BARSHAI'S MAHLER 5 - just how good is it?

[hangos]

I recently happened to read Tony Duggan's in-depth review of Mahler 5 on musicweb-international.com/Mahler/Mahler5.htm and he was very impressed by Rudolf Barshai's recording with the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie; in fact he put it at the very top of his list.

I've listened to amazon soundclips , and the first minute of each movement sounded good, but I don't want to do the same as that old enfant terrible from Baton Rouge and base my preference on 5 minutes out of 75 , so could anyone out there who has heard this particular account please post their opinions?

Many thanks in advance!

Martin

[pizza]

I recently happened to read Tony Duggan's in-depth review of Mahler 5 on musicweb-international.com/Mahler/Mahler5.htm and he was very impressed by Rudolf Barshai's recording with the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie; in fact he put it at the very top of his list.

I've listened to amazon soundclips , and the first minute of each movement sounded good, but I don't want to do the same as that old enfant terrible from Baton Rouge and base my preference on 5 minutes out of 75 , so could anyone out there who has heard this particular account please post their opinions?

Many thanks in advance!

Martin

Tony Duggan or not, Barshai's Mahler 5 defies all odds. It's simply beyond superb and in my opinion beats any Mahler 5 yet recorded. Not that it's the only word in Mahler 5s -- nobody has all the answers; after all, there's still Barbirolli, Solti and a few others; but in some ways the 5th is the most difficult of Mahler symphonies to bring off with complete coherence and these kids do it in spades!

[hangos]

I recently happened to read Tony Duggan's in-depth review of Mahler 5 on musicweb-international.com/Mahler/Mahler5.htm and he was very impressed by Rudolf Barshai's recording with the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie; in fact he put it at the very top of his list.

I've listened to amazon soundclips , and the first minute of each movement sounded good, but I don't want to do the same as that old enfant terrible from Baton Rouge and base my preference on 5 minutes out of 75 , so could anyone out there who has heard this particular account please post their opinions?

Many thanks in advance!

Martin

Tony Duggan or not, Barshai's Mahler 5 defies all odds. It's simply beyond superb and in my opinion beats any Mahler 5 yet recorded. Not that it's the only word in Mahler 5s -- nobody has all the answers; after all there's still Barbirolli, Solti and a few others; but in some ways the 5th is the most difficult of Mahler symphonies to bring off with complete coherence and these kids do it in spades!

Cheers,Pizza - now I can think about buying it!

Funnily enough, I've always had a soft spot for pizza!

Are you a fan of Tony Duggan? He certainly goes into depth!

Martin

[Ralph]

I am in full accord with Pizza (Happy New Year, Pizza).

[hangos]

Well, Ralph - it must be exceptional if you also endorse it. I just can't believe it's on amazon.co.uk for as little as £3.52

Thanks,
Martin

[Donaldopato]

It is an excellent performance, one of those that just seem to click from beginning to end.

I have it coupled to Barshai's own edition of the 10th, which I do not care for as much, although again the performance is excellent. Barshai's edition is a little too heavily orchestrated, much like Mazzetti's.

Still available in the US from Brilliant Classics for $11.

[hangos]

It is an excellent performance, one of those that just seem to click from beginning to end.

I have it coupled to Barshai's own edition of the 10th, which I do not care for as much, although again the performance is excellent. Barshai's edition is a little too heavily orchestrated, much like Mazzetti's.

Still available in the US from Brilliant Classics for $11.

Thanks very much, Donald - a hat-trick of endorsements is good enough for me, especially as you are obviously not uncritical of #10 in Barshai's version.

Ironically, it's cheaper on amazon.co.uk to buy #5 and #10 as a 2CD set than to buy #5 on a single disc on ebay.co.uk!
I'm going for the 2CD set!

Thanks
Martin

[pizza]

Are you a fan of Tony Duggan? He certainly goes into depth!Martin

I enjoy reading him from time to time. I don't necessarily agree with all he has to say, and he tends to overlook some truly fine performances. For example, I don't understand his problem with Chailly. But there's no question about his knowledge and commitment to Mahler's works.

[pizza]

I am in full accord with Pizza (Happy New Year, Pizza).

Thank you Ralph, and L'Shana Tova to you and yours!

[hautbois]

I cant say the same for the 10th, but the 5th is MAGICAL.

Howard

[Corlyss_D]

Barshai's gifts continue to astonish. I saw the guy in 1966 conduct his Moscow Chamber Orchestra (long before chamber orchestras were wide-spread) in Schubert's 5th in DC's DAR Constitution Hall, which was the home of the National Symphony before the KenCen was built. I think of the guy as principally a conductor of a smallish string band specializing in then-lacunae of western music, like Telemann. The idea that he can conduct Mahler with equal excellence simply amazes me.

[hangos]

Barshai's gifts continue to astonish. I saw the guy in 1966 conduct his Moscow Chamber Orchestra (long before chamber orchestras were wide-spread) in Schubert's 5th in DC's DAR Constitution Hall, which was the home of the National Symphony before the KenCen was built. I think of the guy as principally a conductor of a smallish string band specializing in then-lacunae of western music, like Telemann. The idea that he can conduct Mahler with equal excellence simply amazes me.

Before Ralph enquires, did he do the lacuna called Dittersdorf in 1966 as well?

You should hear his Shostakovich - especially his #4 (you might like that, because it is full of tunes you can whistle or hum the first time!

By the way, as you recently mentioned that you will listen to any new piece if it has a readily disecernible melody (nothing wrong with that ), have you tried the second movement of Ligeti's violin concerto - now that really is hauntingly beautiful with a tinge of sour sadness)

Barshai is in his late 70s but still exploring new things to record - how do these guys do it?

[Corlyss_D]

I have never heard of Barshai conducting Dittersdorf, but there may be something out there somewhere.

You are right about the Ligeti. I heard it a few weeks ago on XM Radio and thought, "that's beautiful. It can't be Ligeti! They must have screwed up the playlist." It has happened before. I spent weeks running down a recording of the Gregorian chant Regem cui they played on XM Vox often because the playlisting was wrong. Fr. Jerome Weber and RAD were helpless until I ran it down on a hoary 1952 4 lp set of Gregorian Chant by several groups including the Benedictine Monks of St. Wandrille Monastery. I haven't been able to bring myself to actually purchase the Ligeti because I'm sure I would hate the rest of the disc.

[hangos]

I have never heard of Barshai conducting Dittersdorf, but there may be something out there somewhere.

You are right about the Ligeti. I heard it a few weeks ago on XM Radio and thought, "that's beautiful. It can't be Ligeti! They must have screwed up the playlist." . I haven't been able to bring myself to actually purchase the Ligeti because I'm sure I would hate the rest of the disc.

You do have open ears! There are several recordings of the Ligeti VC out there, and I'm trying to recommend the one which has the best couplings!
Boulez on DG is superb with Gavriloff on violin, but it has the more aurally confrontational piano concerto and the "rewarding after several attempts" cello concerto.

You might want to try the Ligeti Project III on Teldec 8573876312 ; the VC is given a more romantic reading, the cello concerto is very quiet, atmospheric and at least "inoffensive", the choral piece "Clocks and clouds" is beautifully atmospheric, and the 7 songs for mezzo are a bit weird but very funny indeed, especially the one about the walking mountains! The cello concerto could grow on you!

[Chalkperson]

You are right about the Ligeti. I heard it a few weeks ago on XM Radio and thought, "that's beautiful. It can't be Ligeti! They must have screwed up the playlist." It has happened before.

I haven't been able to bring myself to actually purchase the Ligeti because I'm sure I would hate the rest of the disc.

If I could use this oppertunity to shamelessly plug Ligeti's Piano Music by Fredrik Ullen on Bis, you would hate it of course...

[Corlyss_D]

you would hate it of course...

You said it . . . !

[Corlyss_D]

You do have open ears! There are several recordings of the Ligeti VC out there, and I'm trying to recommend the one which has the best couplings! Boulez on DG is superb with Gavriloff on violin, but it has the more aurally confrontational piano concerto and the "rewarding after several attempts" cello concerto.

You might want to try the Ligeti Project III on Teldec 8573876312 ; the VC is given a more romantic reading, the cello concerto is very quiet, atmospheric and at least "inoffensive", the choral piece "Clocks and clouds" is beautifully atmospheric, and the 7 songs for mezzo are a bit weird but very funny indeed, especially the one about the walking mountains! The cello concerto could grow on you!

You wouldn't be havin' me on, would ya? You know how gullible I am.

[hangos]

Well, you never know until you try!

Martin

[moldyoldie]

Let me just add that of the four recordings of Mahler No. 5 I've collected over time, Barshai's is the most lucid of the bunch. I wish I had heard his first of all.