Mahler: Symphony No.3/Das klagende Lied

Various Artists | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: August 24, 2010
• Release Date: August 24, 2010
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Decca International
• Copyright: (C) 2006 Decca Music Group Limited
• Record Company Required Metadata: Music file contains unique purchase identifier. Learn more.
• Total Length: 2:12:36
• Genres:
• ASIN: B0015S5A2Y
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #288,770 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thrilling Mahler from the young Haitink--perhaps his best, August 10, 2006

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Santa Fe Listener (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mahler: Symphony No. 3 (Audio CD)

These overlooked performances turn out to be unusually captivating. When Haitink recorded the Mahler Third in 1966, the musical world had gone ga-ga, and rightly so, over Bernstein's version with the NY Phil. It's hard to compete against the greatest Mahlerian of his generation when he's on fire. But Haitink shouldn't be labeled as a 'sensible' alternative to Bernstein, the niche he was placed in by the Gramophone. This is a tremendous reading, better played and recorded than the Bernstein--in all respects the Concertgebouw is astonishing.

And Haitink himself surpasses all but the smallest handful of conductors in the excitement and visceral impact of his interpretation. Rather than go into detail, let me say that the titanic first movement lacks nothing in drama and thrills. The gentler second and third movements are played a bit too strictly in time (the second in particular could dance more lightly). Even so, we're talking about Mahler being played at the highest level, and the Concertgebouw winds make marvelous nature sounds in the Wunderhorn music. The offstage posthorn (it sounds like a trumpet here) could be more ghostly and melancholy. Haitink in general is a cheerful Mahler interpreter, however.

Singing 'O Mensch, Gib acht!' is the young Maureeen Forrester, in rich, expressive voice. Haitink takes this movement faster than almost anyone else at 8:43, but its tragic impact isn't harmed. The chorus in the fifth movement is dominated by women over the boys' choir; Haitink is plain and cheerful rather than evocative. The great Adagio finale is always helped by a string section whose tone can be heartbreakingly beautiful. The eloquence of the strings here makes you hold your breath from the first note, and Haitink displays his gift for shaping a slow melody, one of the prime tests of a great conductor.

It's strange that the Originals cover doesn't indicate the substantial filler, a 1973 reading of Mahler's early 'fairy tale for the concert hall,' Das klagende Lied. Finished when the composer was barely twenty, Klagende Lied waited twenty years to be premiered, by which time Mahler cut the half-hour first movement, leaving only the last two. Haitink performs only those, but they icnlude the most intense, concentrated music. His is a veyr fine performance, yet another reason to rejoice over this reissue.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the highest peaks, November 2, 2009

By 

Carlos Quintero "quinmal" (Caracas, Venezuela) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mahler: Symphony No. 3 (Audio CD)

In agreement with other reviewer, this is the best 3rd ever done by great
maestro Bernard Haitink. Furthermore, this is one of the highest peaks in
Mahler`s 3rd performances. In an objective way, Haitink knows how to explode
all the monumental and potential sonics from this work, making a beautiful,
intense, well balanced and perfectly detailed performance. Not into Bernstein
or Horenstein`s mannierisms, those are not for Haitink. For an objective but
no less intensive performance of this symphony, go for Haitink, nobody will
be dissapointed.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interpretation good, sound and performance not ideal, June 7, 2009

By 

JJA Kiefte "Joost Kiefte" (Tegelen, Nederland) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mahler: Symphony No. 3 (Audio CD)

I'm not convinced that this version is to be preferred over Haitink's 2007 remake with the Chicago Symphony, which is given such an acidulous review by a reviewer who calls himself Mahler Nutcase. There are several technical flaws in this 1966 performance. Take for instance the trombone solo in part one which is certainly below par; the tone is rather leaden (which is not the same as menacing, which it should be), the timing is not ideal and the entry in the recap is quite uncertain. The orchestra employs very tinny-sounding cymbals which, as a consequence, make the cymbal crashes very disappointing (and I doubt whether the cymbals are used in sufficient numbers; two and four pairs respectively). There are also some slightly fuddled notes by the horns in the recap. The second movement is opened by a not very well performed oboe solo (again, questionable timing and the lower notes are flat); the third movement has a not very convincing post horn solo (on trumpet; but that's not the main problem. More problematic are the the slightly shaky intonation, the not very beautiful tone, the notable strain in the high notes and even an ugly clinker when the woodwinds come in half way through). I'm certain I can dig up more little deficiencies in the technical execution which I venture are not present in Haitink's CSO 2007 remake (although there the solo trombone finds himself drowned out for a moment in the tutti).
The second problem with this recording lies in the sound, which is a bit muddy (listen e.g. to the opening fanfare of the eight french horns or the non-sterling sound of the triangle) and boxed in (the deep brass are tubby and do not resonate). There is no sparkle, no lustre to the sound of the orchestra, which e.g. makes the achingly beautiful string melody in the second movement such a dud. Also there is a lack of textural clarity either because the recording balance is not ideal or because the equipment simply wasn't up to the task (which amounts to the same thing). So while perhaps the interpretation of the work may be sterling Haitink and the little musical deficiencies may be details one could quibble over (period charm?), the sum total would not make me recommend it without reservation to other listeners.

Note (2-1-2011): I listened and compared this recording once more to a number of others I have, most notably Chailly's, Zander's, Rattle's Birmingham & Haitink's Chicago, and I stick by my earlier comments. The sound (of course played with the same equipment with the controls exactly the same) is duller than the other performances and the deficiencies I noted (the trombone and oboe solos, the tinny cymbals, the post horn solo etc.) detract from my listening pleasure.