Customer Reviews

Mahler: Symphony No. 1/Rückert-Lieder

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

 

 

Ozawa's Mahler interpretations are commonly underrated. I don't know for what reason, especially not regarding the present disc. For what we have here is excellent value for money: a superbly played and impressive interpretation of Mahler's first symphony, coupled with one of the classic accounts of the Rückert lieder. The Blumine movement that Mahler eventually omitted is included - a welcome addition for collectors.

Ozawa gives a clear and balanced account, pretty "mainstream", but convincing, hair-raising, and moving. Boston Symphony is in good shape, producing a glorious sound. And the recording captures the atmosphere of Boston Symphony Hall, famous for its magnificent acoustics.

As a straightforward presentation of this symphony, with an excellent coupling, I recommend this bargain disc enthusiastically.

I really don't understand on what basis previous reviewers have slagged off on this Ozawa/BPO recording of Mahler 1. I think it's a gorgeous performance, and though not a Mahler scholar, I've heard enough performances/own enough recordings of the first symphony to feel comfortable relying on the evidence of my own ears. I don't think, however, that I'm able to be objective about the inclusion of the Blumine. As another reviewer has observed, Mahler finally eliminated this movement (although I believe it was performed a few times prior to making his final decision), hence it's rarely performed. I'm not sure if it's due to my having heard this symphony for so long without the Blumine that I'm inclined to agree that lovely though it is, it does interrupt the flow but no matter--I'm happy to finally have the basis for forming my own opinion. After all, one can skip the extra movement (which was spliced in from a later performance) or postpone it if they're so inclined.

I have nothing to add to other reviewers' comments about the Ruckert lieder but agreement--this is, after all, Fischer-Dieskau. That one can obtain such great performances--remastered to boot--at such a pittance is a windfall. I own other Mahler 1's that I prefer but not by much. This is one of my favorites and if for some reason it was the only one I could keep, I'd adjust pretty quickly.

I have no comment about Ozawa's performance of Mahler's Symphony One. I defer to those remarks already cited by other reviewers. As for Karl Bohm's performance with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau of the four "Ruckert Lieder" on this recording (actually, five lieder make up this group of songs based on poems by Friedrich Ruckert, but for reasons unknown, "Liebst du um Sch?nheit" was not included in this recording), mere words of praise fall pitifully short of the mark in trying to capture the delicate, sensitive, deep beauty and splendor of these performances. To the best of my knowledge, this is one of Bohm's rare recording ventures into the music of Mahler.

When released on vinyl back in the 1960s, the "Ruckert Lieder" were paired with the "Kindertotenlieder," also performed by Bohm and Fischer-Dieskau. This was a marvelous LP and was one of my favorite Mahler recordings of all time; hence, I waited patiently (often without much hope) for its eventual transfer to CD. When it was finally released on CD, I was dumbfounded and somewhat enraged to discover that the "Kindertotenlieder" had been replaced by Ozawa's rather lackluster recording of Mahler's first symphony (the marketing gurus at DGG certainly were "out to lunch" when this decision was made). The choice to do this almost qualifies as a capital crime, if not an unforgivable sin. Simply transferring the original LP program to CD would have made this a stellar 5-star reissue.

Simply put, you will not find a performance of Mahler's music anywhere that is more grandiose, eloquent, graceful, and mystical as this one. Under Maestro Bohm's baton, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra carries Mahler's supple, serene, and profound sonorities out into the cosmos and beyond. At the end of "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen," listen in awe to the magesterial, wafting orchestral sonics produced by the Berlin Philharmonic as they softly elevate then gently melt away into an all-embracing silence - a beguiling nothingness. Needless to say, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's caressing delivery of these songs radiantly conveys his "becoming one" with the penetrating depth and mystical essence of these rare and precious gems. This CD is worth the price of admission solely for the amazing performances by Bohm and Fischer-Dieskau.

With all the great recordings of Mahler's 1st Symphony in the Universal catalog, this was a surprising choice for inclusion in the new "Eloquence" series. In fact, it is mediocre recordings like this that keep people from buying budget line discs in the first place. I will echo the sentiments of the earlier reviewer, and add that one shouldn't confuse crystal clear sound with a solid, passionate performance (although the last movement is good). The gem here, and the reason for a fourth star, is a nice "Ruckert-Lieder" with Fischer-Dieskau and Bohm. Those looking for Mahler 1's should try the Bruno Walter Edition, or better yet the Kubelik DG Originals that offers the same coupling as this release.

There are a plethora of more recent and, some would have, better performances of Mahler's Symphony #1 than this one led by Ozawa. Mahler fans (I'm one!) are ardent in their predilections and antipathies. I won't fuel any fires here--chacun a son gout. For the record, I'm not that fond of the Ozawa reading.

I do want to highly and energetically recommend this recording for Dietrick Fischer-Dieskau's luminous performance of four of the five Ruckertlieder. One of the most intelligent and persuasive interpreters of the lieder genre (if you don't have his collections of Schubert, you're missing something exquisite), an artist who is dedicated to the eloquence of a lyric, not just the prettiness of the sound (his interpretations of Wilfred Owen's poetry in Britten's "War Requiem" do equal justice to both poet and composer), brings the man Mahler alive in these songs (pity he only recorded four of the five in the set). Especially in the first ("Um Mitternacht") and the last "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen"), Mahler presents his credo, if you will, of the Romantic artist. Fischer-Dieskau inhabits that character.

Speaking of the lyrics, Friedrich Ruckert, who lived during the flowering of German Romanticism and died when Mahler was six, was, among other things, a well-respected poet whose vividly evocative verses were set by some of the most prominent composers from Schubert through Bartok. He provided the lyrics (and premonition) for Mahler's Kindertotenlieder. Ruckert and Mahler are consonant Romantic souls, which Fischer-Dieskau beautifully explores in his interpretations.

I was introduced to Mahler through this recording of the songs--the final song was my mentor's traditional way of ending a social evening--candles and silence thereafter. Mahler has been a passion ever since. I am transported back forty years to those evenings every time I listen this recording of Fischer-Dieskau at his best. The only other performance I know that comes close in intelligence and vocal attractiveness is Thomas Hampson's, but he's saddled with conducting by Leonard Bernstein who stretches each phrase out to the crack of Doom (nothing succeeds like excess).

Even if you despise Ozawa's performance (some Mahlerites do), Fischer-Dieskau's performance alone is more than worth the price of the CD. And, not to forget, he's backed up by Karl Bohm and the Berliners (not too shabby an ensemble).

I'm writing this review to dissuade people from buying this CD. I expected more from Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony than this performance, which has horrible intonation problems and an overall uninspiring interpretation. To top it off, the movement "Blumine," which Mahler threw out before publishing the symphony, is stuck right in between the 1st and 2nd movements. Its presence really disrupts the flow of the symphony. In short: try another of the many recordings available, this one is very disappointing.