Mahler: Symphony No.2/ Schmidt: Symphony No.4

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Throughout his career, Mehta has made a specialty of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony, and he gives a blazing account of it in his 1975 recording with the Vienna Philharmonic. The ascent from funereal terror in the first movement to the summit of bliss in the finale is confidently guided, the impact of Mahler's visionary conception fully realized. London/Decca's remastered analog recording offers sweeping, wide-range sonics to match the musical vistas. The coupling is perhaps the finest account of Franz Schmidt's Fourth Symphony ever recorded, and by itself worth the price of this set. --Ted Libbey

Tracks:

Spring - Michel Schwalbe
Adagio In G Minor For Strings And Organ - Leon Spierer
Valese
Menuetto
Morning Mood
Valse Triste
Symphony No. 40 In G Minor, K. 550 (Molto Allegro)
Symphony No. 9 'From The New World' In E Minor
Intermezzo
'Carmen' Suite, Prelude I (Allegro Giocoso)
Bolero (Conclusion)
'The Sleeping Beauty', Valse
'La Traviata', Prelude To Act III
Symphony No. 3 'Organ', In C Minor (Finale) - Pierre Cochereau

Tracks:

'Also Sprach Zarathustra' (Introduction)
'Cavalleria Rusticana', Intermezzo Sinfonico - Wolfgang Meyer
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Allegro)
Swan Lake, Suite Op. 20, Scene 1 (Swan Theme) - Michel Schwalbe
An Der Schonen, Blauen Donau
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G Major (1rst Movement)
Meditation - Michel Schwalbe
Badinerie From Suite No. 2 In B Minor - Karlheinz Zoeller
Barcarolle From 'La Gaiete Parisienne'
Piano Concerto No. 1 In B Flat Minor (Ex. 1rst Movement) - Lazar Berman
Adagietto From Symphony No. 5
Symphonie Classique (Finale. Molto Vivace)
Dance Of Teh Blessed Spirits From 'Orpheus And Eurydice - Karlheinz Zoeller
Danse De La Fee Dragee
Valse Des Fleurs

Customer Reviews:

Classical music CD for everyone.......2007-01-09

A great selection. I bought one for my husband, and later the other one for my parents.
Quality, and a superb selection of masterpieces.
A must have for classical music lovers, and for everyone who wants to get introduced to classical music.

... in a nutshell.......2006-09-08

Probably the best one-volume compilation of Karajan available, with the most broad-based approachable track list currently being offered to the general enthusiast/collector. Back in the vinyl days, there were two-disc sets available like the "Karajan Super Concert" or the three-volume "Karajan Conducts" set on Angel. Some of these have been re-arranged and re-released with new or different cover art on CD too, but here is a newly remastered set just as good or better than any of those.

It also contains probably the best short essay on what Herbert von Karajan was all about by Axel Bruggemann, that I have ever read. A CD or two of the "Adagio" set by this conductor (also on DG) may be a nice supplement too, otherwise you can't really go wrong with this two-disc set at a fairly affordable price.

Karajan Forever: The "Eternal" Classical Music Album.......2005-09-26

Another fine recording of classical music, as conducted by the man considered to be the greatest conductor of the 20th century- Herbert Von Karajan, whose position as conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic made that particular orchestra unbeatable and at number one in the list of world's greatest orchestras. Karajan was involved with the Berlin Philharmonic's musical development for years, until his death in 89, before the Berlin Wall fell, an event he did not live to see. This recording has to the best of Karajan's many collected classical pieces on record. It is a perfect introduction to classical music itself and to Karajan's style. A plethora of composer and time periods- from Baroque, to Classical to Romantic- are all on here. Vivaldi's Spring opens the CD, and is followed by the melancholy and fatalistic sounding Baroque classic Albinoni Adagio in G. This is followed by Mozart's 40th symhony. The first Romantic Era symphony on here is Dvorak's famous New World Symphony, which Karajan conducts with supreme mastership. The Intermezzo from the verisimo opera Cavalleria Rusticana is on here and sounds absolutely breathtaking. The suite of Bizet's Carmen is musically intoxicating and the Bolero has never sounded hotter, except for maybe Zubin Mehta conducting it which I've heard live and know is absolutely wonderful. The famous Waltz from Tchaikovsky's ballet masterpiece Sleeping Beauty is on here as well as the Third Act Prelude to Verdi's Traviata. The final track on CD 1 is Saint Saens Organ Symphony Finale.

The second disc opens with a masterful version of the powerfully evocative Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss, another Austrian composer Karajan championed. The Swan Theme from Swan Lake is on here, as well as the Viennese Waltz favorite On the Beautiful Blue Danube- something I didn't know Karajan even conducted. But being Austrian, I'm not surprised. Karajan even conducted Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus as well as other waltzes. Back to Baroque, he continues with the Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 by Bach and the gorgeous and somewhat gloomy Dance of the Blessed Spirits from Orpheus and Eurydice by Gluck. The CD ends with the elegant and beautiful Waltz of the Flowers from Tchaikovsky's Nutracker. This is a must have for fans of classical music, as a lot of favorites are on here.

Meditation!.......2003-07-20

A veritable who's who of pieces & composers, the CDs Karajan Forever will hopefully live forever.
Herbert VonKarajan was the conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic from 1955 until his demise in 1989. His vision & helmsmanship of this magnificent orchestra have literally changed the way a whole generation heard music.

In this 2 CD collection, DG has kind of done a Greatest Hits. Everything from the Four Seasons by Vivaldi to Opera Overtures, Ballet Themes and Piano Concertos. There is truly something for everyone on this CD, but being an opera fan, 2 of my favorites are on disc 2. The Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana and the Meditation from Thais. This music simply transports the listener to another place and time. The Philharmonic is so in sync- so one that it is hard to believe how huge they really are. I can wholeheartedly recommend this CD without reservation. And it's a steal at $... for 2 new CDs. For more information on this CD & others in a line paying tribute to Maestro VonKarajan, go to his website: karajan.org
Enjoy!

Mahler - The Complete Symphonies / LPO, Tennstedt
Average customer rating:

Mostly fine but somewhat uneven

Classic Sound of Mahler from LPO

IMHO best Mahler performe.

Tennstedt's Mahler Cycle: A Best Buy

Challenging, Sensitive, Sincerely Committed Performances.

Mahler - The Complete Symphonies / LPO, Tennstedt
Lucia Popp , London Philharmonic Orchestra , Elizabeth Connell , Edith Mathis , David Hill , Jorma Hynninen , Trudeliese Schmidt, Richard Versalle, Edith Wiens Doris Soffel , Hans Sotin , Nadine Denize , and Ladies of London Philharmonic Chorus Southend Boys' Chor
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Bruckner: The Complete Symphonies

Beethoven - The Complete String Quartets / Alban Berg Quartet

Mozart: Chamber Music

Symphonies 1-3 / Piano Concerto 1-4 / Isle of Dead

Liszt: Works for Piano and Orchestra

ASIN: B00000C2KM
Release Date: 1998-11-03

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In D Major: 1. Langsam. Schleppend - Im Anfang Sehr Gemachlich
Symphony No. 1 In D Major: II: Kraftig bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell
Symphony No. 1 In D Major: III: Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen
Symphony No. 1 In D Major: IV: Sturmisch bewegt
Symphony No. 2 In C Minor 'Resurection': I: Adagio maestoso

Tracks:

Symphony No. 2 In C Minor 'Resurrection': II: Andante moderato
Symphony No. 2 In C Minor 'Resurrection': III: In ruhig fliessender Bewegung
Symphony No. 2 In C Minor 'Resurrection': IV: Urlicht (Sehr feierlich aber schlicht)
Symphony No. 2 In C Minor 'Resurrection': V: Im Tempo des Scherzos (Wild herausfahrend) - Langsam - Allegro energico - Langsam

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 In D Minor: Erste Aabteilung: I: Kraftig. Entschieden
Symphony No. 3 In D Minor: Zweite Abteilung: II: Tempo di Menuetto. Sehr massig
Symphony No. 3 In D Minor: Zweite Abteilung: III: Comodo. Scherzando. Ohne Hast
Symphony No. 3 In D Minor: Zweite Abteilung: IV: Sehr Langsam. Misterioso. Durchaus ppp
Symphony No. 3 In D Minor: Zweite Abteilung: V: Lustig im Tempo und keck im Ausdruck

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 In D Minor: Qweite Abteilung: VI: Langsam. Ruhevoll. Empfunden.
Symphony No. 4 In G Major: I: Bedachtig. Nicht eilen
Symphony No. 4 In G Major: II: In gemachlicher Bewegung. Ohne Hast
Symphony No. 4 In G Major: III: Ruhevoll
Symphony No. 4 In G Major: IV: Sehr behaglich

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5 In C Sharp Minor: I: Trauermarsch
Symphony No. 5 In C Sharp Minor: II: Sturmisch bewegt, mit grosster Vehemenz
Symphony No. 5 In C Sharp Minor: III: Scherzo: Schattenhaft
Symphony No. 5 In C Sharp Minor: IV: Adagietto: Sehr langsam
Symphony No. 5 In C Sharp Minor: V: Rondo-Finale: Allegro

Tracks:

Symphony No. 7 In E Minor: I: Langsam - Allegro
Symphony No. 7 In E Minor: II: Nachtmusik I: Allegro moderato
Symphony No. 7 In E Minor: III: Scherzo: Schattenhaft
Symphony No. 7 In E Minor: IV: Nachtmusik II: Andante amoroso

Tracks:

Symphony No. 7 In E Minor: V: Rondo - Finale: Tempo I (Allegro ordinario) - Tempo II (Allegro moderato ma energico)
Symphony No. 6 In A Minor: I: Allegro energico, ma non troppo. Heftig aber markig
Symphony No. 6 In A Minor: II: Scherzo Wuchtig
Symphony No. 6 In A Minor: III: Andante moderato

Tracks:

Symphony No. 6 In A Minor: IV: Finale: Allegro moderato
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': I. Teil. Hymnus: Veni, creator spiritus
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': I. Teil. Hymnus: Allegro impetuoso: Imple superna gratia
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': I. Teil. Hymnus: Allegro impetuoso: Infirma nostri corporis
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': I. Teil. Hymnus: Allegro impetuoso: Accende lumen sensibus
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': I. Teil. Hymnus: Allegro impetuoso: Veni, creator spiritus
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': I. Teil. Hymnus: Allegro impetuoso: Gloria, Patri Domino

Tracks:

Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': II. Teil. Schlussszene 'Faust': Poco adagio: Waldung sie schwankt heran
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': II. Teil. Schlussszene 'Faust': Poco adagio: Ewiger Wonnerbrand
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': II. Teil. Schlussszene 'Faust': Poco adagio: Wie Felsenabgrund mir zu Fussen
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': II. Teil. Schlussszene 'Faust': Allegro deciso: Gerettet ist das edle Glied
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': II. Teil. Schlussszene 'Faust': Allegro deciso: Uns bleibt ein Erdenrest
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': II. Teil. Schlussszene 'Faust': Allegro deciso: Hier ist die Aussicht frei
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': II. Teil. Schlussszene 'Faust': Allegro deciso: Hochste Herrscherin der Welt
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': II. Teil. Schlussszene 'Faust': Ausserst langsam. Adagissimo: Dir, der Unberuhrbaren
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': II. Teil. Schlussszene 'Faust': Allegro deciso: Bei der Liebe, die den Fussen
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': II. Teil. Schlussszene 'Faust': Allegro deciso: Neige, neige, du Ohnegleiche
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': II. Teil. Schlussszene 'Faust': Allegro deciso: Blicket auf zum Retterblick
Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major 'Symphony Of A Thousand': II. Teil. Schlussszene 'Faust': Allegro deciso: Alles Vergangliche

Tracks:

Symphony No. 9 In D Minor: I: Andante comodo
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor: II: Im Tempo eines gemachlichen Landlers. Etwas tappisch und sehr derb
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor: III: Rondo-Burleske: Allegro assai. Sehr trotiz

Tracks:

Symphony No. 9 In D Minor: IV: Adagio: Sehr langsam und noch zuruckhaltend
Symphony No. 10 In F Sharp Minor: I: Adagio

Amazon.com

Hot on the heels of DG's new reissue of the Bernstein's complete Mahler symphonies and song cycles, EMI has repackaged Klaus Tennstedt's recordings of all 10 symphonies. Although he remade symphonies 5 through 7, these are his first versions, essentially the same performances that used to be available in three separate boxes at mid price. Now at budget price, and at virtually a third of the cost of DG's Bernstein set, Tennstedt's Mahler is one hell of a bargain. The performances aren't as consistent as Bernstein's. The London Philharmonic was never a great Mahler orchestra, and minor errors are fairly common, especially in the Sixth Symphony, which was the conductor's own favorite among all his recordings despite the lapses in the brass section. It's a performance of frightening intensity, and it's easy to understand his affection for it. All of Tennstedt's Mahler features such spontaneity, emotional honesty, and real human warmth that reservations about execution and sound largely fall by the wayside. Hearing it again is a deeply moving experience. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Mostly fine but somewhat uneven.......2007-04-26

Tennstedt's interpretations emphasize the darker side of Mahler's scores; hence he is among the "hands on" Mahler conductors, such as Barbirolli. Especially successful interpretations are those of # 1-3, 5, and 9. The sound is mostly fine analogue stereo, but some of the recordings are problematic: early digital with a nasty, edgy sound.

Some comments of each recording.

Symphony 1. A very fine interpretation, in outstanding analogue sound. Especially the two final movements are memorable showcases for Tennstedt's dark emphasis. But Kubelik's recordings (DG and Audite) are more consistent.

Symphony 2. Excellent drama and tension, but the sound is not entirely satisfying (edgy early digital). Consider Metha's fine recording (Decca) for reference.

Symphony 3. Also a very fine performance, but perhaps not great. Excellent, swift account of the finale. Anyway, first choices are Kubelik (DG and Audite), Barbirolli (BBC) and Schuricht (Classical D'Oro).

Symphony 4. Not entirely successful, too fast and partly weak playing. Popp is excellent in the finale, however. Again, Kubelik is my first choice, followed by Barbirolli (BBC) and Horensten (EMI).

Symphony 5. Excellent! A classical reading of tremendous power and passion. Very fine sound too.

Symphony 6. Bad hammerblows, and a lukewarm middle of the road reading. The most problemtic interpretation in this set. Barbirolli's is my favourite recording (EMI), but Horenstein's is fine too (BBC or Unicorn).

Symphony 7. Slow and entirely unconvincing, especially in a crowded field with great recordings, such as Kubelik's (DG and Audite), Gielen's (Hänssler), Bernstein's (DG and SONY).

Symphony 8. Mahler requires two choirs, Tennstedt uses only one. Thus no "heavenly" sound. In addition, I have hard times with Lott's voice. But the recorded sound is very fine. Kubelik (Audite), Horenstein (BBC) and Mitropoulos (Orfeo) are first choices.

Symphony 9. One of the best recordings in this set, and a moving interpretation as well. Consider Ancerl (Supraphon) and Klemperer (EMI) for reference.

The Tennstedt set was for a long time the best and cheapest bargain set. But now it has been challenged by Gary Bertini's Mahler cycle on the same label. That set is more or less contemporary with Tennstedt's set, but it is generally far more arresting - virtually the interpretations and the recording quality are clearly superior. In addition, it is even cheaper. So my advice is that budget collectors grab the Bertini cycle while it is available. It is the best Mahler bargain cycle, and it is even better than many other, more expensive sets. However, Kubelik's classic cycle on DG remains my first recommendation.

Nonetheless, dedicated collectors should have the Tennstedt cycle too. Recommended, but not without reservations.

Classic Sound of Mahler from LPO.......2005-09-30

Tennstedt has his unique ways and skill of engeenering the sound of Mahler's symphonies.

Personally, I enjoy this CD set of Symphony 1, 5, 6, 8 and 9

IMHO best Mahler performe........2005-07-25

I can say, what sound quality and performe of this symphonies is on top,best i ever heard. I'm professional musician,so this is not just a mere words.

Tennstedt's Mahler Cycle: A Best Buy.......2005-03-19

Whether you are new to Mahler or just a fellow Mahler enthusiast looking for yet another way of hearing these wonderful works, this well-recorded 11-disc set strikes me as a clear "best buy." I recently acquired a brand-new, sealed copy from one of Amazon's alternative vendors for about $40, which works out to less than $4 per CD.

On 19 December 1974 I was fortunate to attend Klaus Tennstedt's American debut concert with the Boston Symphony. The sole work was Bruckner's 8th Symphony (I am amazed to discover that I still have the concert program). The East German conductor was tall, gaunt, and seemingly rather un-coordinated: he almost fell down on his way to the podium. But once he lifted his baton, egad! The BSO, which often sounded so dispirited under Ozawa, immediately caught fire and delivered one of the greatest performances in my entire concert-going experience. Sadly, Tennstedt's later studio recording (different orchestra) was just a shadow of what I heard in Boston.

My interest in Tennstedt was re-ignited a couple years ago by the purchase of an expensive ($225) box set of "live" Mahler recordings put out by the NY Philharmonic. Its main attraction was the opportunity to hear the legendary Mitropoulos 6th (superb!), the 1950 Stokowski 8th (excellent, but no match for Horenstein's), and Walter's Das Lied with Ferrier and Svanholm (preferable over-all to Walter's famed 1952 studio effort on Decca). But the set's two biggest surprises were a hypnotic 7th under Kubelik and a staggeringly brilliant Tennstedt 5th: I can't recall EVER hearing the orchestra sound quite this good in Mahler under Bernstein.

The present Tennstedt set is not at that rarefied level: these are studio readings with a fine but lesser ensemble. The 1st is fairly straightforward and beautifully played, if lacking a little in the klezmer music's inherent vulgarity. The 2nd is very satisfying if, like me, you prefer a less interventionist version than Bernstein's. Regrettably, the sound here is rather recessed - you really have to turn up the volume to achieve sonic impact. The 3rd is better played & recorded than Horenstein's, if not quite its interpretive equal. Tennstedt's 4th is excessively hasty in the first mvt. and Lucia Popp's singing is rather over-extended in the 4th mvt. Beautiful slow mvt., though. The 5th, while to my ears clearly superior to both Kubelik and Bernstein, is not as brilliant as Tennstedt's later live EMI version or the live NY Phil. account. The 6th is a bit "over the top" for my taste and has some messy brass playing, but it's an unquestionably committed account. The 7th is a little tentative in the first mvt. but fine thereafter. The 8th has, along with the 3rd, the set's best recorded sound. It's a performance of real stature, despite an under-sized chorus ("the symphony of 500?"). The 9th is somewhat heavy until the last mvt., which is gorgeously played (likewise the Adagio from the 10th).

So Tennstedt's set, like everybody else's, is a bit uneven. His main competition in the complete set sweepstakes comes primarily from Bernstein (Sony) and Kubelik (DG). Bernstein's is a highly proselytizing Mahler, with frequent dramatic underlinings and triple exclamation points: to my ears Lenny is just a little too exaggerated and inveigling. Kubelik has a rather rustic-sounding orchestra and often veers toward quickish tempos, with recorded sound that is uncomfortably bright and bass-deficient. If you are looking for a first-ever set in reasonably decent sound, this Tennstedt offering is probably the best choice (and by far the cheapest).

Ultimately, just as a meal prepared from scratch will satisfy more than a TV dinner, I feel that choosing individual readings from a variety of conductors is the most satisfying course to pursue. My suggestion: buy this cheap Tennstedt set and then garnish it with some of the best individual offerings, plus a completed version of the 10th and a Das Lied (a symphony in all but name). Here are my current preferences in addition to this Tennstedt set:

#1. The live Kubelik (Audite) is just about perfect - it's even better than his two studio versions. The mono Horenstein on Vox (great interpretation, some scrappy playing) is closer to how the music was played in Mahler's day (e.g., lots of lovely string portamento), and it's available for just $3.98 from Berkshire Record Outlet.

#2. The Scherchen (Millenium), despite some eccentric tempos, has choral entries steeped in mysticism, and Mimi Coertse's glorious soprano voice is unmatched for innocent radiance (what a shame she didn't do a 4th with Scherchen). The studio Klemperer (EMI) is excellent, but I prefer his more urgent live 1951 Amsterdam account, with Ferrier's unforgettably valiant Urlicht (recently available on a Membran CD for just $2.99 at broinc.com).

#3. Horenstein (Unicorn) is simply indispensable. Another of my favorite 3rds comes live from Jean Martinon and the Chicago Symphony. It features spot-on ensemble, a deeply-felt interpretation, and sensational recorded sound. It's available only in an expensive ($225) 10-disc set from the CSO (which includes an outstanding live Bruckner 7th with Tennstedt). I also admire the big-hearted Barbirolli 3rd (BBC) and Mahler disciple F. Charles Adler's old-fashioned account (Tahra).

#4. Horenstein (Chief CD) and Kletzki (EMI) now strike me as the finest stereo readings. Would somebody PLEASE re-issue the enchanting Otterloo (Epic LP)? Stich-Randall's ingenuous soprano was just about ideal. And, last but not least, there's the Mengelberg (on Q Disc and other labels) with the appealing soprano of Jo Vincent.

#5. Tennstedt/NY Phil. is breathtaking, even though I prefer a quicker Adagietto (i.e., Mengelberg's stand-alone reading). A more blunt and very well-played account is Barshai's (coupled with #10 on Brilliant Classics). The early Scherchen (DG Westminster) is also a classic.

#6. My favorites: Barbirolli (EMI), in spite (or perhaps because) of the slow 1st mvt., the blazing live Mitropoulos/NY Phil., and the live Rosbaud (much in need of CD re-issue).

#7. The aforementioned Kubelik/NY is magical, even though the 1st mvt. is quite slow. I also treasure the Horenstein despite its poor execution (better heard on a Descant CD than on BBC or M&A). Scherchen (Orfeo) and Rosbaud (Wergo) present Mahler in a more avant-garde guise: both are riveting performances. The Bernstein/NY Phil. (Sony) strikes me as that conductor's finest Mahler recording.

#8. Horenstein (BBC) carries the day for me. The 1950 Scherchen (Tahra) has problematic sound and some pretty awful singing: soprano Illitsch sounds like a mis-placed Brunnhilde, and mezzo Anday's wobbly vibrato reminds me of Bert Lahr singing "If I Were King of the Forest." But there are moments (the last ten minutes especially) where Scherchen achieves a Furtwanglerish intensity that is hair-raising.

#9. Two that really stand out: Ancerl (Supraphon), especially his electrifying Rondo Burleske, and the mono Horenstein on Vox.

#10. My favorites: Wyn Morris (an Adagio of heart-rending loneliness) and the Martinon/Chicago (too fast in the Adagio but brilliant otherwise; available only in another wallet-depleting 12-CD box set). The Morris (Philips LP) is WAY overdue for a CD transfer. Barshai's 10th (coupled with his 5th on budget label Brilliant Classics) is excellent.

Das Lied. Kubelik (Audite) with Baker & Kmentt is a superb all-round choice. The 1939 Schuricht (Minerva, etc.) has Ohmann's Melchior-like heldentenor (extraordinary!). The finest studio set is probably the Klemperer with Ludwig & Wunderlich (EMI). Ludwig is even better with Kmentt in a live Carlos Kleiber set on Golden Melodram (but the sound is rather poor).

This Tennstedt set is a fine and inexpensive introduction to Mahler's symphonies. After adding a completed 10th, a Das Lied, and perhaps a few supplementary readings, you can then sit back and revel in many hours of glorious music making.

Challenging, Sensitive, Sincerely Committed Performances........2004-04-05

I have the distinct feeling that, in time, Tennstedt's Mahler will grow in the affections of others as it has with me. Simply put, there is something very authentic about these accounts. The sense of commitment is unquestionable. Generally, the interpretations are thoughtful and emotionally satisfying. Tennstedt often digs deeply to ferret a wealth of detail, which provides substantial rewards, including a broader, more fulfilling connection with Mahler's musical messages. (Listen to the thoroughly captivating reading given of the first movement of the Fourth Symphony or the soulful account of the final movement of the Ninth.) The conductor's characterization of these messages tends to be vivid, yet typically free of emotional excess. This is as true of Mahler's uplifting aspects as it is of his anxiety ridden, sardonic and tragic aspects. Where other sets are concerned, I also like Bernstein in his earlier all-New York Philharmonic endeavor and Kubelik with the BRSO on DG. Any of these three compilations merits high marks. Overall, however, it is difficult to pick a clear winner. Each presents individually moving interpretations. My preferred performances in the Bernstein set are 2-3-4-6-7-9 ; in the Tennstedt set, 3-4-5-7-8-9 ; and in the Kubelik set, 1-2-3-5-7-8-9. (Incidentally, after listening to selected excerpts, I'm anxious to hear some of Kubelik's live and complete performances in his Audite set.).... Sonically, Bernstein's recordings are typically fine (but not the Fifth). Tennstedt's are often clear, detailed and ambient, though sometimes there is a touch of brightness and sharpness. Kubelik's are uniformly good except for occasionally tinny sounding trumpets.... Regarding orchestral execution, I am rarely concerned about what some others allude to as occasional inconsistency in the quality of play demonstrated by the New York Philharmonic's horns. Frankly, there are a few intermittent brass problems with Kubelik's BRSO too. As far as what some cite as the London Philharmonic's tendency toward occasional lapses in concentration, either I don't detect those lapses as much or I tune them out or don't care. Tennstedt's is a wonderful set to own. Obviously, it's not perfect, but it's the kind that augurs for solid quality and satisfaction over the long haul. I have absolutely no serious reservations about warmly recommending it.

Average customer rating:

Natural-born Mahler
Get your Mahler right here!
one of the very finest mahler cycles
Straight Mahler With No Chaser
Good but inconsistent....

Gustav Mahler: 10 Symphonien

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Symphony No.1 'Titan': Langsam. Schleppend - Im Anfang sehr Gemachlich
Symphony No.1 'Titan': Kraftig bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell - Trio. Recht gemachlich
Symphony No.1 'Titan': Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen
Symphony No.1 'Titan': Sturmisch bewegt

Tracks:

Symphony No. 2 'Resurrection': Allegro maestoso
Symphony No. 2 'Resurrection': Andante moderto
Symphony No. 2 'Resurrection': (Scherzo) - In ruhig fliessender Bewegung
Symphony No. 2 'Resurrection': Urlicht. Sehr feierlich, aber schlicht
Symphony No. 2 'Resurrection': Im Tempo des Scherzo - Wild herausfahrend
Symphony No. 2 'Resurrection': Langsam - Misterioso

Tracks:

Erste Abteilung - Part I - Premiere Partie: Symphony Nr. 3: Kraftig. Entschieden
Zweite Abteilung - Part II - Second partie: Symphony Nr. 3: Tempo di Menuetto - Sehr maBig
Zweite Abteilung - Part II - Seconde Partie: Symphony Nr. 3: Comodo - Scherzando - Ohne Hast
Erste Abteilung - Part II - Premiere Partie: Symphony Nr. 3: Sehr langsam - Misterioso - Durchaus
Sweite Abteilung - Part II - Seconde Partie: Symphony Nr. 3: Lustig im Tempo und keck im Ausdruck

Tracks:

Frauenchor des Bayerischen Rundfunks: Langsam. Ruhevoll. Empfunden
Symphonie No. 10: Andante - Adagio

Tracks:

Symphonie No. 4: Bedachtig - Nicht eilen
Symphonie No. 4: In gemachlicher Bewegung - Ohne Hast
Symphonie No. 4: Ruhevoll
Symphonie No. 4: Sehr behaglich

Tracks:

Symphonie No. 5: Part I: Trauermarsch. In gemessenem Schritt. Streng - Wie ein Kondukt
Symphonie No. 5: Part I: Sturmisch bewegt - Mit groesster Vehemenz
Symphonie No. 5: Part II: Scherzo. Kraeftig, nicht zu schnell
Symphonie No. 5: Part III. Adagietto - Sehr langsam - attacca:
Symphonie No. 5: Part III: Rondo-Finale - Allegro - Allegro giocoso - Frisch

Tracks:

Symphonie No. 6 'Tragic': Allegro energico, ma non troppo. Heftig, aber markig.
Symphonie No. 6 'Tragic': Scherzo - Wuchtig
Symphonie No. 6 'Tragic': Andante moderato
Symphonie No. 6 'Tragic': Finale - Allegro moderato - Allegro energico

Tracks:

Symphonie No. 7: Langsam (Adagio) - Allegro risoluto, ma non troppo
Symphonie No. 7: Nachtmusik - Allegro moderato
Symphonie No. 7: Scherzo - Schattenhaft
Symphonie No. 7: Nachtmusik - Andante amoroso
Symphonie No. 7: Rondo - Finale - Tempo I (Allegro ordinario)

Tracks:

Symphonie No. 8 - Symponie der Tausend: Allegro impetuoso
Symphonie No. 8 - Symponie der Tausend: Poco adagio- Piu mosso (Allegro moderato)
Symphonie No. 8 - Symponie der Tausend: AuBerst langsam - Adagissimo

Tracks:

Symphonie No. 9: Andante comodo
Symphonie No. 9: Im Tempo eines gemaechlichen Laendlers - Etwas taeppisch und sehr derb
Symphonie No. 9: Rondo-Burleske - Allegro-assai - Sehr trotzig
Symphonie No. 9: Adagio - Sehr langsam und noch zurueckhaltend

Amazon.com

While each performance faces stiff competition, Kubelík's late sixties/early seventies Mahler cycle, taken as a whole, remains the most consistent in the catalog. He is also one of the only Mahler conductors on record to divide first and second violins left to right, as was the composer's practice. Newcomers wishing to acquire all the symphonies cheaply in one place won't be disappointed here. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Natural-born Mahler.......2002-05-21

Among the 20th century's most criminally underrated conductors, Rafael Kubelik may also have been the last with an authentic "Mahler connection": His father was concertmaster in Prague in the years when Mahler guest-conducted there.

It's an oversimplification to say that Kubelik, as a Czech, brought out the Bohemian lineage of Mahler's music rather than its Austrian-German traditions (the village in which Mahler was born is now part of the Czech Republic), but that does go some way toward identifying the lyricism, rusticity and naturalness in these performances. You won't exactly mistake this music for that of Dvorak, but neither will it surprise you to know that the conductor was also a great Dvorak interpreter. Throughout, the Bavarian Radio Symphony renders playing of great character and warmth, even if DG's sound doesn't always do it complete justice. Tempi tend to be a little faster overall than some listeners are accustomed to, and that briskness is probably closer to the performing style of conductors in Mahler's own time. (It also means that, except for the Third Symphony, which is simply too long a piece to perform in less than 90 minutes, each symphony fits onto a single CD.)

Lyricism and naturalness don't preclude making a cumulative impact, and Kubelik brings out the mystery and angst in this music as well as its beauty. Along with the Tennstedt series, this box would be my primary recommendation for anyone looking to collect Mahler's symphonic cycle as a complete set. I should add, however, that the two sets aren't interchangeable. Kubelik's straightforwardness is almost a corrective to Tennstedt's Romanticism (or Bernstein's), and if you prefer your Mahler with a little more expressiveness, drama, and lingering over details, Tennstedt's your guy. Kubelik, you might say, tells it like it is.

Get your Mahler right here!.......2001-12-13

Symphony no.1:Perfect tempos and a great finale.Symphony no.2:Maybe the best of the bunch.Symphony no.3:Good but not outstanding.Symphony no.4:Excellent though the work itself is the weakest of Mahler's cycle.Symphony no.5:Outstanding,though a tad dragged out.Symphony no.6:No arguing with the performance but the work is too long.Symphony no.7:Played like the orchestra was having a ball!Symphony no.8:The best of Mahler and a fine reading.With Mathis,Fischer-Dieskau and Grobe this one was guaranteed to be a winner.Symphony no.9:Mahler spun this one out too long but movement 4 is glorious.Symphony 10:One overlong movement.There is something a bit sickly,indulgent and nuerotic in almost everything Mahler wrote(a la Wagner)that turns many off to his work.Mahler wrung the last sweet and bitter drops out of the flower of romanticism.There are moments so soft and serene as to be barely audible and then the music explodes and jars you as an unexpected bolt of lightning.His music is likened to two opposing forces ever struggling to ascension.In Mahler's case it is the battle of resignation and passion.This is typical of romanticism,but Mahler seems torn above all others. As for the sound of the discs,in places the brasses and winds are too shrill i.e. no.6,but for an overall set the sound is passable and the price is bargain basement.There is no blaring,cinematic excesses of Solti or oversentimentality of Bernstein.This may not go down as the definitive Mahler, but as for now this is the set to own.

one of the very finest mahler cycles.......2001-01-09

Despite a perplexing lack of attention from the world of classical reviewing, Kubelik's Mahler cycle remains one of the finest and most consistent, as he allows the composer's fine works to speak for themselves, something they are more than capable of doing. The First has always been an aknowledged great performance, but there are delights to be heard throughout this set... The finale of the Second here is one of the most powerful performances ever commited to disc. The third movement of the Third is magical in its atmosphere unlike few others. The strings in the scherzo of the Fourth have an icy, distant, melancholy feel to them totally appropriate to this music. The Fifth remains my favorite performance of this piece, searing in its intensity-the bright sound only making this the more true. The remaining four symphonies are equally compelling, most notably the Seventh, a great performance, cohesively blending the three sections, and making total sense of the final movement for once. This is a set that finally should be placed alongside the other great interpretations.

Straight Mahler With No Chaser.......2000-11-23

Rafael Kubelik simply was one of the most consistently reliable conductors of the 20th Century. He didn't try to compose Broadway hits and symphonies, rationalize any Nazi party connections, marry millionaire heiresses, smash telephones, camp out in Hollywood, delegitimize twelve-tone music or display overt ruthlessness. Although it is said he didn't like recording, the man sure seemed to put a lot of effort into making his own sound a lot better than many other more famous names over the years. Then again, maybe he was in the right place at the right time, too. On the other hand, timing is everything with conductors. Sometimes, of course, his timing was bad as were his unfortunate tenures as music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in the early 1950s and at England's Covert Garden Opera House in the late 1950s. Although he probably shared some blame for this, it's hard to fight against powerful people who are only using you as a scapegoat for their own personal agendas. That said, Kubelik made some wonderful records in Chicago on Mercury during his stay there and later for EMI in the 1950s. And in the 1960s, he really hit his mark during his tenure as music director of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich and as one of Berlin Philarmonic's most popular guest conductors. Fortunately for us, DG recorded him quite extensively through the 1970s and so did Columbia in the 1980s as well. His superb recorded legacy will live on long after his enemies are forgotten. Turning now to this Mahler boxed set, we find another supreme example of Kubelik's consistent and passionate approach. Basically, this set is a wonderful and economic way for someone who is just starting to become interested in Mahler to have all the symphonies at their disposal. Stylistically, Kubelik uses comparatively fast tempos and doesn't really care to linger on some of Mahler's more gentle moments. Yet all the excitement and orchestral mastery of Mahler's genius are there. Bruno Walter to the contrary, one is almost tempted to feel that this is how Mahler might have conducted his own symphonies. I love Bernstein (Jewish angst and prophetic doom), Solti (ear-splitting sonics), Horenstein (rage against the machine), Walter (warm Wiener Blut) and Klemperer (amoralistic architecture) when it comes to Mahler. Abbado, Haitink, Rattle, Karajan, Szell and Giulini have their moments in certain symphonies as well. But for those who like to hear Mahler without all the speculative neuroses and meanings, not to mention a great price, Kubelik's set is wonderful to listen to. Consistency and adaptablity were the hallmarks of Kubelik's musical career as his recordings from Mozart to Schoenberg show. To me, they are also the two hallmarks of any Mahler performance.

Good but inconsistent...........2000-11-19

This set is an enjoyable one because of the 1st (truly remarkable) the 6th and 8th symphonies and a very mysterious 2nd. The problems lie with the recorded sound which at times is strikingly two dimensional. Bland basses and screeching, distorted winds and brass somewhat overwhelm Kubelik's work. This is strange because his recording of Smetana's 'Ma Vlast' with the Boston Symphony was impeccable and was DG as well.

The interpretations in this set are fine. The vocal work in the 8th is first class as well as in the 3rd but the 7th suffers enormously from a very banal reading and terrible engineering. The 4th movement is quite dull. The 5th, 6th, 9th and 10th (adagio) though not up to snuff as far as Bernstein's or Boulez' discs, definitely stand on their own.

The real triumph of the set though is the 1st. There is so much color and vitality here and thanks to DG, one can by this disc separately from the set. The 1st is one of Kubelik's greatest recordings.

Tracks:

Symphony No.4 In C Major: Allegro molto moderato
Symphony No.4 In C Major: Adagio
Symphony No.4 In C Major: Molto vivace
Symphony No.4 In C Major: Allegro molto moderato
Symphony No.2 In C Minor: I. Allegro maestoso

Tracks:

Symphony No.2 In C Minor - 'Resurrection': II. Andante moderato
Symphony No.2 In C Minor - 'Resurrection': III. In ruhig fliessender Bewegung
Symphony No.2 In C Minor - 'Resurrection': IV. 'Urlicht': Sehr feierlich, aber schlicht
Symphony No.2 In C Minor - 'Resurrection': V. Wild herausfahrend - Langsam - Allegro energico - Langsam - Piu mosso

Amazon.com

Throughout his career, Mehta has made a specialty of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony, and he gives a blazing account of it in his 1975 recording with the Vienna Philharmonic. The ascent from funereal terror in the first movement to the summit of bliss in the finale is confidently guided, the impact of Mahler's visionary conception fully realized. London/Decca's remastered analog recording offers sweeping, wide-range sonics to match the musical vistas. The coupling is perhaps the finest account of Franz Schmidt's Fourth Symphony ever recorded, and by itself worth the price of this set. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

A classic recording of Schmidt's masterpiece.......2007-03-11

Zubin Metha made this recording of Franz Schmidt's fourth symphony - which is his masterpiece - in 1971, at a time when Schmidt was more or less forgotten. To some extent, he's still a pretty much unknown late romantic composer, even if Franz Welser-Möst recently has tried hard to prepare for his revival. It is also Welser-Möst's 1994 recording, now available as a bargain EMI disc, that is the primary rival to Metha's. Welser-Möst's recording is very fine and cheap, but Metha's is clearly the one to have. Here are the reasons.

First, this recording was made with Vienna Philharmonic during the successful time Metha had with this stunning orchestra in the early seventies. A few years later (1975), he made his famous recording of Mahler's second symphony with the same orchestra, which is its coupling in this twofer. (The latter is however also available as a single CD, in the Decca legend series.)

Second, Metha's recording is a classic, which provides us with a sense of discovery. The orchestra covers new ground, and they play this tragic, solemn masterpiece with great enthusiasm and sober passion.

Third, the recording quality is exceptional for its age. It is as good as on the later Mahler recording. I prefer its refined, warm, and detailed analogue sound to Welser-Möst's all-digital recording, which is a bit chilly. But its fine sound may of course also depend on the excellent acoustics of the Sofiensaal in Vienna.

One can only hope that Decca will release this exceptional interpretation again, in a new remaster, since it is a legendary performance. But if you'll find a copy, grab it now. Schmidt's fourth symphony is a great, moving, and memorable romantic work, and this is the very best interpretation.

Movement 1 is on disc one -the rest are on disc 2.......2006-11-22

Just thought that should be brought to your attention. You must change CDs after the first movement.

A Sonic Spectacular.......2004-08-01

The quality of the music-making here, especially the glorious Schmidt, is first-rate. What is really surprising, though, is the recorded sound of the Mahler. While the last few pages of the Symphony in most recordings overload, lose detail, or close in around the listener, the sound in this one maintains clarity, force, and focus until the end. On headphones it seems as though the hall opens out farther with each increase in dynamics to create a breathtaking panorama. It is an extraordinary sonic experience!

impressive.......2000-02-19

Mehta has had a lot of bad press over his ability as a conductor but in this instance he silences all his critics. From the beginning he engages with the music and brings out the architectonic qualities of the piece. Christa Ludwig in 'Ulricht' is very moving. The opening notes must rank as some of the most calmly profound in all 19th century music. This symphony stands on the turn of the century. Rattle (EMI) shows Mahler looking into the 20th century but Mehta's performance can be seen also as a summing up of the 19th. Paying homage to Beethoven and Wagner but also anticpating Strauss and Schoenberg. And for the money it is a great bargain.

This is the one!.......1999-08-16

For those interested in a superb recording of Mahler's Second Symphony, you need look no further than right here. This performance won my vote years ago when it appeared on LP, and the digital transfer to CD is just as appealing. Mehta and the VPO negotiate this emotional roller coaster in a way few have been able to match, and the finale is truly something to behold. Nicely coupled with a less familiar but intriguing work by Schmidt. Kudos all the way around!

In Paradisum: Spiritual Classical Melodies

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In Paradisum: Spiritual Classical Melodies

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Mahler I: Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon

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The First Third Of Bernstein's Deutsche Grammophon Mahler Recordings
The opening third of Bernstein's second Mahler cycle, with some great performances
Mahler. Bernstein. A Match Made in Heaven and Hell

Mahler I: Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon

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Customer Reviews:

The First Third Of Bernstein's Deutsche Grammophon Mahler Recordings.......2007-06-22

Artistically, Leonard Bernstein's Deutsche Grammophon Mahler Symphony cycle (One which he did not live to record, so Deutsche Grammophon included a 1970s recording that he had made.) is a mixed blessing, but one which still deserves ample attention from fans of Mahler's symphonic music and others since he had a well-deserved reputation for being one of the foremost champions of Mahler, especially in the late 1950s and 1960s. Sonically, Deutsche Grammophon's 1980s cycle has much to admire, especially since many of the recordings were made during live concert performances. This still expensive box set is part one of a three-part repackaging by Deutsche Grammophon of the entire set of Bernstein's Mahler recordings, featuring Mahler's first four symphonies and two of his orchestral song cycles.

My personal favorites within this box set includes Bernstein's excellent performances of the Mahler 1st Symphony, which is replete with elegant playing from the winds and horns of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and one that is not marked by "mannered" interpretations, with the possible exception of Bernstein's glacially slow tempi for the "slow" movement. Overall the Amsterdam-based orchestra - one of several with whom Bernstein would have an artistically fertile relationship at the end of his career - gives one of the finest accounts of this symphony that I've heard. Another personal favorite is Bernstein's fine account of the Mahler 2nd "Resurrection" Symphony performed exquisitely by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra with Christa Ludwig and Barbara Hendricks as vocal soloists; this remains among the best recordings of this symphony ever made, even with newer, sonically improved renditions from the likes of Abbado and Chailly among others.

The opening third of Bernstein's second Mahler cycle, with some great performances.......2006-06-28

The reviewer below insults Bernstein's stature by calling him an 'old geezer'--the conductor was in his sixties during his second Mahler cycle, the last recordings made as he turned seventy. DG has divided its famous Bernstein Mahler recordings into three box sets, of which this is the first. It contains some performances that stand among the best ever made.

Among these the critical favorites have always included Sym. #1, which is a splashy, propulsive reading that contains every ounce of color and drama the composer put in. Sym. #2, a remake with the same NY Phil. that first recorded the work under Bernstein two decades before, is also a signature work for the conductor, and although the earlier version sounds fresher and has more interesting details, the remake is a titanic reading with the finale rising to apocalyptic intensity. (I was amused that The Gramophone reviewer missed Simnon Rattle's "magnificent studied caution.")

Bernstein's earlier version of Sym. #3 from 1961 is justly famous. It rehabilitated a work that hadn't been touched on records even by great Mahler champions like Walter, Klemperer, and Mitropoulos, and on its own merits was a stunning interpretation. So is the remake with the same NY Phil., and even if it can't quite recapture the sublime earlier account, DG's sonics are better--this holds true for almost all the recodings in the second cycle, even though they were caught under live concert conditions.

Sym. #4 had the reputation of being a weak link in the earlier cycle, and it's certainly true that Reri Grist's soprano is unusually light and rather quavery. But that aside, the earlier Fourth was remarkably fresh and engaging. This later Fourth, with the controversial choice of a boy soprano for the finale, is more studied and manipulted. Some critics prefer it, but I don't, and the boy soprano, Helmut Wittek, is clearly not the equal of an adult singer.

The rest of the set is taken up with two song cycles, Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen and Des Knaben Wunderhorn. Thomas Hampson is outstanding in the earlier cycle, although I feel that Bernstein's fiery conducting pulls the songs into a realm of intensity where the singer has a hard time going. The Wunderhorn cycle is a major disappointment. Lucia Popp's voice had matured into a dark, throaty, wobble-afflicted sound I don't like. Andreas Schmidt is virtuosic in his control, but he is often let down by Bernstein's insistence on extremely slow speeds. Critics who ovelook these flaws have given more praise than I can msuter. Bernstein's earlier version with Walter Berry and Christa Ludwig is much better.

DG has been stingy about allowing their treasury of Bernstein Mahler recordings on to budget lines, and by dividing it into thirds, they still ask a high price for the whole thing. But the good news is that each part of the trilogy is fairly inexpensive on the used market.

Mahler. Bernstein. A Match Made in Heaven and Hell.......2005-12-19

This six CD set is a re-release of symphonies 1-4, Das Knaben Wunderhorn and the Wayfaring Lad song cycles. All these recordings are from the famous or infamous 1980's DG Mahler cycle from Bernstein. This was his second go around for this repertoire, after his successful cycle with the NYPO from the 60's. Those earlier records were a lot less fussy and self conscious than these here. They were brimming with a youthful vitality, these are more studied reflections of an old geezer. However, the sound on these CDs is much better since it's digital.

For the performances themselves, they're pretty good. Symphony 1 is well played, powerful, performed by the Concertgebouw Orchestra. The second movement is too slow, other than that, it's good overall. Not as exciting as the famous Kubelik record but if you need a digital rendition, Bernstein fills that bill nicely. The Resurrection Symphony here is with the New York Philharmonic and has a truly cataclysmic final chorus, but the rest of it is taken at a very slack tempo, ( 94 minute span for a 82 minutes work? Yikes! ) The 3rd symphony ( also NYPO ) is very well done despite Bernstein's erroneous tempos. It's painfully slow at times. This symphony in particular is just not great music, self-indulgent to the point of no return and lacking true symphonic architecture, ( Mahler nuts can stone me if they want! ), except for the heavenly last movement. That final, glorious adagio is pulled to 28 minutes by Bernstein! A normal performance typically takes 23-24 minutes. In spite of this, it's hypnotic and Bernstein makes the climaxes resound quite forcefully.

The 4th Symphony, ( Concertgebouw Orchestra ) , is beautiful, but nothing special, I would stick with Goerge Szell on this one. I've never cared for this Mahler work anyway. Bernstein uses a boy soprano in the last movement. The song cycles included here I haven't ventured to explore thouroughly, Bernstein always did well in that aspect of Mahler, I'm sure he doesn't dissapoint.

The Mahlerian sensibility, anguish, despair, schmaltz, sentimentality, religiosity, all of that struck a deep chord in Leonard Bernstein whose own view of art was forever tinged with Late Romantic passion and grandiosity. While Mahler could bring out the best in Lenny, it always did bring out the worst as well. These performances are about as far away as you can get from the lucid clarity and emotional coolness of Pierre Boulez. In kitsch, Bernstein is unsurpassed. If you want to hear Bernstein's greatest performance in the music of his idol, you should buy the 9th symphony he recorded at the helm ( the only time ) of Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic. That's a great performance, sentimental but has a ring of truth and beauty about it.

Mahler: The Complete Symphonies & Orchestral Songs / Bernstein

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Which of Bernstein's two Mahler cycles is better?
Not an essential set
Get the DVDs instead!
A conductor serving himself more than the music
Get the Sony set instead

Mahler: The Complete Symphonies & Orchestral Songs / Bernstein
Gustav Mahler , Leonard Bernstein , Barbara Hendricks , Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau , Wiener Philharmoniker , Christa Ludwig , Philip [1] Smith , Joseph Alessi , Helmut Wittek , Jaap Van Zweden , Lucia Popp , Andreas Schmidt , Agnes Baltsa , Judith Blegen , José Van Dam , Hermann Prey , Thomas Hampson , James King , and Glenn Dicterow
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Amazon.com essential recording

This 16-disc set contains what is without a doubt the most distinguished collection of Mahler performances ever to have been assembled in one place. DG has sensibly collected all of Bernstein's Mahler for Polygram labels, including the London "Das Lied von der Erde," and all of the orchestral song cycles: "Song of a Wayfarer," "Kindertotenlieder," "Rückert-Lieder," and "Des Knaben Wunderhorn." All of these recordings have been issued separately to general critical acclaim, and despite a veritable warehouse of new Mahler discs in the '90s, Bernstein's versions by and large still reign supreme. For this, his second complete symphony cycle, Bernstein chose three great orchestras and programmed with each one the most suitable symphonies. The New York Philharmonic, probably the greatest Mahler orchestra in the world, gets Symphonies Nos. 2, 3, and 7. The Vienna Philharmonic plays Nos. 5, 6, 10, and 8 (a live recording from the Salzburg Festival that replaces what would have been a New York Eighth had Bernstein not died). Finally, Europe's great Mahler orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw of Amsterdam, gets Nos. 1, 4, and 9. At mid-price, this is Mahler deluxe, an essential set for anyone interested in the composer, and a terrific gift idea if you're looking to make a convert or two. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Which of Bernstein's two Mahler cycles is better?.......2006-06-27

Most buyers aren't in the market for a complete Mahler cycle from one conductor, but if they were, the two from Bernstein contain many great performances. I've reviewed the contents of the Sixties cycle on Sony and this later one from the Eighties (contianing many live performances) on DG, taking them one symphony at a time. But it's worthwhile to give a sense of the strongest and weakest parts of each set.

Cycle #1:

By general consensus the performance of Sym. #3 is one of the glories of this cycle and perhaps the most inspired Mahler condcuting Bernstein did on disc. It has all the freshness of discovery--LB was new to Mahler in 1961. Sony's 20-bit remastering makes the original analog sound quite good--in fact, there's no need to comment on the sound quality of these NY Phil. recordings, none of which are bad. Expect the deep sound stage and wide stereo separation that Columbia Records favored at the time.

Bernstein also put his stamp on Sym. #7 in such a way that no one would ever hear it the same again. 'The Song of the Night,' as this work was dubbed, had almost no life either on disc or the concert stage (Mahler champions as prominent as Bruno Wlater never performed it). Not only did LB prove that this was coherent music, he made an unforgettable drama out of the Seventh. This is his signature recording of the work.

Two other great performances stand out: Sym. #2 and #4, each rendered with amazing imagination and a huge range of emotions. The accusation that LB went over the top in the Second is unjustified--he is often tender and delicate--but there's no doubt that he takes an apocalyptic view of the finale. Whatever you think about his approach, he single-handedly revolutionized the way that the Resurrection Sym. was played. In Sym. #4 the classic recording was by Bruno Walter, but LB added more depth, imaginaiton, and excitement. Lyric soprano Reri Grist has come in for a good deal of criticism in the vocal finale, but I think she fits beautifully into LB's overall conception.

In the middle of the pack, as it were, we get LB's readings of Sym. #1 and #9. He went on to conduct greater readings of both works, especially the Ninth. In person LB's First was a real showpiece, but somehow Sony's sonics are not up to the conductor's vision. In the cse of the Ninth, the NY version would qualify as an outstanding performance if there weren't so many truly great ones from Karajan, Bruno Walter, James Levine, and Barbirolli, among others. Bernstein himself would add two of the greatest, both on DG.

I find a few problems wiht Sym. #5, #6, and #8 in the first cycle. For many critics all three are great recordings. For some reason, I have never warmed up to either of LB's versions of Sym. #5, where for once he does manipulate and exaggerate to the point that the spirit of the work seems lost in histrionics. Sym. #6 is too brisk in the first movement to let the music expand to its visionary potential, and in the other movements Bernstein seems less expressive than he could be. The Eighth is unmathced in the excitement and joyousness of Part 1, and for some listeners the whole symphony remains on that exalted level. I find that LB is too studied in Part 2, and my attention wasn't held. He does elicit very beautiful singing and playing, however. It should be noted that this performance is with the London Sym. and a host of fine English singers.

To the end of his life Bernstein resisted Deryck Cooke's completion of the Tenth Sym., agreeing to conduct only the shattering Adagio. which Mahler had essentially finished in full score. Bernstein's reading with the NY Phil. is one of the most searing accounts this magnificent fragment has ever received, equaled by his later live reading with the incomparable Vienna Phil.

Cycle #2:

It should be said right off that DG's digital sonics are in a different league from what LB got in New York. Even though several venues were involved (Vienna, Amsterdam, New York), and many recordings were under live concert conditions, the DG engineers triumphed. They favor closer mike posiitons, solo highlighting, and a vivid sound stage compared to their predecessors in New York. As to the interprettions, with a few exceptions--the most prominent being Sym. #6--Bernstein did not drastically change his views from the first cycle, and in some cases the readings feel almost identical (Sym. #2 and #7, for example).

The most interest centers on the works where LB clearly outdoes his younger self. At the top of the list I would put Sym. #6 and #9. In the former he achieved one of the classic Mahler reacordings of the modern era. His Sixth has slowed down by 2 min. in the first movement, giving the music room to expand properly. The Andante is heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. The finale is an explosion of genius on Mahler's part that LB resonates with perfectly. Almost the same can be said of the Ninth, where the conducting reaches deeply moving areas of expression. The finale is drastically slow (as is Levine's, to similar devastating effect), which some critics find excessive. But it's a truism that no tempo is right or wrong; everything depends upon being drawn into the world of the music. LB achieved a great Ninth but would surpass himself with a live performance from Berlin in 1979, also on DG.

Almost as great is Sym. #1, which on DG receives a flawless performance packed with excitement. I'm not sure that LB's reading actually changed, but the superlative sonics and the spine-tingling playing of the Concertgebiuw weren't matched in New York.

The next thing to ask is where Bernstein fell short of his earlier versions. The Sym. #2, #3, and #4 from New York were one of a kind, representing LB's early and most exciting explorations of Mahler's world. Their counterparts on DG are also strong, but I don't think they rise to the heights he achieved earlier. The only sharp criticism I have is with the use of a boy soprano in the finale of the Fourth; musical as he is, a boy is too undeveloped to capture what Mahler intended. It should be said, however, that if the earlier NY versions didn't exist, these would be outstanding performances.

I feel much the same about Sym. #7, where LB's first recording set a standard that only two or three rivals have come close to, but his DG remake, which was a return to the NY Phil. in oncert from Lincoln Center(as are Sym. #2 and #3), feels fractionally less overwhelming. It's in better sound, however. The one symphony I can't compare is the Fifth, which doesn't satisfy me in either cycle. The DG version with the Vienna Phil. convinces many listeners, and some critics call in unsurpassable, but I am not on its wavelength.

That leaves Sym. #8, which Bernstein didn't live to record for commercial release. DG reached into its vaults for a live 1975 radio tape from Vienna, and although it has flaws in execution, including some rough singing in Part 2, LB's conducting is superlative, more ocmpelling than his version from London. Paired with this symphony is a 1974 reading of the Adagio from Sym. #10, also with the Vienna Phil. As you'd expect, it's an inspired, searing reading, just like the NY version.

How ot sum up? If money were no object, I'd own both cycles for the pleasure of Bernstein's unqiue inspiration. If I had to pick and choose, I'd take Sym. #2, #3, and #4 from New York, Sym. #8 from London, and the rest form the DG cycle.

Not an essential set.......2004-10-25

Leonard Bernstein was indeed a great exponent of Mahler's music, especially during the sixties. But, I am sad to say, he was not always its best interpreter. Bernstein's presentations of Mahler are often big and bold - or, in other words, overloaded - and occasionally he even adds instrumental effects just to make the music to sound even more swollen (consider, for example, the addition of a bass drum stroke in the ultimate chord of symphony no. 1). Passages that require sophistication are often underlined with broad, syrup-sentimental strokes. This is especially the case with these late Mahler recordings, which Bernstein made for DG.

In some people's taste, this is just wonderful. They want showpieces and nothing else. But other people might have other intuitions regarding Mahler's music. For example, they want orchestral balance and not too deliberate takes.

Now this DG set is incredibly expensive - $191! My advice, if you want a set with Bernstein's Mahler, is to look for the set with his earlier recordings for CBS/SONY. You get it for a third of the price ($ 63), and the interpretations are usually far better in all respects (with the exception of No. 5).

But if you just want the best box with the complete symphonies of Gustav Mahler, I would recommend Rafael Kubelik's set (DG collectors series) as the first choice. Kubelik's interpretations are far more balanced and presented without mannerism, and, overall, his set is more consistent than any of Bernstein's. For reference, you could then add the selected gems of Bernstein's early Mahler recordings: Nos. 2, 3, 7, 8, and 9.

Thus I give two stars for this DG set, three stars for the earlier CBS/SONY set, and four stars for Kubelik's set.

Get the DVDs instead!.......2003-07-10

Although I am a fan of Bernstein's Mahler, I would not recommend this set, especially at its price point. Why do I say this? First, during the last few years of his career (and also, his life), the period in which these recordings were made and where he became increasingly beset by health problems, is riddled by performances in which Bernstein's ability to take great romantic pieces, in this case, the Mahler symphonies, to their emotional and dramatic extremes has degenerated into a heavy handed, enervating self indulgence, marked by dragging tempos and mannered, pompous distentions of phrasing. Secondly, because for the price of two hundred dollars for the set and on DVD (or twenty nine dollars per disc if purchased separately), there are available from the Leonard Bernstein zShop at the amazon.com site live accounts from the early and middle 1970s by Bernstein conducting the Vienna Philharmonic (with the exception of the second symphony being with the London Symphony) of all of the symphonies (but not any of the song cycles). Those performances retain the energy, vigor and intensity of his groundbreaking 1960s cycle, but with added nuance and depth of expression, together with more beautiful and sensitive orchestral playing, and also, a warmer, more full bodied sound (all are in stereo) than one gets from the often dry sounding 1960s studio recordings. Two hundred is expensive, granted, but it is not that much more than the Mahler symphony sets at full price, and, moreover, you get to see as well as hear Bernstein conduct, which is a treat in itself (the videos are in quite decent color). Unfortunately, these recordings have not been issued domestically. The only drawback is that the notes for these recordings, which are imports from Japan, are only in Japanese. Nevertheless, I would strongly recommend that set, for the performances contained therein represent Bernstein at his apogee in this music.

A conductor serving himself more than the music.......2002-07-31

Ten years ago, I would not have evaluated this set in the same way. At that time, I thought Bernstein's Mahler and Mahler's Mahler were one and the same. Now my perception is that while Lenny did Mahler a great service in the '60s with his pioneering complete set on CBS (now Sony), in the '80s Bernstein smothered the music with his own apparent agenda. Put another way: If Bernstein in the '60s was "selling" Mahler to a skeptical audience, in the '80s he seemed to be selling his own interpretive stamp as the ONLY way to play this composer's music, overshadowing the less interventionist viewpoints of any rival conductors. It takes an outsized musical personality to eradicate most of what is recognizably Mahlerian in these scores and turn the composer into a hybrid--Mahlerbernstein or even Bernsteinmahler--but Bernstein was just the man for the job.

Compared to the more consistent (if in some ways outmoded) CBS series, the DG cycle is uneven in its successes, if quite uniform in its overall approach (less nervous energy, more world-weariness--even in the "young man's music" that is Mahler's First Symphony--and more spotlighting and underlining of details). The Sixth and (especially) Seventh Symphonies as presented here are among the most convincing available, while the First and Third Symphonies are also recommendable, even if both are marred by tempo and phrasing exaggerations and inflated sonorities. (The finale of the Third may be the slowest on disc, running for 28 minutes--not 25:01 as indicated on the original CD release and accepted without question by critics ever since.) As for the remainder, it's a very mixed bag, despite the (very high) level of commitment Bernstein gets from his orchestras. This performance of the "Resurrection" Symphony reminds me of William Shatner doing one of his indescribable spoken-word records, while the Fifth and Ninth Symphonies take an enervated, depressed, mannered view of these scores, forgetting all about such niceties as momentum. Yes, there is "intensity" here, but it's forced. Tempi, dynamics, expressive markings are either exaggerated and distorted, or else Bernstein blots them out and substitutes his own. The Fourth Symphony here never quite comes together as Bernstein's underrated 1960 version did, and it's worth noting that the Eighth (a 1975 concert from the archives that was pressed into service when Bernstein's death in 1990 prevented DG from completing the series with a newly-minted Eighth) sounds more tired as it goes, and from the outset there are patches where everybody goes off-key.

The song cycles are also uneven. Thomas Hampson's contributions are fine, but the overblown set of "Wunderhorn" songs completely misses the rusticity and innocence inherent in even the most sardonic songs. (Soloists Andreas Schmidt and the late Lucia Popp have much better work in Mahler than this to their credit.) For "Das Lied von der Erde," DG borrows the 1966 Decca recording (also issued separately on that label) in which Bernstein took the less-common option of two male voices. Unfortunately, one of those voices is Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau at his most histrionic (although his murmurs of "ewig" in the closing bars of "Der Abschied" are as spellbinding as the deathly hush Bernstein casts over the orchestra). However, the overall "sound-world" of this "Das Lied" is closer to Bernstein's CBS set, and unintentionally makes much of the latter-day cycle sound bloated by comparison.

In and of themselves, these recordings are distinguished, and never, ever dull. Even at their most wrong-headed they make an undeniable impression that you're in the presence of a high-powered musical entity. But what is on display here is rarely the music of Mahler as he composed it.

Get the Sony set instead.......2001-07-31

I like Bernstein's Mahler very much, but find the freshness of the original Sony set much more palatable. Other than a few places in #5, the ensemble is fantastic (...the NY Phil of that time was a phenomenon of an orchestra and that Sony set reflects that). If there were no Sony set, this would probably be a 4 or 5 star set, because it does boast many first rate performances, including a 1 and 5 that are superior to the Sony set. But the Sony set offers better performances (to a greater or lesser degree) for the rest, including what perhap the finest 3 and 7 anywhere. The sound on the Sony set is fine throughout, not modern sound but very clear and lifelike (and better than the New York recordings in the DG set - 2, 3, and 7).