What are you listening to?

[fergus]

I was under the (obviously mistaken) impression Ciaran that you had the Bernstein Mahler box set....somebody around here must have had it before Dave got the new one???

[Ciaran]

No, I have various sets and complete cycles, but not Bernstein, or Solti, for that matter.

[Seán]

No, I have various sets and complete cycles, but not Bernstein, or Solti, for that matter.

I have a few Solti recordings of Mahler symphonies. I am tempted to get the complete box set as I love Solti's Mahler work. I will get it (eventually). Bernstein? Maybe not. I would like to get the rest of Zander's, the Gielen and MTT box sets, and, and, and............................................ad infinitum.....(ad nauseam, as my long suffering wife my say).

[Ciaran]

I have Solti 7 (LP and CD), 8 (LP and CD) and 1 (LP only, the glorious LSO recording). I heard the 2nd when you brought it over once and was mightily impressed. Why I haven't bought it or the CD of the LSO 1 I couldn't say. I'm finding I prefer to get individual CDs: I'm more likely to listen to them than discs from a box, for some reason. I've completed Chailly's cycle like that, and I'm working on Boulez, Gielen and MTT. Who knows? Maybe I'll throw in Solti!

[DaveF]

No, I have various sets and complete cycles, but not Bernstein, or Solti, for that matter.

I have a few Solti recordings of Mahler symphonies. I am tempted to get the complete box set as I love Solti's Mahler work. I will get it (eventually). Bernstein? Maybe not. I would like to get the rest of Zander's, the Gielen and MTT box sets, and, and, and............................................ad infinitum.....(ad nauseam, as my long suffering wife my say).

Both Solti's and Bernstein's offerings are different Seán. I would say that Bernstein's is more consistent throughtout the complete set, but Solti's M1 and M2 with the CSO are probably my favorite versions over anything else. Every Mahler collection should have both sets IMHO. It would be uncool otherwise. :-P ;-)

[Seán]

No, I have various sets and complete cycles, but not Bernstein, or Solti, for that matter.

I have a few Solti recordings of Mahler symphonies. I am tempted to get the complete box set as I love Solti's Mahler work. I will get it (eventually). Bernstein? Maybe not. I would like to get the rest of Zander's, the Gielen and MTT box sets, and, and, and............................................ad infinitum.....(ad nauseam, as my long suffering wife my say).

Both Solti's and Bernstein's offerings are different Seán. I would say that Bernstein's is more consistent throughtout the complete set, but Solti's M1 and M2 with the CSO are probably my favorite versions over anything else. Every Mahler collection should have both sets IMHO. It would be uncool otherwise. :-P ;-)

and the M2 with the LSO, the M4 with the Concertgebouw and the M5 & M8 with the CSO.

[DaveF]

I have a few Solti recordings of Mahler symphonies. I am tempted to get the complete box set as I love Solti's Mahler work. I will get it (eventually). Bernstein? Maybe not. I would like to get the rest of Zander's, the Gielen and MTT box sets, and, and, and............................................ad infinitum.....(ad nauseam, as my long suffering wife my say).

Both Solti's and Bernstein's offerings are different Seán. I would say that Bernstein's is more consistent throughtout the complete set, but Solti's M1 and M2 with the CSO are probably my favorite versions over anything else. Every Mahler collection should have both sets IMHO. It would be uncool otherwise. :-P ;-)

and the M2 with the LSO, the M4 with the Concertgebouw and the M5 & M8 with the CSO.

I really like Helen Watts' singing in the M2/LSO but the overall sound of that disc is a bit too 'thin' for my liking. The CSO M2 recording is a far beefier sound. That extra weight adds a lot to the performance on disc I think. Dont have that M4 with the Concertgebouw.

[DaveF]

pulled the wrapping off this one this evening and gave it a spin. It won a whole host of awards last year.



Very impressive performance and a great sounding disc too. It has a SACD layer too.

[Seán]

pulled the wrapping off this one this evening and gave it a spin. It won a whole host of awards last year.



Very impressive performance and a great sounding disc too. It has a SACD layer too.

I'd like to get that one too.

[DaveF]

Mackerras chose modern instruments for the strings and winds, but period instruments for the brass. It certainly makes for any interesting sound. Some might feel that the brass is a little too forward. I loved it however.