Customer Reviews

Mahler: Symphony No. 6 / Kindertotenlieder ~ Bernstein / Hampson

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I have had a long history of disappointment with Mahler 6 recordings, and am naturally suspicious whenever someone raves to me about how such-and-such recording is the "MOST AMAZING EVER!" (Zander, Tennedstet, Karajan and Solti have all failed me in this regard). So I was of course skeptical of the raves for Bernstein's DG outing with the VPO, which sounded so familiar, especially because I was not thrilled with other Bernstein late recordings (such as his Brahms 4).

Well, something miraculous must have happened the night this baby was recorded, because what we have here is without question the most stupendous recording of the Mahler 6 I've ever heard. Forget those who wring their wrists over "the intent of the composer" (as if they knew!) and those who complain of Bernstein's "hysterical" approach. The 6th is perfectly suited to emotionally electrified interpretations, and here Bernstein gives the performance of his life. Or death may be more suitable a word, considering the ultimate fate of the symphony.

The first movement is brisker than most, but Bernstein gives it such weight that it never once feels rushed. What we hear is the double-time march step of some horrible marching army--one can almost envision jack-booted soldiers tramping through the streets. This frenetic pace continues in the second movement, which in Bernstein's hands is a somewhat frightening whirlwind of a dance--utterly demonic.

The third movement is sublimely beautiful--those who accuse Bernstein of maudlin excess are simply wrong. He doesn't linger, but rather perfectly accents the aching nature of what is Mahler's most gorgeous adagio. Purists not welcome (who wants those boors around, anyway?).

The crowning acheivement, however, is the grandiose finale. Coming in at a whopping 33 minutes, one almost wishes it were given its own disc entirely (don't get me wrong--Hampson's renditions of the Kindertotenleider are superb--but I'd like a bit more chance to recover from the 6th!). The opening chord crash is intense and frightening, and we're then treated to a sonic spectacle as shattering as it is musically perfect. Bernstein doesn't conduct the VPO--he drives it forward according to his will, sculpting a visceral masterpiece. By the final collapse into death, the listener is exhausted and drained.

So it may not be the exact intentions of Mahler in performance, but it is unquestionably so in its effect. Don't let snoody purists tell you otherwise--this simply is THE Mahler 6 recording.

Despite the shibboleth that Bernstein radically changed as a conductor in his old age, many of his Mahler interpretations stayed basically the same between the first cycle from NY in the Sixties and the one twenty years later from Europe. That's not the case here, however. There are very big differences between his 1967 reading--a bargain on a single mid-price Sony CD, and his Vienna 1988 version, on two full-priced CDs with the Kindertotenlieder as a filler.

Sound: The NY Phil. is caught in totally clear sonics from Avery Fisher Hall. Inner detail is nicely captured, and the orchestral balance is natural. But we are in a different league with DG's digital recording from a live performance in Vienna's Musikverein, where the sonics have incredible urgency and impact.

Orchestra: The NY Phil. plays beautifully (although calling them the world's Mahler orchestra, as the Amazon reviewer does, is silly). Yet the Vienna Phil., even in a live setting, play with incomparable accuracy, power, sweetness, and style.

Interpretation: Bernstein in NY is fast enough in the first movement to be called brisk, which leaves no breathing room for the immense inner detail Mahler provides. Bernstein slows down by two min. in Vienna, which is all to the good. He also slows down by two min. in the Schrezo and the Andante--played in that order. They are also more expressive given a bit more leisure. But it's the last movement, which went from being one of the fastest on CD at 28 min. to the absolute slowest at 33 min., where the greatest improvement occurs. Here Bernstein creates a complete wowrld, full of magical color and haunting details. It becomes almost a symphony in itself--no music lover should pass up the experience of hearing it. By comparison the whole of Bernstein's earlier effort is eclipsed; it is even a bit literal, contrary to those reviewers who call it excessive.

In sum, Bernstein's Vienna Sixth is one of a kind, a must buy. If you want a single disc version, the recent Abbado on DG from Berlin is more exciting, brilliantly played, and imaginative than the NY reading from Bernstein. As to the Kindertotenlieder filler, also from Vienna in 1988, the young Thomas Hampson can't rival his female counterparts--Christa Ludwig, Janet Baker and Kathleen Ferrier--but he has far more warmth and emotional impact than Fischer-Dieskau, his closest rival among the men. Bernstein conducts extremely well, but he did the same in his two earlier versions with Jennie Tourel and Janet Baker. All three are worth owning and treasuring.

I first got to know Mahler's symphonies through Bernstein's recordings (both his old and his new cycles). Nowadays I tend to distance myself from Bernstein's Mahler simply because I think that Bernstein's interpretations distort Mahler to a fault (do we really need more tempo changes in Mahler when Mahler himself was very specific about this in his scores?). However, I just keep on coming back to this Mahler Sixth. It's just an overwhelming experience, and for once Bernstein's fervour benefits the music. The outer movements are powerful beyond words, and the slow movement is so painfully beautiful without being sentimentalized by Bernstein. The hammer strokes are literally terrifying, and so is the final A minor chord. Bernstein's other Mahler recordings have faded in my eyes, but this Sixth and his Third are the two exceptions. For many reasons, Bernstein was just perfect for these two symphonies. No one else will do for Mahler's Sixth!

Now I won't claim to be an expert on Gustav Mahler's controversial Sixth Symphony. I haven't heard a wide range of interpretations of the work (yet, at least), and I haven't looked at the score. All I know is that this Leonard Bernstein-led recording of the work was my introduction to this weird and wonderful piece, and while I have heard a few other recordings of it in a dramatically different style (Boulez's DG recording, for instance, dramatically more objective and unsentimental, not to mention with the same Vienna Philharmonic), this will always have a special place in my experience of this piece. Sure, it's arguably too melodramatic for Mahler's most classically structured symphony, but that was Bernstein's way with all Mahler symphonies, and once again you're swept up by the sheer electricity and emotionality of the performance (perhaps helped out by the fact that this was recorded during live concerts). The Vienna Philharmonic play gloriously here, and the cumulative impact is shattering. Like Bernstein's reading of Shostakovich's "Leningrad" Symphony, it'll be hard to listen to other readings of Mahler's Sixth objectively after listening to this imposing one.

Leonard Bernstein is somewhat notorious for his eccentric conducting style. These eccentricities lead to extremes in emotional tension, tempo and rubato selection, and dynamics. In conducting the work of many composers, these eccentricities detract from the listening experience. However, such isn't the case when playing Mahler, whose manic scores require just the eccentricities and huge contrasts that only Bernstein can muster up. This version of the 6th symphony is a perfect example. The symphony is played faster and louder than just about any other version of it, but it's so emotionally overwhelming that going to another recording after listening to this one just makes the other recording sound boring and lifeless. This is one of those recordings that is difficult to explain in words. It's a must listen. Try this recording and compare it to any other (non-Bernstein) recording and you'll see I'm right. This recording is so incredibly powerful that you're left emotionally drained afterwards. I really can't recommend it highly enough. Just try it. It's great!

Leonard Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic give a crushing and amazing performance of Mahler's dark masterpiece on this live Deutsche Grammophon recording. The first two movements have a powerful intesity which is matched by the beauty of the Andante. Yet it is the Finale that truly shows the greatness of Bernstein's interpretation. In the heroic moments, Bernstein creates ecstatic triumph which inevitably falls into devastating tragedy. After the explosive A minor chord and the pitiless pizzicato A at the end of the movement, we seem as though we've been smashed by a Greyhound Bus, which is exactly how the symphony should be. Possibly my absolute favorite recording in my collection. A winner in every way.

This is a very succesful performance of Mahler's may be the most terrific symphony. Bernstein recorded it in 1960's with New York Philharmonic for CBS Records, but it is not so impressive like that interpretation with Wiener Philharmoniker. In that performance there are horrific, powerful moments, but somewhere so romantic, sensitive passages, and they played all of that passages amazing. It is a live performance, recorded in 1988 in Grosses Musikvereinsaal.

Mahler's Sixth Symphony called "Tragic" sounds like a sountrack of a horror film! As you know, Sixth Symphony is Mahler's most pessimist work and however written (with Kindertotenlieder) in his happiest years of his life (1904). Because, Mahler married to Alma Schindler, and they had a new girl, named Maria. Even so, this is a propethic work (!). Mahler, used hammer blows (in last movement) explains that his three Fate strokes which will to be in next years of his life. And these Fate strokes are: his daughter's sudden death in 1908 (at age 4!), his departure from Vienna Opera Court and his heart disease!... And then, the composer used cowbells in offstage, too. This explains the Alpine landscapes that impressed Mahler, and extreme loneliness and a mystic atmosphere. Even so, this is only symphony which finishes with dark atmosphere, not with a glory scene. And the last sudden exploding chord of music (in last seconds) usually scares me. The music finishes like an iron curtain falls in scene...

The orchestra is huge (as usual in Mahler): 5 flutists, 5 oboists, 5 clarinettists, 5 basoonsists, 8 horns, 6 trumpets, 4 trombones and a tuba, huge percussion includes bells, gong, hammer, 2 set timpani, 2 harps, celesta and about 50 - 60 strings.

The 1st movement begins like a Nazi March! This "risoluto" and tragic opening continues with a apassionata "Alma" theme, so this movement has a full of drammatic atmosphere. Especially the moments between durations 18"00 - 19"00, the Alma theme comes again and this passage is may be the most romantic moments of whole symphony, you can weep when listen it... The 2nd movement is played as Andante, as Mahler himself decided later to choice as 2nd movement, not as a Scherzo. It is peaceful music and portrays a illusionary happiness. The 3rd movement is Scherzo, and it is I think not a Scherzo, but a "Dance of Death", with devil's laughters, but in Trio section, describes the games of children, but in finish section there is a drammatic explosion and this game melody sounds now when goes away and dying in a whimper... The apocalyptic Finale is the prophetic movement. It begins as a nightmare - a silent terror, and then continues with a heroic-tragic march. This march portraits the hero (Mahler), but then the three hammer blows (by the way, in that rec. the Hammer Blows are really earth-shattering!), and then defeat and abandons himself to his doom...

Highly recommended for any Mahlerians and music lovers.

First off, this is THE finest interpretation/performance I have heard of this piece, and something I will keep playing until the laser in my cd-rom drive burns through the disk. I also own the San Francisco recording with MTT (so-so) and the recording from the Solti box set with the CSO, and while Solti's is almost as good as this one and also a joy to listen to, it, along with all the other recordings, seem to lack that certain something. Good news: Bernstein and the VPO have found it. After listening to a few samples here on Amazon this performance stood head and shoulders above the rest because of the incredibly passionate playing and intensity I have yet to find anywhere else. You can feel this is a Bernstein recording, and his excitement and passion for Mahler is translated flawlessly through the amazing playing of the VPO.

Immaculate string playing, articulate percussion, along with precise and at times, biting, woodwinds really breathe life into this piece. However, what really does it for me in this recording is the brass playing. Mahler has composed some of the greatest brass melodies ever written, and the VPO doesn't disappoint. Trumpet fanfares are strong and well articulated, low brass powerful and dominating (especially in the last movement). The horn playing throughout gives me chills: the wonderfully deep and resonant Vienna horns continuously excite, and the searing loudness they achieve in certain sections (see first movement) I have never heard anywhere else. Certainly the best horn playing and all around brass playing I have heard in any recording of Mahler 6. Truly exciting stuff.

Bernstein communicates unforgettable emotion throughout every second of this recording. He manages to find and bring out certain melodies or interesting parts in the score that other conductors just can't seem to find, and the result is astounding. Tempos are well chosen throughout, and the range of dynamics brings out indescribable emotion, you feel everything from triumph to anger to sadness to sweetness at any one time. Mahler's, and for that matter, Bernstein's, emotions are in full view here, and it will drive you to tears and lift you up to heaven.

If I have to think of one complaint about this recording, I would have to say that occasionally there are some brass intonation problems that seem to be trademark of older recordings, and I have yet to figure out why. Nonetheless, it hardly takes away from this absolute gem of a recording and is more than forgivable.

This is a landmark recording that will stand the test of time as probably the best ever, at least in this point in time. Believe the hype, it really is that amazing. Treasure and enjoy!

I've heard many recodings of Mahler's sixth symphony, but each one has been a disappointment in regards to tempo, deletion of repeats and unsteady tempi. This recording with Bernstein at the helm makes for the best that there is to offer in regards to Mahler's sixth. Mahler's life is in this symphony - his daughter's death, his realization of poor health and the despondancy of not being able to work as much are the main focus in each movement. I'd have to say that the finale is played with the most emotion possible. The percussion is first rate and each section of the orchestra is perfectly balanced by DG. Bernstein is known for his Mahler cycle because of some eccentricities. However, those are needed here. This symphony requires much emotion and this CD is a tribute to Mahler's greatness. The Songs on the Death of Children are here as well and make for a wonderful duo of a program. Each work is Mahler in personification. The grade is an A.

Everything about this particular performance of the 6th symphony is absolutely perfect and correct. The tempi are just perfect, and the interpretation is exciting, urgent and heart beatingly wild. The NY Phil performance (also Bernstein) is also quite good as is the Karajan performance, but this is just SOOO far beyond those two that it sits in a different category completely.
From the pushing and urgency of the first movement which never seems to subside, to the harps and the s l o w prick the string in the last movement this performance is a roller coaster ride from start to finish. The cow bells too here are amazing and actually give the feeling of being under water and in a fantasy world. The orchestration here is among Mahler's best and this performance takes this orchestration to new levels of understanding, creativity and perfection.
Mahler said that he wrote this for Alma showing his love for her, the second theme of the first movement which comes in all sorts of formats in all the movements. The stark difference between the urgency of life and the intense love for Alma is ever so strong in this performance. It is a literal hair raising event between the ever so crazy world out there and the love that you get from your spouse.
This is the performance to hear, especially if you know other, more "standard" performances.
I would give this disk 10 stars if I could. I cannot imagine a better performance of this symphony.