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The Mahler Year begins next month with the sesquecentennial of his birth and ends in May 2011 with the centennial of his death. I am planning to observe the year with the complete symphony cycle, plus Das Lied von der Erde -- one each month of the year.

My proposed lineup follows. There are some glaring omissions, namely performances by three great Mahlerians: Mitropoulos, Mengelberg and Bernstein. As always, I welcome your ideas and suggestions. :

July - Symphony No. 1 “Titan” Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Klaus Tennstedt – EMI
A very good performance, but perhaps not a great one. Tony Duggan in his comprehensive survey of the Mahler has the perfect assessment: “Klaus Tennstedt in Chicago is wonderfully caught ‘on the wing’ . . . a real ‘ride of your life’ as always with him but, for me, he overcooks the dish with excessive excitement in the wrong places.” Nevertheless, it makes my list because it is a live recording and I was in the audience.

August - Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection” Elisabeth Schwarzkopf – soprano; Christa Ludwig – mezzo; Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus; Otto Klemperer – EMI
No justification needed here. This is one of the truly great Mahler recordings. A towering performance by a conductor who knew the composer and who in fact had prepared the piano reduction of this work.

September - Symphony No. 3 in d Norma Proctor - soprano; Wandsworth School Boys Choir; Ambrosian Singers; London Symphony Orchestra; Jascha Horenstein – Unicorn
Another classic recording. It has come in for some criticism, but to me it remains the quintessential reading of this score.

October - Symphony No. 4 Miah Persson – soprano; Budapest Festival Orchestra; Ivan Fischer – Channel Classics
This new recording has moved to the top of my list, displacing the CDs of the likes of Szell and Klemperer.

November - Symphony No. 5 in c sharp New Philharmonia Orchestra; Sir John Barbirolli – EMI
When this truly GROC LP first appeared in1969, Gramophone’s redoubtable Edward Greenfield wrote: “If the aching tragedy of the opening "Trauermusik" is more deeply conveyed by Barbirolli than his rivals, so is the buoyant optimism of the final movement with its tongue-in-cheek foundation on the Knaben Wunderhorn song about the cuckoo and the nightingale.” Forty years later, this still holds true.

December - Symphony No. 6 in a “Tragic” SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg; Michael Gielen – Hanssler
Barbirolli is my actually my first choice in this, my least favorite Mahler symphony. Since we heard Sir John the 5th, I have no reservations about turning to Michael Gielen’s grim account, which resembles Barbirolli in some respects, but is still very much its own.

January - Symphony No.7 San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas – SFS
Paradoxically, the least popular of Mahler’s symphonies is my favorite. It is the first Mahler symphony I heard both in recording and in live performance, and I have retained a deep affection for the “Song of the Night.”
Gielen and Klemperer are my preferred performances, but since we have already heard from both, I turn to Thomas in one of the best parts of his SFS cycle. By the time January rolls around, I might change to Bernstein.

February - Symphony No. 8 in E-flat “Symphony of a Thousand” Heather Harper, Lucia Popp and Arleen Auger – sopranos; Yvonne Minton and Helen Watts – contraltos; René Kollo – tenor; John Shirley-Quirk – baritone; Martti Talvela – bass; Vienna State Opera Chorus; Singverein Chorus; Vienna Boys' Choir; Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Sir Georg Solti – London
Solti has never been one of my favorite conductors, and there are not many of his numerous recordings in my collection. This recording, however, is an enduring monument to a great musician, as well as an outstanding rendition of a huge, sprawling work The CSO is at its glorious best and the lineup of soloists is unsurpassed.

March - Symphony No. 9 Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra; Claudio Abbado – DGG
I don’t think any Mahler symphony has been better served than the 9th. I have at least a half dozen recordings I would be happy to share with my listeners. This 1999 recording closely resembles the performance of the same orchestra and conductor I heard in Chicago’s Symphony Hall, the single greatest orchestra concert in my life.

April - Symphony No.10 Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra; Sir Simon Rattle – EMI
I am not sure if I’m going to do this. I simply don’t believe in the various “realizations” of Mahler’s 10th. This one is the work of Derryk Cooke, aided and abetted by Berthold Goldschmidt, Colin Mathews and David Matthews. I don’t think it would make much difference if theBeeGees, Lawrence Welk and Lady Gaga had had a hand in the final mix. It just doesn’t sound like Mahler to me.

May - Das Lied von der Erde Kathleen Ferrier – alto; Julius Patzak – tenor; Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; Bruno Walter – London
The quintessential Mahler, conducted by his most devoted disciple, with two soloists who in their different ways set standards that haven’t been surpassed.

June – A Mahler Miscellany The Piano Quartet, the piano rolls, The Songs of the Wayfarer, a selection of songs and the “Blumine” movement.

Interesting choices and all good performances, no doubt. Since it's your personal project, it wouldn't be right for anyone but you to speak of "glaring omissions." But it did strike me that only two of the recordings are by conductors with any personal connection with Mahler himself. That's the Resurrection Symphony as conducted by Otto Klemperer, and one of Bruno Walter's three published recordings of "Das Lied von der Erde."

If I were planning, say, a radio series of Mahler recordings for the anniversary, my list would also have included Mengelberg's live performance of the Symphony #4 and the studio recording of the Adagietto from Symphony #5; Oskar Fried's acoustic set of the Symphony #2, possibly though by no means certainly the closest we have to Mahler's own performances; and the Welte-Mignon piano rolls of Mahler himself, playing the last movement of Symphony #4, the first movement of Symphony #5, and something like the first movement of Symphony #1. I'd also consider the recordings by Walter and Klemperer of Symphonies #1, 4, 5, 7, and 9.

What would such a list look like? These would be by the Mahler-related conductors, and when there are more than one, my choice would be the earliest as closest to Mahler's time.

Symphony #1 - New York Philharmonic/Bruno Walter. supplement: 1st movement (kind of), Gustav Mahler, piano

Symphony #2 - Berlin State Opera/Oskar Fried. Supplement: 4th movement, Mme. Charles Cahier, Berlin State Opera Orchestra/Selmar Meyrowitz. (She sang at the Vienna Court Opera during Mahler's directorship and in the premiere of "Das Lied von der Erde.")

Symphony #4 - Amsterdam Concertgebouw/Willem Mengelberg. supplement: 4th movement, Gustav Mahler, piano; Desi Halban, New York Philharmonic/Bruno Walter. (She was the daughter of Selma Kurz, a star of the Vienna Court Opera during Mahler's directorship.)

Symphony #5 - New York Philharmonic/Bruno Walter supplements: 1st movement, Gustav Mahler, piano; 4th movement, Amsterdam Concertgebouw/Willem Mengelberg

Symphony #7 - Philharmonia/Otto Klemperer

Symphony #9 - Vienna Philharmonic/Bruno Walter

Das Lied von der Erde - Charles Kullmann, Kerstin Thorborg, Vienna Philharmonic/Bruno Walter

And then, the focus being on historical recordings (and me being me), I'd fill in the repertoire with the earliest available recording of each remaining symphony:

Symphony #3 - Vienna State Opera/F. Charles Adler

Symphony #6 - Vienna State Opera/F. Charles Adler

Symphony #8 - New York Philharmonic/Leopold Stokowski

Symphony #10 (Adagio only) - Vienna State Opera/Hermann Scherchen

And to fill out the last program, the song cycles "Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen," "Kindertotenlieder," "Rückert Lieder," and selections from the Knaben Wunderhorn collection and "Lieder aus der Jugendzeit," all in Mahler-related or otherwise historic recordings.

For what it's worth.

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John Francis

Very reasonable collection. You state the 7th is your favourite & I must admit I find much to admire in the first 4 movements. How have you made sense of the Finale? I can't- it's a bit like the end of the Meistersinger to me. And I must have heard 10 or more recordings of this work though not MTT's.

It's worth great deal, John Francis, and I thank you both for your suggestions and for your willingness to share them with me.

I have several of the recordings you have listed, including the Oskar Fried 2nd and the Mengelberg 4th, which I believe are the closest things we have to what Mahler himself would have expected to hear.

Unfortunately, I have a station management and an audience that are less than receptive to historic performances. I am not criticizing them. The management is concerned about membership/listenership and listeners know what they want. If Sunday Serenade was devoted to historic recordings, I would have no problem, but it is a general music program.

Instead devoting a program to the so-called Mahler 10th, I will see if I can offer an hour or so pf excerpts of historic recordings. Normally, I don't program excerpts ( except those from opera and oratorio), but I think I can make an exception here.

I also hope to have a Facebook page up for my program in the next few months and I would with your permission like to list your suggestions there.

Thank you.

Hi Stefanher --

No I too haven't figured out the finale, even after 40 plus years. I suppose that is one of its charms.

Sure, help yourself.

I quite understand about the need to give the radio audience what it will listen to, and that such audiences differ. My own alma mater, WHRB FM in Cambridge, was programming historical vocal recordings even before my time, and that's going back some; when I and others introduced historical instrumental and orchestral records as well, it didn't provoke many complaints. Or rave letters either, but we took silence for assent.

Well, Mahler's pianola rolls have been rerecorded in the best digital stereo sound...

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John Francis

There is a 150 year Anniversary Complete Works of Mahler EMI Box set coming out this week.
Interesting to compare EMI's selections with the ones listed above.



16 CDs - arkivmusic

1. Das klagende Lied by Gustav Mahler
Robert Tear (Tenor), Helena Döse (Soprano), Sean Rea (Baritone),
Alfreda Hodgson (Alto) Simon Rattle City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

2. Quartet for Piano and Strings in A minor by Gustav Mahler
Timothy Boulton (Viola), Susan Tomes (Piano), Krysia Osostowicz (Violin),
Richard Lester (Cello) Domus Piano Quartet

3. Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen by Gustav Mahler
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone) Wilhelm Furtwängler Philharmonia Orchestra

4. Symphony no 1 in D major "Titan" by Gustav Mahler
Carlo Maria Giulini Chicago Symphony Orchestra

5. Symphony no 2 in C minor "Resurrection" by Gustav Mahler
Hilde Rössl-Majdan (Mezzo ), Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (Sop) Klemperer Philharmonia Orchestra

6. Songs (3) by Gustav Mahler
Ian Bostridge (Tenor), Antonio Pappano (Piano)

7. Lieder und Gesänge aus der Jugendzeit by Gustav Mahler
Alice Coote (Mezzo Soprano), Irwin Gage (Piano), Brigitte Fassbaender (Mezzo Soprano),
Roger Vignoles (Piano), Katarina Karnéus (Mezzo Soprano), Gerald Moore (Piano),
Christa Ludwig (Mezzo Soprano), Julius Drake (Piano), Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone),
Daniel Barenboim (Piano)

8. Symphony no 3 in D minor by Gustav Mahler
Birgit Remmert (Alto) Simon Rattle City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

9. Symphony no 1 in D major "Titan": Blumine by Gustav Mahler
Paavo Järvi Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra

10. Symphony no 4 in G major by Gustav Mahler
Margaret Price (Soprano) Jascha Horenstein London Philharmonic Orchestra

11. Symphony no 5 in C sharp minor by Gustav Mahler
Klaus Tennstedt London Philharmonic Orchestra

12. Kindertotenlieder by Gustav Mahler
Kathleen Ferrier (Alto) Bruno Walter Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

13. Rückert Lieder (5) by Gustav Mahler
Dame Janet Baker (Mezzo Soprano) Sir John Barbirolli New Philharmonia Orchestra

14. Symphony no 6 in A minor "Tragic" by Gustav Mahler
Sir John Barbirolli New Philharmonia Orchestra

15. Symphony no 7 in E minor by Gustav Mahler
Simon Rattle City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

16. Des Knaben Wunderhorn by Gustav Mahler
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (Soprano), Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Baritone) George Szell LSO
17. Symphony no 8 in E flat major "Symphony of A Thousand" by Gustav Mahler
Hans Sotin (Bass), Richard Versalle (Tenor), Nadine Denize (Mezzo Soprano),
Felicity Lott (Soprano), Edith Wiens (Soprano), Trudeliese Schmidt (Mezzo Soprano),
Elizabeth Connell (Soprano), Jorma Hynninen (Baritone) Klaus Tennstedt London Philharmonic

18. Das Lied von der Erde by Gustav Mahler
Fritz Wunderlich (Tenor), Christa Ludwig (Mezzo Soprano) Otto Klemperer NPO, PhilhO

19. Symphony no 9 in D major by Gustav Mahler
Sir John Barbirolli Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

20. Symphony no 10 in F sharp minor/major by Gustav Mahler
Simon Rattle Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Version: Deryck Cooke in collaboration with Berthold Goldschmidt, Colin Matthews and David Matthews.

21. Rückert Lieder (5) by Gustav Mahler
Thomas Hampson (Baritone), Wolfram Rieger (Piano)

22. Rückert Lieder (5): no 3, Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen by Gustav Mahler
Dame Janet Baker (Mezzo Soprano) Sir John Barbirolli Hallé Orchestra

Add to that the DGG box. For about $120, you can have both -- two superb sets of almost everything Mahler wrote. I think EMI won this round, unlike the Chopin anniversary boxes for which DGG took the palm.

Here's the DGG box

Symphony No.1 in D
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Rafael Kubelik

"Blumine".
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa

Symphony No.2 in C minor - "Resurrection"
Ileana Cotrubas, Christa Ludwig, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Zubin MehtaChrista

Symphony No.3 in D minor
Maureen Forrester, Boy's Choir Of The St. Willisbrorduskerk In Rotterdam, Women's Chorus Of The Netherlands Radio, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink

Symphony No.4 in G
Juliane Banse, The Cleveland Orchestra, Pierre Boulez

Symphony No.2 in C minor - "Resurrection" Totenfeier 25:09
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Pierre Boulez

Symphony No.5 in C sharp minor
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein

Symphony No.6 in A minor
Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado

Symphony No.7 in E minor
Philharmonia Orchestra, Giuseppe Sinopoli

Symphony No.8 in E flat - "Symphony of a Thousand"
Heather Harper, Lucia Popp, Yvonne Minton, Helen Watts, René Kollo, John Shirley-Quirk, Martti Talvela, Wiener Sängerknaben, Wiener Singverein, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti

Symphony No.9 in D
Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan
Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan

Symphony No.10 in F sharp (unfinished)Ed. Deryck Cooke
Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Riccardo Chailly

Das Lied von der Erde
Brigitte Fassbaender, Francisco Araiza - tenor, Berliner Philharmoniker, Carlo Maria Giulini

Songs from "Des Knaben Wunderhorn"
Anne Sofie von Otter,Thomas Quasthoff, Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado

Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
Rückert-Lieder
Thomas Hampson, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein

Das Klagende Lied
Susan Dunn, Brigitte Fassbaender, Werner Hollweg, Andreas Schmidt, Stadtischer Musikverein, Dusseldorf, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Riccardo Chailly\

Songs from "Des Knaben Wunderhorn"
Orchestration: Harold Byrns
Bernd Weikl, Philharmonia Orchestra, Giuseppe Sinopoli
Anne Sofie von Otter, Ralf Gothoni

Lieder und Gesänge aus der Jugendzeit
(Arrangements for Orchestra by Luciano Berio)
Thomas Hampson, Philharmonia Orchestra, Luciano Berio

Serenade (from: "Don Juan") 1:29
Phantasie (aus "Don Juan" von Tirso de Molina) 2:23
Anne Sofie von Otter, Ralf Gothoni

Songs from "Des Knaben Wunderhorn"
Bernd Weikl, Philharmonia Orchestra, Giuseppe Sinopoli
Anne Sofie von Otter, Ralf Gothoni

Lieder und Gesänge aus der Jugendzeit & Fruhe Lieder
Thomas Hampson, David Lutz

Piano Quartet in A minor (1876)
Gidon Kremer, Veronika Hagen, Clemens Hagen, Oleg Maisenberg

Carl Maria von Weber (1786 - 1826)
Die drei Pintos: Entr'acte (completed by Gustav Mahler)
Russian National Orchestra, Mikhail Pletnev

Ted:

Mahler has been so well-served by high-fidelity recordings, that we have all "grown up" with our favorites.

I'm simply not fond of Klemperer in Mahler, even though he did work with the composer, as did Bruno Walter. I much prefer Walter's IX to Klemperer's, fr'instance, and Klemperer's II is, IMHO wrong in so many places, it gives me the willies. I simply can't listen to it. Chacun a son gout.

Instead, for II from that era, I prefer Solti's excellent outing with the London Symphony, recorded at about the same time, but with better tempi and structural organization.

I'm also disappointed that you didn't choose Bernstein's NY III made for Columbia, an incandescent reading filled with the magic of nature as Mahler intended. Even better would be Abbado's Lucerne DVD (which you could broadcast the sound from).

Also, while the 1950 mono recording of Das Lied w/Walter is indeed a classic, his 1960 reading with Mildred Miller and Ernst Haefliger is in better stereo sound and IMHO has better quality singing.

Just my 2 cents.....

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Lance G. Hill
Editor-in-Chief
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When she started to play, Mr. Steinway came down and personally
rubbed his name off the piano. [Speaking about pianist &*$#@+#]