I have always found the Bruno Walter recording to be fascinating, but not very satisfying. The approach is vastly different from most more-recent performances. Most striking for me is that the whole production is far less powerful and bombastic. In general, this performance does not sustain loud sections nearly as much. Also, the audio quality is very poor, which can make it difficult to enjoy.
We have a generally very bombastic, super-hero concept of Mahler symphonies these days, at least particularly in the US. Loud sections are incredibly powerful and sustained. Solos are heroic opportunities to express an ego. It is VERY compelling, fun to listen to, and fun to play!. But, perhaps this has not always been the approach, especially since Walter (prized student of Mahler) took a very different one. It would be very interesting to learn more about this. I once heard the Royal Concertgebouw play Mahler 5. It was extremely interesting, as the performance had a very cooperative feel. Louds were loud enough, but not what many people are used to. Solos were very expressive and confident, but there was a distinct difference from what you might get on a Chicago Symphony performance. Whereas I think most renditions these days expect certain solo lines in the orchestra to rise above and dominate the stage, such as some of the 3rd movement horn writing or the first movement trumpet intro, the Royal Concertgebouw players seemed to be more interested in doing their solo work within the context of the texture. You could say that the whole thing was more mild-mannered. The musicianship was stunning from the whole orchestra, and not a moment went by where the whole ensemble wasn't working together to make phrases. Mahler 5 was a primary showpiece for the Chicago Symphony for a long time, so I think one of their recordings should be high on anyone's list. When I was a teenage band kid, before I knew anything about orchestras, I accidentally came to own the recording with Barenboim. The first listen completely changed my understanding of what the horn could do and what music could be. At that moment, I knew I had to try for a career in music. Also, all of the San Francisco Mahler recordings are extremely compelling with very fine recording quality. Number 5 isn't fresh in my mind, but I can't imagine it would disappoint. Michael On Monday 15 March 2010 10:22:29 pm [email protected] wrote: > In addition to the Bernstein/ NYPO recording don't forget the Original > Mahler 5th recording with Bruno Walter/ New York Philharmonic from1947 on > Sony > _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
