What's the best Mahler concert you've been to?

[TheDecameron]

For me it is Symphony No2 with Rattle and the VPO.

Thomas Quasthoff singing Knaben Wunderhorn not far behind.

Three Mahler 5 concerts I went to stick in my mind-

The best!- Christoph von Dohnányi and the Cleveland.

The gloomiest!- Jansons and the Pittsburg

The best conducting "masterclass" but one which pulled the wings off the butterfly-

Philippe Jordan and the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester.

I have never heard temporal tricks like this before. He pulled each phrase out and "demonstrated" it to the audience. This had the effect of subjectively slowing the work down to almost a standstill in places. It wasn't boring- quite the opposite! I got home and checked the his timings against some recordings and he wasn't really any longer. Ultimately I find him sterile as a conductor, almost narcissistic.The polar opposite of Ingo Metzmacher with this orchestra.

 

[Todd A]

I've only been able to attend performances of a handful of Mahler symphonies, but the one that stands out is Yakov Kreizberg leading the First. Exhuberant and meticulously played. (The concert also had Piotr Anderszewski playing LvB's C Major concerto in a performance that bested his recorded version.) I'd of course to hear Mahler played by a better orchestra than the local one - Chicago, San Francisco, Berlin. One day soon.

 

[palpnorte]

I think for me it was No 4 at the RFH with Pierre Boulez, and presumably (this was about fifteen years ago so I'm a bit vague) the LPO as part of an International Series. I was with someone I was more than fond of, and in a box (so well away from my usual emphysema-ridden stalkers) and totally receptive. I think at least half of the perception of any performance has to do with where your brain is, and on that evening it was in a very good place. Number four isn't by any means my favourite Mahler usually, but that evening - and in fact every evening I have played it since, there was the direct connection that you always hope for. Almost the glimpse of heaven promised in the last movement, although without the pork products.

palp

 

[alanbeeb]

9th with Michael Tilson Thomas & LSO, Basingstoke Anvil 1995
7th with MTT and San Francisco Symphony, Edinburgh Festival 2007
9th with Benjamin Zander and RSNO, Edinburgh Nov. 2000

I've been to a lot of ho-hum Mahler performances by the SNO over the years, with the likes of Neeme Jarvi, and Marin Alsop in charge... the 9th with Zander was fantastic though, he was a last minute stand-in for an indisposed Jarvi and the orchestra played out of their skins for him.

Two weeks before I'd seen them give the most abysmal performance of Shostakovich 4 with Lazarev. So Zander must have done something to them!

 

[dehavillandrfc]

3rd with Boston Symphony conducted by James Levine at Symphony Hall, Boston in January 2001. This was a breathtaking performance from a great band in the best acoustic I've experienced. I don't know how often JL conducted the BSO, I guess he was usually busy with the Met, but they were an outstanding combination and managed to deliver that magical experience that comes with the very best Mahler concerts.

 

[TheDecameron]

9th with Michael Tilson Thomas & LSO, Basingstoke Anvil 1995
7th with MTT and San Francisco Symphony, Edinburgh Festival 2007
9th with Benjamin Zander and RSNO, Edinburgh Nov. 2000

I've been to a lot of ho-hum Mahler performances by the SNO over the years, with the likes of Neeme Jarvi, and Marin Alsop in charge... the 9th with Zander was fantastic though, he was a last minute stand-in for an indisposed Jarvi and the orchestra played out of their skins for him.

Two weeks before I'd seen them give the most abysmal performance of Shostakovich 4 with Lazarev. So Zander must have done something to them!

I stopped going to SNO concerts about 16 yrs ago due to one Christopher Seaman "conducting" La Mer. You re of course right- an orchestra can be transformed by a good conductor. I saw Temirkanov conduct them 20 yrs ago in Tannhauser and was astounded.

Another point raised on this thread- you have to be in a receptive frame of mind. Some nights it just doesn't work and for no clear reason. I have a theory though that its not "you" who is switched off when this happens- it's the orchestra or conductor and it gets transmitted subconsciously to the audience.