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The Radio 3 Boards > The Music Boards > Music Through The Ages > Classical / Romantic > Boulez and Mahler
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Author Topic: Boulez and Mahler  (Read 248 times)
mahlerei
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« on: 16:33:34, 12-03-2008 »
Last night I watched a DVD of Boulez conducting the Staatskapelle Berlin in Mahler's 'Resurrection'. I was curious to hear how it would differ - if at all - from his CD version with the Wiener Philharmoniker. I was more than pleasantly surprised because it has an urgency and focus lacking in the WP account. The soloists are much better too and the overall structure of the piece holds up well. Strange how two performances so close to one another - albeit with different bands - can sound so very different.

I had noticed the same thing with the recent Mahler 8, which sounded rather more convincing on the radio broadcast than it did in the studio. Once again these performances follow one another but this time the forces are essentially the same. Is it perhaps that Boulez performs better in the concert hall?

Anyway, I'd recommend the Mahler 2 DVD if, like me, you were underwhelmed by the CD version.
« Last Edit: 16:35:45, 12-03-2008 by mahlerei » Logged
oliver sudden
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« Reply #1 on: 16:49:24, 12-03-2008 »
I suppose everyone performs better in the concert hall... with the emphasis on the word 'performs' of course. Concerts are certainly better at the whole urgency and focus business than the recording-session patchwork thing...

Is this live Mahler 8 available anywhere? I loved the old bootleg live Boulez Mahler 8 and the new 'official' one hasn't really displaced it.
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Stanley Stewart
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Well...it was 1935
« Reply #2 on: 17:15:32, 12-03-2008 »
   I do agree with your comments, mahlerei.

   I viewed the DVD of the live Philharmonie, Berlin, March 2005 performance at the weekend and I also had warm memories of Boulez and the BBCSO performances many years ago.

   I'm inclined to return to the Klaus Tennstedt/LPO performances of Mahler symphonies on CD after attending so many performances at the RFH and a fine Sym 8 on DVD.   

Claudio Abbado now has my allegiance on DVD in this repertory but there will always be shelf room for Boulez, too.
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mahlerei
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« Reply #3 on: 17:30:55, 12-03-2008 »
Quote from: Stanley Stewart on 17:15:32, 12-03-2008
   I do agree with your comments, mahlerei.

   I viewed the DVD of the live Philharmonie, Berlin, March 2005 performance at the weekend and I also had warm memories of Boulez and the BBCSO performances many years ago.

   I'm inclined to return to the Klaus Tennstedt/LPO performances of Mahler symphonies on CD after attending so many performances at the RFH and a fine Sym 8 on DVD.   

Claudio Abbado now has my allegiance on DVD in this repertory but there will always be shelf room for Boulez, too.

Stanley

I remember buying each instalment of the Tennstedt cycle as it appeared on LP. Very fine performances they were toom although I confess I only have his Mahler 8 on CD and of course the EMI DVD of 1 and 8.

I have always struggled with Boulez in this repertoire but was won over by his Mahler 6 and the songs with Quasthoff and Urmana, both superb in their different ways. His recent Mahler 8 struck me as one of the least satisfying I've ever heard. But then I suppose no one conductor has tackled all of Mahler with equal success.
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oliver sudden
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« Reply #4 on: 18:35:10, 12-03-2008 »
Quote from: mahlerei on 17:30:55, 12-03-2008
But then I suppose no one conductor has tackled all of Mahler with equal success.
Well maybe one might be said to have  Wink although he didn't do the 9th or the 10th or Das Lied von der Erde I suppose...
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