LOL
Itās a journey. Whatever gets you in so be it.
I only have Bernstein x NYPO Mahler 7 and it is excellent. If only I could find the rest of them for sale, Iād buy the set.
Ok, I wonāt spoil it any more. Iāll look forward to your thoughts.
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You wouldnāt think the playback system would make much of a difference with a 1944 mono recording, but it does.
I think itās quite an interesting challenge to see what your audio chain can do when it is given less to work with.
Is the system handling now-more-important dynamics with nuance and authority? Is it transparent enough to āsee it allā in one channel?
Why would you bother?
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So you can listen to a more focused presentation. Stereo is not inherently better.
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So you can bring to life some of the best performances ever recorded in their full vintage charm.
A sublime interpretation. It was all about emotional impact for Furtwangler.
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Shostakovich 5.
The antagonists in this are much more modern than in Beethoven. Thereās still that flowing lyricism, but with a big mechanical evil in the background.
The recording itself is gorgeous. Very pretty and brimming with delicate energy.
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Casals will always have a special place in my mind for his iconic performances of these Cello Suites. He brought them to life with imagination and charm not easily forgotten.
However, 1930ās recordings have limitations.
This Janos Starker SACD puts you INTO the performance of a master artist at work. You did not know a cello was capable of so many tones, and they are all connected to his mind like an orchestra connected to a conductor, but better because itās only him.
I put off buying this for a long time because you can hear him breathing in samples I heard on YouTube. Once I got it home, I realized that if I did hear him breathing, itās because the volume is too loud. If I gain it up to the point where his breathing is barely audible, itās perfect; heās sitting right there.
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where did you get your copy of it?
On the pricier side but Discogs and eBay have copies.
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I bought this one off of Amazon, but I look all over for interesting stuff.
Itās for sure easy to overpay.
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MAHLER 2 āResurrectionā in C Minor
Ivan Fischer + Budapest Festival Orchestra
Recorded in September 2005
Epic recording. Super modern. Massive orchestral effects, silky strings. Crystal clear execution of vision all the way around.
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Yes, indeed a good oneā¦in my library.
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I normally really like Ivan Fischer (e.g. his Dvorak and Haydn), but for some reason, I prefer other conductors for Mahler (Michael Gielen, Bernsteinās first cycle with the NYPO, Jurowski with the LPO).
I think this is because I only got into Mahler a few years ago, and the performances that got me over the hump were the ones with more power/ferocity, and I suspect Fischer is a little more laid back and/or lyrical. Maybe over time, Iāll be ready to go back to Fischer.
I went through a similar experience with Bruckner, where all my initial favorites were fast, full of energy and excitement, and after a while I was able to appreciate the slower performances like Celibidache.
And even if I donāt end up liking Fischer as much as you, we can both agree on our love of the symphony itself. Thatās one of the reasons I got into Classical, once I realized there was so much variety for the same piece, and it became fun trying to find the conductor and orchestra that resonated most with my preferences. Someone on discord called this āconductor rollingā, which made me chuckle.
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After years of trying, Iāve finally managed to properly get into classical music, which has always been a ādream of mineā to do but could never quite properly get into it. Iām currently getting into Mahler and so far my favourite rendition of one of his symphonies is the 8th, conducted by Sir Georg Soltiās.
Will revisit this thread to see what other people shared and catch up to try different stuff.
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@PaisleyUnderground I enjoy the searching and variety as well. Conductor rolling indeed, lol. I guess that includes symphony rolling and hall acoustic rolling and recording technique rolling, too. All rolled into one!
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He is not known for being a great Mahler interpreter like Bernstein, Chailly et al. Maybe he should be, though. Thereās a YouTube playlist where he analyzes each symphony at the piano, which I appreciate.
Mahler is tough. We have to remember that he came right after the time of Beethoven. The 9th existed. Classical beauty had been mastered. Composers were searching.
Mahler found a way by creating āworldsā; extra-cinematic and existential. Thus, as you know, his works require a bit more patience. There are so many (often strange) things to unpack as he moves you along.
That being said, my benchmark for Mahler 2 had been Bernstein/NYPO ā87 on DG. Some performances can draw you in on first listen and certainly Mahler 2 offers plenty of opportunity for excitement, but ā87 is a real knockout. Beauty and brawn, wonderful singing.
However, with the right perspective, you can see the more visionary Mahler style in spectacular full bloom in his second symphony. Fischer attempts to give you that perspective. So do the engineers.
Thatās pretty much it, in a nutshell. Just a bunch of directors trying to make a movie out of a book.
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I just received a copy myself, based on your suggestion here. 
I found a used one on Amazon that seller described as ālike newā, and for once that seems true. Itās pristine, as if someone removed the shrink wrap and then put it aside. A lot better price than a new copy.
Iām looking forward to giving it a listen, thanks!
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