In Reply to: A second Mahler symphonies cycle thread, if you don't mind posted by Frihed89 on August 12, 2012 at 01:19:30:
...no one conductor does all of the symphonies equally well. Mahler seems to be particularly sensitive to interpretation so choosing interpretations for individual symphonies is the way to go. I have a number of interpretations of each and found that some conductors brought life to their performances and others were completely off base--but no one conductor got it right on all of the symphonies, in fact no one conductor was my top choice on more than one symphony. So here is my (provisional) list:
1st: Bruno Walter / Columbia Symphony (2 CDs includes 2nd)
2nd: Otto Klemperer / Phiolharmonia Orch.
3rd: Claudio Abbado / Berlin Philharmonic
4th: George Szell / Cleveland Orchestra
5th: John Barbirolli / New Philharmonia Orchestra
6th: George Szell / Cleveland Orchestra
7th: Yoel Levi / Atlanta Symphony
8th: George Szell / Cleveland Orchestra
9th: Bernard Haitink / Royal Concertgebow (2 CDs includes DLVDE)
DLVDE: Otto Klemperer, Christa Ludwig / New Philharmonia Orch.
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Follow Ups
- Well, no one has said it yet, but... - Paul_A 08:25:00 08/13/12 (11)
- Nope, Gielen does do each equally well. - Thornhill 19:55:58 08/20/12 (0)
- My list of less "attractive" alternatives (i.e. mostly mono) - Poles Apart 12:01:36 08/17/12 (0)
- "...no one conductor does all of the symphonies equally well." - markrohr 03:46:29 08/14/12 (0)
- Look at this way.... - Frihed89 12:42:46 08/13/12 (1)
- I like Gielen better, but Bertini is good - srl1 17:34:02 08/13/12 (0)
- So, did you more or less stop listening after the 60's? [nt] ;-) - Chris from Lafayette 12:33:33 08/13/12 (3)
- Not a bad strategy! ;-) nt - markrohr 03:59:45 08/14/12 (2)
- But why stop there? - Chris from Lafayette 10:50:34 08/14/12 (1)
- I'm sure there are more attractive alternatives... - Paul_A 13:26:07 08/14/12 (0)
- Did Szell really do an 8th??? - Russell 11:46:32 08/13/12 (1)
- Woops. - Paul_A 12:19:28 08/13/12 (0)