. Anyway, I'm hoping symphonies 6 through 9 don't sound real slow as well.

[erikwilson7]

Bychkov does something similar to Chailly's RCO recording: The first four movements are typical pacing, but the finale is extra long. If there's any movement in the M2 that ought to be stretched out, it's that one.

[barryguerrero]

Right, and when they give you extra tracks for the Finale, I skip over the slow and quiet choral part anyway. It always sounds the same: a bunch of people singing slow and quietly. It's a lot of unison singing as well.

I'm sure there are choir people who the same thing in reverse: "I skip over all the loud orchestral parts, because it always sounds the same: loud and orchestral."