BaL 26.11.11 at 9.30 a.m.- Mahler: Symphony no. 8

[umslopogaas]

ostuni (#9), I just checked the booklet that came with the LPs of Solti's Mahler 8 on Decca and it says Rene Kollo appears by courtesy of G.B.S. G.M.B.H. There is also a photo of him singing next to John Shirley-Quirk, so he must have been present for at least one session.

[Alison]

but thank goodness we don't have Edward Seckerson doing the review.

Amen !

[ostuni]

ostuni (#9), I just checked the booklet that came with the LPs of Solti's Mahler 8 on Decca and it says Rene Kollo appears by courtesy of G.B.S. G.M.B.H. There is also a photo of him singing next to John Shirley-Quirk, so he must have been present for at least one session.

Thanks for the info. The ensembles in Part 2 sound OK, but I'm convinced he wasn't there for part 1. If anyone is interested, listen to 3-4 bars after fig 10, or fig 13 + 2: if he was there, he wasn't looking at the conductor, and I can't imagine Solti letting him get away with that!

[DublinJimbo]

The Tennstedt I have has slightly different forces (the Tiffin School Boys' Choir, for instance) and was recorded in Walthamstow Town Hall in April 1986. Is this no longer available?

Like others here, I'm not a great fan of the 8th, but the final twelve minutes or so of this recording (from Blicket auf ...) never fail to work their magic.

[Chris Newman]

Thanks for the info. The ensembles in Part 2 sound OK, but I'm convinced he wasn't there for part 1. If anyone is interested, listen to 3-4 bars after fig 10, or fig 13 + 2: if he was there, he wasn't looking at the conductor, and I can't imagine Solti letting him get away with that!

Nor was the organist. Listen to the tape splices at the shrieks of Hostem and Pacem in the middle of the march in the Development "Hostem repellas longius, Pacemque dones protinus). At one point you actually hear a tape skid up to pitch and the sound from one of the speakers is from another accoustic. Mind you, I love the recording for Heather Harper in the first part. To be fair to Kollo he had not long ceased pop singing and was still learning his parts by ear.

I am very fond of the Horenstein recording from the Albert Hall despite the car crashes in the excitement. Apart from Arnold van Mill, Agnes Giebel and Helen Watts I had never heard of the other soloists. I never heard Kenneth Neate sing and he is a good as John Mitchinson (who appears on many a Mahler 8 and DLvdE) yet Neate is much brighter voiced. I looked him up on Wiki to find he had a good career abroad but rarely worked here apart from deputising with Joan Sutherland at Covent Garden.

The best live performance of Mahler 8 I ever heard was Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos also at the Albert Hall in 1971 with the Philharmonia. All that needed was Heather Harper to make it perfection.

[Caliban]

The Tennstedt I have has slightly different forces (the Tiffin School Boys' Choir, for instance) and was recorded in Walthamstow Town Hall in April 1986. Is this no longer available?

Like others here, I'm not a great fan of the 8th, but the final twelve minutes or so of this recording (from Blicket auf ...) never fail to work their magic.

Agreed, Jimbo. The ends of both parts are magic, I think... indeed the beginnings too. I haven't listened to it for ages but the start of Part 2 is pretty electrifying and the opening of the whole shooting match never fails to raise a goose bump or three. It's in some of the bits in the middle that the attention can start to wane...

Your (and my) studio version seems to be available 'officially' only as part of the Tennstedt box set http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mahler-Compl...1634558&sr=8-6 although I see new copies of the symphony on its own can be had for £10.95 on the amazon market place.

[VodkaDilc]

. I don't recall Julian Johnson but thank goodness we don't have Edward Seckerson doing the review.

Why? Have I missed something? Mahler expert, good broadcaster! What more do you want?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

There's only one Haitink version isn't there, EA ?

Ah, erm, yes! You are quite right, Alison. There's a Pentatone remix of the original Philips recording. Unfortunately, I counted it twice.
I'll amend the list.

[Atticus]

No, not my favourite Mahler either. Not at his most profound.I much prefer 7 which has the glorious 'nachtmusik' and the spiritually profound 9th. Much of 8 to me is overblown and has lengthy areas of longeurs...

[PaulT]

Talking of live at the Albert Hall I recall an impressive 1970s concert conducted by Wyn Morris and Isabella Wallach's pick up band, the Symphonica of London. First time I heard the piece. Issued on 2 x LP shortly after (which I still have) but I think it must have sunk without trace.