Mahler Symphony #5

[Chi_town/Philly]

The Mahler listening group lives!

Originally Posted by Herr_Direktor

The Solti recording is outstanding, except for the Scherzo which is just too fast.

Yeah, I understand that there's an element of "because we're so damn good, we can!" in this performance, but I still think this rendition is an excellent one.

In the end, I think I like Tennstedt/London Phil the most.

[haydnguy]

There is, as they say, and embarrassment of riches with Mahler recordings.

[micrologus]

I listened to a lot of performances. Finaly I choose the one I thought I wouldn't like at all but that was before listening to his Mahler 5...

I never bought anything of this director and hesitated a long time before listening to his interpretation of Mahler 5, so I kept him for the last.

I was so surprised and so touched by his appraoch of this work that finaly this is the Mahler 5 I have chosen:

[haydnguy]

Congratulations on your finding the one that you like. I've got my Chailly in the shopping cart. Haven't pulled the trigger on it yet.

[Florestan]

Originally Posted by Herr_Direktor

My favorite quote in all of music:

"I can't think of a more horrible piece of hackwork."

Toscanini on Mahler's 5th symphony.

He obviously hadn't heard Mahler's 1st symphony.

[Florestan]

No one seems to have mentioned the Simon Bolivar's acclaimed recording.

Wasn't HG saying their Mahler 5 is said to be going from strength to strength?

[haydnguy]

Originally Posted by Florestan

Wasn't HG saying their Mahler 5 is said to be going from strength to strength?

Whose were you referring to Flo?

I've been sitting here sampling both the Chailly and Bernstein. It seems to me the Bernstein is a bit more restrained. The Chailly a bit more bright and bold. Here it depends on your taste. I think I'm going to go with the Chailly simply because I tend to like his take on it a bit more.

[Herodotas]

I've recently looked again at this site after a longish absence and was inspired by your conversations to listen to my old Mahler 5th Symphony recording with Erich Leinsdorf and the Boston Sym. I only really know the 1st (someone earlier said it was horrible ) and the 4th. I did once have an LP of the second but found it completely over my head.....I just couldn't get my bearings at all. These three, though I can relate to. I enjoyed the 5th again, though it does seem emotionally rather OTT to me and a bit "loose". I don't have any sleeve notes as this is one of my trancriptions from LP to CD and I've given the boxed set away to a charity shop! Are those melodies Mahler's own or does he draw on traditional folk ones? Who do you think his influences were? I detect more than a hint of Bruckner there.....with maybe an element of Strauss. Is it my imagination or may some of the "folk" melodies be drawn from Yiddish tunes? (If there are such things! Some of this sounded reminiscent of "Fiddler on the Roof" to me!!).

[audiophilia]

I have more favourites of the 5th than any other symphony. It can be played so many ways and still work. Here's the latest rotation in no particular order.

Sinopoli/Philharmonia/DGG
Boulez/VPO/DGG
Shipway/RPO/Tring
Rattle/BPO/EMI
Solti/CSO/Decca

Frank Shipway's version is one you should seek out. The playing, recording and interpretation are first class. Frank's an interesting man and a fine, underrated conductor.

Also knockout is Eschenbach's Philly version on YouTube, especially the opening mvt. Superlative playing with Philly on tour.

[Mirror Image]

The 5th is one of my favorite Mahler symphonies. Some of my favorite readings are the following:

Bertini/CRSO/EMI
Tennstedt/LPO/EMI
Chailly/RCO/Decca
Haitink/RCO/Philips
Solti/CSO/Decca
Rattle/BPO/EMI
Bernstein/VPO/DG
Abbado/BPO/DG