Charles L. L. Dalmas ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>I'm thinking Horenstein.  I have his Titan on Nonesuch LP (mint, as well),

NO YOU DON'T!!!!!!!

Sorry, but you pressed a hot button.  There were three versions of Mahler
1st: 1888, 1893 and 1899.  The last is the one we hear today.  The 1893
was the *only* one to which Mahler attached the sobriquet "Titan".

To call any other version but the 1893 "Titan" is to go against Mahler's
own wishes.

>and it's the best by far that I've heard.

Certainly top 5.  Personally I think Kubelik has the edge in the first...

My personal Mahler pantheon would be (in alphabetical order) Barbirolli,
Horenstein and Scherchen.

>Also, in response to Furtwaengler as "The" Bruckner conductor, I would
>have to agree, but with Karajan in the same league.  I know I'll be flamed
>by the "I hate HvK" police, but it's my opinion.  Bruckner is music of the
>cosmos itself, with giant forms stretched over all four movements, and
>thematic development stretched over 40 measure phrases.  This is especially
>apparent in the 1890 Haas version of the 8th Symphony.  Well, I won't go
>into a long winded diatribe, so I'll sign off, and start ducking the
>flames...*grin*

But I don't think Brucker would have appreciated HvK's homogenisation
of the textures etc.

If you want to hear Bruckner in the same league as  Furtwaengler, try
- Horenstein.

Deryk Barker
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