Tír Na HiFi

Claus wrote:I gave this a listen last night and I was blown away! Being a CM newbie, I have only heard very little Mahler: I remember trying to stay awake during "Death In Venice" back in the student cinema, with the Mahler soundtrack I had no urge to go out and seek out his works.

I will now move on to the 8th. Thanks!

Mahler 8 for a newbie....brave man!!! Please tell us how you get on with that one Claus.

fergus wrote:

Claus wrote:I gave this a listen last night and I was blown away! Being a CM newbie, I have only heard very little Mahler: I remember trying to stay awake during "Death In Venice" back in the student cinema, with the Mahler soundtrack I had no urge to go out and seek out his works.

I will now move on to the 8th. Thanks!

Mahler 8 for a newbie....brave man!!! Please tell us how you get on with that one Claus.

True. Number 4 or number 1 might prove more rewarding. Claus, if you are going to venture forth in pursuit of an Eighth well then the Chicago Symphony Orchesta under the direction of Georg Solti is a great place to start:



Do please let us know how you get on.

fergus wrote:

Claus wrote:I gave this a listen last night and I was blown away! Being a CM newbie, I have only heard very little Mahler: I remember trying to stay awake during "Death In Venice" back in the student cinema, with the Mahler soundtrack I had no urge to go out and seek out his works.

I will now move on to the 8th. Thanks!

Mahler 8 for a newbie....brave man!!! Please tell us how you get on with that one Claus.

I wasn't aware of what I was going into! WOW! So much going on and a very nice recording (Solti)! I really enjoyed it though until a TV program came in the way, so the rest will have to go on tonight.

Now even I have been tempted to dig out the Bertini box. First movement of Mahler 2 playing now. Wish I could play it louder, but it's bedtime here. Enjoying it very much so far.

Me 2, I decided to Resurrect this one earlier:



Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 2
Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Claudio Abbado - conducting.

The master Mahlerian leads the LFO through a splendid performance of this work.

I have heard such good reports about Abbado with Mahler, no doubt well-justified.
I hoped he'd enlighten me when trying to crack 7th. Not the first time. Abbado certainly knew what he was doing so the difficulty is between me and Mahler. Still haven't solved it. I'd get more sense from loading the Rite of Spring into Audacity, then listening to it backwards. :o|

Dane wrote:I have heard such good reports about Abbado with Mahler, no doubt well-justified.
I hoped he'd enlighten me when trying to crack 7th. Not the first time. Abbado certainly knew what he was doing so the difficulty is between me and Mahler. Still haven't solved it. I'd get more sense from loading the Rite of Spring into Audacity, then listening to it backwards. :o|

Yes, some do have difficulty with Mahler's Seventh, I don't, and that is a marvellous recording so if it's not for you then perhaps you might want to continue with the Second and dabble in the Frst, Fourth & Fifth instead.

Last night reminded me why I don't really listen to this music so often. The dynamic swings were such that I was constantly working the volume control, and it all ended with an awake baby anyway...

Diapason wrote:Last night reminded me why I don't really listen to this music so often. The dynamic swings were such that I was constantly working the volume control, and it all ended with an awake baby anyway...

That is definitely a problem with Mahler for someone in your position with a young child Simon....the music can go from ppp to fff in next to no time. I suppose that both you and Gustav were not flavour of the month!!!

Dane wrote:I have heard such good reports about Abbado with Mahler, no doubt well-justified.
I hoped he'd enlighten me when trying to crack 7th. Not the first time. Abbado certainly knew what he was doing so the difficulty is between me and Mahler. Still haven't solved it. I'd get more sense from loading the Rite of Spring into Audacity, then listening to it backwards. :o|

I found M7 to be very difficult and still do to be honest. The one interpretation that helps me a lot is the version by Gielen that I posted recently in the Listening thread.