Deryk Barker <[log in to unmask]>:

>However, the Kletzki recording you really need to hear is his 1950s Mahler
>4, also made with the Philharmonia about a month before Dennis Brain died
>and probably one of his last recordings.  Many of us consider this one of
>the finest 2 or 3 recordings of the work ever made.

Is anyone in for a discussion on Mahler conductors and their different
approaches.  To start with, hoping to open a can of chickensnipes, I would
just remark that in some cases, with some conductors, almost all their
Mahler are ranging from excellent to very good; like herrn Kubelik, herrn
Neumann - in other cases they are ranging from superb to "all lights on
me!!!!!!" (Lenny Bernstein) - and in other cases they are ranging from
"run away, run away!!!!!" to "all lights on me, run away, run away!!!!!!"
(Maestro Karajan).  And then there are many conductors who often get good
reviews, but doesn't do much for me, like Solti.  But what about those
conductors who doesn't always get the finest reviews because they try their
own approaches? How about Maurice Abravanel? Or Anton Nanut? (I do like
him!) How do you think nanuts Mahler would sound with a better orchestra
than Ljubljana Symphony (although this one has its skill for playing
Mahler)?? and Haenchen? Jeffrey Tate is an interesting figure, but the only
Mahler he has done lately as I know of is Mahlers arrangement of Schuberts
"Death and the Maiden", which I heard a month ago.  I think he could at
least come out and tell why he doesn't like Mahler - else it is futile!!!
Fritz Reiner is a conductor I have much respect for, could anyone provide
a full discography of Reiners Mahler?? BTW - Reiners "Das Lied von der
Erde" is wonderful!  And "Das Lied von der Erde" is a, in my opinion, in
many ways underrated and misuderstood and a little neglected work.

Now, see what You have to say! You can clearly see I am on roll here! I
challenge everyone! *s*

Mats Norrman
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