Tír Na HiFi

And tonight I listened to No. 2 from Maazel's cycle. A beautiful reading - Maazel's patience and restraint as he chisels away at the score is just a pleasure to behold. The command he has over the VPO is quite something - when I think of Solti, I remember his way with the Chicago brass, and with Bernstein, it is the lush Vienna strings that come to mind - but, with Maazel, there is a unified approach to the orchestral sound and the way he exploits the entire tonal palette on offer to serve his interpretation is very rewarding. And the emotional payoff as we come to the final two movements is just inexpressibly moving. Jessye Norman and Eva Marton are on inspiring form and the choral contributions are so very beautiful. This must as one of the most emotional and intelligent readings of this great work that I have heard.

mcq wrote:This week I picked up Lorin Maazel's set of Mahler symphones with the VPO (available on Sony/RCA), which was recorded in the 1980s.

and now, mcq, you have sparked my interest as that set can be purchased for less than €23, perhaps though I had better return to my newly acquired Bernstein/NYPO and Levine sets before I venture forth and buy any more Mahler recordings. It is tempting though.

mcq wrote:And tonight I listened to No. 2 from Maazel's cycle. A beautiful reading - Maazel's patience and restraint as he chisels away at the score is just a pleasure to behold. The command he has over the VPO is quite something - when I think of Solti, I remember his way with the Chicago brass, and with Bernstein, it is the lush Vienna strings that come to mind - but, with Maazel, there is a unified approach to the orchestral sound and the way he exploits the entire tonal palette on offer to serve his interpretation is very rewarding. And the emotional payoff as we come to the final two movements is just inexpressibly moving. Jessye Norman and Eva Marton are on inspiring form and the choral contributions are so very beautiful. This must as one of the most emotional and intelligent readings of this great work that I have heard.

It is sounding more compelling!!

Bruckner – Symphony No.5....




This is another very fine performance.

Sibelius – Symphonies 4 & 5 played by BPO/Karajan....




These are wonderfully powerful yet bleak versions that still sound very full; von Karajan’s version of the Sibelius 5 has long been a favourite of mine.

fergus wrote:Sibelius – Symphonies 4 & 5 played by BPO/Karajan....

These are wonderfully powerful yet bleak versions that still sound very full; von Karajan’s version of the Sibelius 5 has long been a favourite of mine.

Gosh! that does surprise me. I have Karajan's EMI recordings and they leave me cold. I'd much prefer Bernstein (wonderful), Vänskä (not far behind), Maazel, Sanderling, Blomstedt & Berglund to HvK any day.

Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphonies 1 & 2
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Georg Solti - conducting

These are gorgeous interpretations of Beethoven's first two symphonies.

Seán wrote:

fergus wrote:Sibelius – Symphonies 4 & 5 played by BPO/Karajan....

These are wonderfully powerful yet bleak versions that still sound very full; von Karajan’s version of the Sibelius 5 has long been a favourite of mine.

Gosh! that does surprise me. I have Karajan's EMI recordings and they leave me cold. I'd much prefer Bernstein (wonderful), Vänskä (not far behind), Maazel, Sanderling, Blomstedt & Berglund to HvK any day.

Who does HvK conduct on the EMI label Seán, BPO or VPO?
Of the Sibelius that I have HvK would be consistently top of the pile for me.

Seán wrote:

These are gorgeous interpretations of Beethoven's first two symphonies.

I am a Solti admirer as you know Seán and I will most likely end up buying that set but I would never make a decision to buy on the basis of Beethoven 1 & 2....nos. 6 & 7 would sell a set to me as well as the final movement of 5 and the slow movement of 9.