Customer Reviews

Mahler - Symphonies 7, 8 / Leonard Bernstein, Edda Moser, Judith Blegen, Gerti Zeumer, Ingrid Mayr, Agnes Baltsa, Kenneth Riegel, Hermann Prey, Jose van Dam, Wiener Philharmoniker

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

 

 

These performances are truly amazing. It's hard to believe that the fabled Vienna Philharmonic, who's dislike of Mahler is almost as legendary as their string section, is playing these utterly moving works with such distinction. True, a lot of the effort has to be laid at the feet of Lenny Bernstein, who's highly emotional response to these intruiging scores is really quite appropriate, but if an orchestra is not capable of playing it, you are left with nothing. Not the case here.

First, the Seventh. A symphony full of weird, intimate and grand sounds, an ode to loneliness, to the mysterious night and arrival of daylight. The first movement gets a stern reading, with the appropriate amount of rubato. The middle three movements are played very affectionately, especially the second nachtmusik with a gorgeously audibible mandolin and banjo. There isn't a moment of musicmaking that doesn't ring true. Then, the Finale. It really has to be heard to be believed. I was quite surprised by the brilliant presence of the Vienna brass section, since it's not their best feature (except for the horns). They are certainly far from timide in this reading! Marvellous horns and trumpet fanfares all around, and this symphony is carried to an all inspiring, overwhelming and incredibly moving conclusion. Bravo indeed. This is what Mahler is all about.

The performance of the Eigth, well, it's a knockout. Probably even better than the Seventh. Marvellous choral and vocal contributions with a commited orchestra playing on it's toes. The opening has seldom sounded so forward driven and visionary, and the conclusion, with trumpets reaching to the skies, is a heaven indeed. To my ears, this is as good as it gets in reproducing Mahler's intentions to create an overwhelming love tribute to Alma.

In sum? I think this DVD recaptures the wonderful magic of Bernstein's unique way with the Mahler symphonies. The Vienna Philharmonic deserves a lot of the credit, they do not sound in the least bit uninterested to play Mahler. Picture and sound quality are very good and noise from the public is very limited. Highly recommended, in every possible way.

I bought this DVD-set to see and hear for myself what this new DVD Bernstein/Mahler cycle on DGG/Unitel is about, first of all because I especially love Mahler's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies, and secondly because I am intrigued by Leonard Bernstein's art. And I must say that I like what I see...and hear!

These are performances that have been recorded from the early 1970's onwards, sitting between Leonard Bernstein's two audio-only Mahler cycles - the first one during the 1960's with the New York Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra (on Sony), and the second (on DGG) during the 1980's with the Concertgebouw Orkest Amsterdam, Vienna Philharmonic and the New York Philharmonic.

These recordings of Mahler's Seventh and Eighth Symphony for this video-cycle to my mind combine the best of both worlds from his 'first' (Sony) and 'last' (DGG) Mahler cycle: there is exuberance and expressiveness to the full (as can be expected with this conductor!) - linking it with the later recordings for his 'second' cycle -, but there is also a tight grip and control on orchestral forces without letting the music be carried away by the emotions, as happened for example with his recording of the 'Ninth' with the Concertgebouw Orchestra (however beautiful a performance that may be). This tight grip - combined with a certain 'heated-up', 'forward-driving' energy that I think characterizes Leonard Bernstein's (and especially his 'earlier') Mahler-conducting - is also apparent in Bernstein's Mahler audio-only cycle for Sony.

Especially in the Eighth Symphony, this is a blessing, causing it to sound grand and festive with all of its colors and emotions evidently and eminently displayed, but also tightly controlled, never lagging behind and giving the occasion a sense of striving ever onwards toward the 'Ewig Weibliche' (but never sounding hurried or rushed!). All in all, a great Mahler Eight, beautifully played (as well as sung!).

So these two performances are to my mind some of the best Mahler Sevenths and Eighths ever recorded. The recorded sound is good, not even making allowances for its age. The recording is clear and rather direct, favouring solo instruments a little sometimes, but never annoyingly so. Having the added 'bonus' of seeing the orchestra (in wonderfully sensitively directed films!) and this marvelous conductor play it out for your very eyes is certainly half of the fun.

Those who enjoy Leonard Bernstein will find this performance a real treat. There is plenty of Bernstein's delighted leaping in the air, and close-ups of his facial expressions as he experiences the beautiful music of Mahler. In fact, there is also a short bonus section in which Bernstein explains that Mahler, better than any other composer, has left a road map in his written scores, of exactly how he intended his works to be played.

The problem for Leonard Bernstein, he says, is that he is so involved with the music, that he feels compelled to show orchestra and audience what he is feeling--what he hopes they will share.

Those critical of Bernstein usually object to how HE becomes part of the performance. Some like this, some do not, but few would deny Bernstein the delighted expressions of joy that we who love Mahler's music feel.

Even for those who don't especially enjoy Bernstein's "shows," this is one of, if not the best-ever, video recording of Mahler's Eighth. The soloists are superb, and obviously passionate in their appreciation for the music. They include: Edda Moser, Judith Blegen, Agnes Baltsa, Inrid Mayr, Jose van Dam, Hermann Prey, and Kenneth Riegel. Oh, and don't miss perhaps the most ethereal, heavenly glimps of the Mater Gloriosa by Gerti Zeumer, who is stationed up next to the organ. It's so magical, it will transport you to higher spheres. This is a beautiful performance that might just become your favorite Mahler work.

The Symphony Seven is likewise vintage Bernstein and beautiful Mahler. The mandolin and guitar are heard in the midst of the wonderful Mahlerian orchestration. It's a lovely work that will reveal more of itself to you with each listening.

So, in summary: Bernstein--love him or not--he doesn't always stick to the road map, but we still get there in style!

Leonard Bernstein made these recordings during his wonderfully productive collaboration with the Wiener Philharmoniker in the mid-1970s when he was at the peak of his career. Humphrey Burton's direction is, as always, very fine, giving the viewer/listener both the larger picture and highlighting individual soloists, players or groups of musicians and, of course, the maestro. The video and audio tracks show their age, but are quite acceptable even for today's standards. Bernstein's Seventh is everything one could desire: dark and spooky, highly sensual, but also structurally strong and assertive where needed. Bernstein's reading does not gloss over breakdowns in tonality and the foreshadowing of later musical developments. There is also a subtext of desperation in the score which is brought out quite movingly. As to the colossal Eighth, I have yet to encounter an interpretation that fully convinces me. This may be the music (Mahler's hybrid mélange of the medieval Pentecostal hymn and excerpts from Goethe's "Faust II," all culminating in a jubilant apotheosis that can ring hollow and bombastic), or it may well be my own (still) limited understanding of the work. Not as if I didn't try my utmost through the decades: I remember a horribly congested old mono first recording by Eduard Flipse and the Rotterdam Philharmonic, an exciting live performance by the Utah Symphony Orchestra under Maurice Abravanel in the 1970s, noteworthy recordings by Solti and Neumann, Tennstedt, Gielen and Gary Bertini (all still available and impressive in their respective ways), more recently Boulez (yet to appear on DVD) and, of course, Bernstein himself. This DVD may be the next best thing to a live performance (in some ways even better, as you can go back), and it shows the conductor, the distinguished soloists as well as the assembled choral and orchestral forces at their absolute best. Bernstein (this is one of the many facets of his amazing musical intelligence) subtly and carefully pinpoints recurring motifs, thus guiding the listener through the symphony-oratorio's convoluted development. It is obvious that he unequivocally believes in the music, and the grand total is both inspiring and overwhelming.

This is an excellent performance of Mahler's 8th Symphony.The soloists sound wonderful: no straining to reach notes, no notes out of tune or edginess in the female voices. The orchestra plays well. Leonard Bernstein never disappoints when he conducts Mahler's Symphonies.
The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars because the DTS 5.1 surround sound track is very trebley, that is, there isn't enough bass to make the sound feel full and grounded enough. This can be remedied if your AV receiver has bass or equalizer adjustments. If not, listen to the performance in the PCM stereo track instead, which sounds/feels fuller and more grounded.

I am learning a chorist partition right now for our concert on March 15 2008 in Quebec City where we will be more than a thousand to sing the Symphonie (no 8) of the thousand : I can appreciate from inside the degree of difficulty of that masterpiece, I have heard 3 different interpretations (none executed by a thousand chorists and musicians though) And this one by Bernstein brought me to tears at 3 different moments... Same for every chorists who listened to this version.
Cette piece peut vous ecraser tant il y a d'instruments (Les grandes orgues et les trompettes, en particulier) et de choristes chantant jusqu'à 9 partitions differentes. On dirait bien que Bernstein comprend Mahler de l'intérieur et donne sa juste place à chaque note composee. Cette piece est si forte qu'il faut parfois plusieurs ecoutes pour l'apprivoiser et faire en sorte qu'elle ne vous ecrase pas.
Pour qui va au concert symphonique régulierement. Une interpretation MAGISTRALE

I revere Bernstein and all that but the main reason I am buying Mahler symphonies on DVD is to benefit from their phenomenal sound quality. I was shocked to find with Bernsteins version that I got in effect, a CD with pictures. Pinched and hard with not much depth. I was so taken aback that I put on Abbados 2nd to see if my equipment may have gone out of wack but it was everything Bernsteins was not. Deep, Wide, and Luscious!!! So if you are just after Bernsteins performance--great. If you are after great sound--no,no,no!! Which is not to say Abbados performance doesn't match Bernsteins on all counts--it definitely does.