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Best Mahler (Conductors)

Alex S

carbon based lifeform
Unlike my recent thread on Bruckner where I'm a relative novice, I've listened to Mahler for a long time and have my own views that I'll share. Other recommendations very welcome. I'm slowly getting into historic recordings but know much more from 70s onwards.

No 1: Can't really argue with Kubelik although I still like my Haitink.
No.2: I was a Rattle groupie back in the day and have a signed copy of CBSO. These days I might give the nod to Jansons Concertgebouw live but I like Tennstedt, and Klemperer of course.
No. 3: Try as I might, I still think Bernstein NYPO is best. Kubelik too.
No. 4 : Surprisingly, to me, I really like Boulez here. Of the lauded versions, I think Szell with the Cleveland is excellent but Sinopoli fairly rubbish. Maazel and Reiner in the upper middle.
No. 5 : I'm not sure who I like best here, maybe Bernstein again.
No. 6: Tennstedt's live version walks away with this.
No. 7: Might give the nod to Abbado here but inconclusive.
No. 8: I have a full set of Solti vinyl including his lauded 8th. I'll give the nod to Tennsdedt.
No. 9: Karajan always gets the vote here. Mine goes to Dudamel and Harding, each good in their own way.
No. 10: Rattle always gets the nod here and gets mine too. He edges out Dausgaard and Yannick Nézet-Séguin with some ease to be honest. As to BPO or CBSO, each have their merits.
 
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Particularly in Mahler I like to listen to different performances, which tend to bring out different aspects of the music. So I don't have strong first-choices as such, but a few favourites:

(1)Solti (LSO)
(2)Jurowski (though Bernstein, Rattle, Klemperer, Kaplan all bring something different)
(3) Haitink (also recently been listening to Chailly, which is good, especially movements 4 & 5)
(4) Szell. Also recently bought a download of the Ivan Fischer recording which came top of "Building a Library" some months ago. Wonderful clarity, but lacks some of the warmth of Szell IMHO.
(5)Bernstein VPO
(6)Bernstein NYPO, Szell
(7)Abbado
(8) - The only Mahler syphony I don't absolutely love.
(9) Barbirolli, Abbado, Haitink, Bernstein (I really don't like Karajan in this!)
(10)Chailly
Das Lied - Haitink (mainly for Janet Baker) also Klemperer

Also there many potential contenders I don't know personally, so not claiming this is any kind of definitive list.
 
I think Abbado tries to be as transparent as possible, only getting involved if he has to, so he gets my vote for symphonies 2 and 3, with Lucerne FO. Kubelik gets an honorary mention for conducting my favourite Das Lied, with Janet Baker and Waldemar Kmentt on vocals (link). Oh, and Chailly for conducting my favourite lieder collection, with Bridgitte Fassbaender on vocals.

71oOPZGBx5L._AC_UY218_.jpg
 
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For me, early Bernstein and Abbado. They are the only conductors that move me.Bernstein’s Das Lied with King and Fischer Dieskau is white hot.I find Solti overdriven though like his assumption of the 3rd.Rattles BPO Tenth is nice and Haitink has some moments.
 
Haitink and Tennstedt cycles here. Everyone seems to overlook Haitink but I really like it. His 9th was my first introduction to Mahler and I still love that version.
 
Tennstedt was my introduction to Mahler (4). Still my favourite and I think 8 is fantastic. It was Mahler that finally put me off Rattle. I too have a signed copy (2) but it yields nothing beyond the notes on the score. If any one wants it I'll send it on.
 
1 - Solti/LSO or Bernstein/NYPO 1960s
2 - not bothered, suppose Kubelik & BRSO
3 - Chailly/Concertgebouw or Boulez/VPO
4 - Maazel/VPO
5 - Tennstedt/Concertgebouw
6 - Abbado/BPO or Karajan/BPO
7 - Noseda/BBC Phil or Jansons/BRSO or Kubelik/BRSO (live on Audite)
8 - hate it!
9 - Jonathan Nott/Bamberg, Abbado/Lucerne
10 - Rattle/Bournemouth or Harding/VPO
Das Lied - Klemperer/Philharmonia/Ludwig/Wunderlich
 
Tennstedt was my introduction to Mahler (4). Still my favourite and I think 8 is fantastic. It was Mahler that finally put me off Rattle. I too have a signed copy (2) but it yields nothing beyond the notes on the score. If any one wants it I'll send it on.

Tempted, I am, by that idea.
 
I’d hold on to it. When the Maestro organises his own resurrection it’ll be worth £1000 on eBay. Or so I hope.

Vanska’s recent 7th with Minnesota is certainly their best so far.
 
1 - Bernstein VPO
2 - Mehta VPO, Paavo Jarvi Frankfurt RSO, Abbado CSO, Klemperer
3 - Chailly RCO, Abbado VPO
4 - Reiner CSO, Fischer BFO
5 - Chailly RCO, Bernstein VPO, Honeck Pittsburgh, Abbado BPO & CSO
6 - Bernstein VPO, Abbado BPO, Currentzis MusicAeterna
7 - Never got to give it profound listening
8 - Couldn’t connect to it
9 - Chailly RCO, Fischer BFO
 
1 - Hengelbrock; Kubelik (Audite)
2 - MTT, because he has the best soloists; Bernstein III
3 - Ozawa; Salonen
4 - Boulez because of Banse; Bertini because of Popp
5 - Honeck; Kubelik (Audite)
6 - Bernstein III; MTT for the Andante
7 - Barenboim; Kubelik (DG)
8 - Nagano; Wit
9 - Abbado; MTT; Giulini
 
Just my preferred versions, and I’m no expert... but for what it’s worth:

1 Levine, LSO ca.1976 - a case of “first heard” syndrome, but I don’t think I have heard a recording that betters it
2 no preference
3 Haitink, Concertgebouw 1966 - reason as for no.1
4 Szell, Cleveland - everything is right in a work where usually something is wrong
5 no strong preference; I do like Barbirolli, New Philharmonia 1970
6 no strong preference, but something less driven than Szell
7 Solti, Chicago SO 1971 - incomparable playing
8 don’t really get it
9 ditto
10 Ormandy, Philadelphia 1965 - the first recording of the Cooke completion has a sense of discovery of something previously hidden which I don’t get in any other version

Das Lied Von der Erde is not a symphony posing as a song cycle, as lots of commentators will insist on telling us. It’s, er, a song cycle. Where did that peculiar notion originate, I wonder?

Mahler is one of those composers I would far rather hear live... such as the splendid Ivan Fischer/Budapest Festival Orchestra performance of no.1 at the Proms in 2011, no.6 heard from the choir seats at Symphony Hall under Nelsons (I think) with Adrian Spillett on Simon Rattle’s purpose-built hammer block - Woah! ...another no.1 with the BBC SSO under Dausgaard in Glasgow in February 2019, no.2 at Symphony Hall with Mirga not long after... those were the days :(
 
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1. Bernstein, VPO
2. Kaplan, Klemperer, Solti
3. Not one for me.
4. Maazel/Battle - Karajan/Mathis
5. Barbirolli
6. Bernstein, VPO
7. Abbado
8. Not one for me.
9. Barbirolli
!0. Not one for me.

This thread inspires me to try some others.
 
Not much love for the 8th is there. I don’t like it much either. Is it all that singing?

If Wagner had written operas without voices he’d be brilliant. Apparently he was about to start writing symphonies but died instead.
 
I actually like the 8th (the Gielen live version is a bit messy but really quite good on the whole), it is formally the best constructed to my ears. At least if you don't let Gergiev anywhere near it...
 
Das Lied Von der Erde is not a symphony posing as a song cycle... it’s, er, a song cycle. Where did that silly notion originate, I wonder?

Bernstein seems to have elevated it to de facto symphonic status, if not higher: "...in the deepest sense, it's Mahler's greatest symphony."

Such comments aside, his 'few words' on Das Lied are charming and compelling in equal measure; the good stuff begins at 5.00:

 
Das Lied Von der Erde is not a symphony posing as a song cycle, as lots of commentators will insist on telling us. It’s, er, a song cycle. Where did that peculiar notion originate, I wonder?

Mahler entitled it "A Symphony for Tenor, Alto and Large Orchestra". So it is a Symphony.
dlvscoreuniversal500.JPG
 
Mahler entitled it "A Symphony for Tenor, Alto and Large Orchestra". So it is a Symphony.
dlvscoreuniversal500.JPG

And it says pretty much the same thing on the back of this Das Lied - the one I'm listening to just now.
 
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