Allan Kohrman:
>The Mahler 4th by George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra, with Judith
>Raskin as soprano soloist, is, in my judgment, the greatest Mahler
>recording ever made.
I wouldn't go that far (and I'm a Szell and Raskin fanatic), but it *is*
awfully good. Unfortunately, I know of several Greatest Mahler Recordings
Ever Made. The Szell Mahler 4 is in there, but I'd also have to point to
Baker/Evans/Morris: Des Knaben Wunderhorn - great drama from Evans,
beautiful singing from Baker, marvelous insight into the Wunderhorn world
of Mahler from Morris
Baker/Barbirolli: Rueckert-Lieder - so beautiful you forget to breathe
Barbirolli: Mahler 5 - a noble account. Barbirolli's Mahler at its best
and, fortunately, most typical.
Dohnanyi: Mahler 9 - gorgeous playing, an interpretation that soars. I'm
going to review this one more fully.
Horenstein/Rehkemper: Kindertotenlieder - Horenstein and Rehkemper plumb
the psychological depths of grief. Rehkemper is a singer I know only from
this recording. On the strength of this alone, he's one of the best
baritones of the century - a genius singer of Lieder.
Horenstein: Mahler 3, Mahler 1, Mahler 7, Mahler 4 - I intend to review
fully the Mahler 7 later. It's a revelatory performance of a work that
needs to be revealed. In the case of each symphony, I haven't heard the
work bettered.
Kletzki: Mahler 4 - an overlooked, supremely lyrical account.
Kubelik: Mahler 1, Mahler 2 - The Mahler 1 dances. The Mahler 2 shows
a breadth of vision I normally don't associate with Kubelik, but also a
"folky" sensibility that I do. I think the reading a perfect expression
of Mahler's fundamental musical contradictions.
Scherchen: Mahler 2 - An eye-opener. Lacerating at times.
Walter/Ferrier: Das Lied - why not?
Walter/Miller/Haefliger: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Das Lied - I
don't understand why these recordings aren't more highly rated. I think
Miller a very fine singer indeed who understands the texts. Walter leads
tighter performances here than was his wont at the end of his career.
Haefliger rings out like a hero in the opening song and maintains great
delicacy in when called upon. For me, the only performance of the last
movement which betters Miller's is Ferrier's. In both works, I get the
impression of the composer speaking directly to me, without the filter of
an Interpretation.
Walter: Mahler 1 - mainly for the blazing last movement.
I stress, however, I haven't heard nearly the number of recordings needed
to make such a judgment. I fully expect pot shots to be taken at this
list.
Steve Schwartz
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