Customer Reviews

Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde [Hybrid SACD]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Pierre Boulez continues to amaze audiences with his insightful performances of standard works, bringing to life inner voices, balances among the choirs of strings, brass, woodwinds, and a sense of excitement from his making it all sound new.

Such is the case for this recording of Gustav Mahler's 'Das Lied von der Erde' with the superlative Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. He draws some of the most beautiful playing from this ensemble heard on recordings. Electing to use the original thought of Mahler in employing the contralto voice with the tenor voice, Boulez has wisely chosen Violeta Urmana who in 2001 was a true contralto/mezzo, and the brightly ardent tenor Michael Schade. Both singers understand the poetry and can deliver the texts with all of the range of emotions Mahler explored.

Some will find the tempi a bit fast but the playing time is the same as on Bruno Walter's recording, and he was the original conductor and knew Mahler well! The performance is at once rollicking and tender: just wait for Urmana's intoning of the final 'Ewig, ewig..." that slips the work into the ether of farewell. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, December 05

The Gramophone rating key for its category, states "Simply the Best. An unrivaled version, a cornerstone of the catalog. A real gem."

According to Gramophone "A real ensemble effort whose guiding light is Boulez. With the help of DG's sound, textures, glint with unprecedented clarity; the very end is possibly the most evocative on record."

I was wondering if Mahler's music was so intringuing and mistique as some people say. Despite personal tastes, I find that this particular SACD (or those who are encoded in 44khz/24 bits instead of 88khz) sounds artificial, without bright or space definition, as other great sacd's. I would recommend this sort of records on standard cd.