Soundtracks of Our Lives week ending 12 November 2016 CE 

close
more_vert
Fitter Stoke F
Fitter Stoke Nov 13, 2016 10:44:17
Replying to IanB

Never heard the Radio 3 review but if it was the DG Bernstein VPO Mahler 5th being referenced (as distinct from the good - not great - earlier NYPO one on Sony) I'd say don't hold back - it's fabulous: a highlight of probably the most emotive and fascinating Mahler symphony cycle on record.

Personally I'm much less enamoured of the Rattle set, but then I've never really been a fan of Rattle anyway, his Sibelius and Second Viennese School recordings excepted.

And what - only nine Mahler Fifths? You need far more! Try Haitink's Concertgebouw Fifth (Philips, now Decca) and, if it's his DG set you already have, Kubelik's 1981 live performance on Audite - my personal favourite interpretation of all the Mahler Fifths I know. Rafael Kubelik was a consummate Mahlerian and his live performances are even finer than his excellent studio recordings.

And if you can trace it, download Willem Mengelberg's Concertgebouw 78 of the Adagietto - one of those wondrous old records that has never been bettered IMHO. I wish he'd recorded the whole symphony.

I IanB
IanB Nov 13, 2016 11:27:36
Replying to Fitter Stoke

The BBC's "winner" (actually broadcast back in June, so not so recent, but I only just got around to playing the podcast) was the Vienna Bernstein with the Dudamel, Boulez and the Berlin Haitink running it fairly close in terms of unbridled critical enthusiasm.

They covered a lot of ground in a hour - the Maazel (which I like a lot) was disliked for "hyper emotionalism" and being "indulgent", a "wobbly" Gergiev and a "pallid" Norrington received the worst notices of a wide field.

It is not so much the total number of 5s (I own more shows from the 73 Zeppelin tour!) but owning more 5s than 2s or 9s seems borderline heretical.

I should get the Concertgebouw Haitink as well as the Bernstein and I want the Rattle mainly for the sound the horns make on that one.

I just wish there was a Celibdache legacy of Mahler recordings at very least of 2, 3, 5 and 9.