Mahler: Symphony No.6

Gustav Mahler (Composer), Yoel Levi (Conductor), Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Yoel Levi
• Composer: Gustav Mahler
• Audio CD (April 28, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Telarc
• ASIN: B000006ONY
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,882 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. I. Allegro Energico, Ma Non Troppo: Heftig, Aber Markig

2. II. Scherzo: Wuchtig

3. III. Andante Moderato

4. IV. Finale: Allegro Moderato

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tragic to not own this disc., January 30, 2002

By 

D. Seymour "snadmus" (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mahler: Symphony No.6 (Audio CD)

All right, I confess, I love this recording. I love what both Mahler and Levi manage to coax out of the ASO: the pulsating fate motives that every once in a while culminate in a passage of such delicate beauty, the tension between the different sections of the orchestra and especially the exquisitely painful climaxes. Mahler is not my favorite composer, but this symphony speaks to me. It has all the elements of dark brooding which I love and even some lyrical splendor. Telarc's sonics are outstanding! They allow the orchestra to hit you like a ton of bricks. This is one to play with the volume as loud as the neighbors will tolerate. If you love music that conjures emotional images - buy this disc.

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is the M6 to own! Best sonics & interpretative balance, February 23, 2002

By 

"hypotheses" (Little Rock, Arkansas USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mahler: Symphony No.6 (Audio CD)

Let me start by saying that I own several Mahler Sixths (M6s). I have Barbirolli/EMI, Bernstein/NYPO, Sanderling, Szell, Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT), and LEVI. And I have heard others.

Yet, Levi is one I come back to time and time again. To wit:

I have yet to hear a better recorded or played M6. The sonics of this recording are superb, ultra nonplus! Although I find the *volume warnings* on the casing to be a little facetious. As for the ASO's playing, it's phenomenal, not a single note is fluffed in this extremely complex symphony. (Read the booklet notes to find out why.)

Interpretatively, Levi's M6 is absolutely proportioned and balanced. He doesn't oddly stretch tempi or anything of the sort. Frankly, I find his finale to well-nigh perfect. And be ready for the final section, because the hammerblows will BLOW YOU AWAY!!! The scherzo is beautifully characterized. The "Altvaterisch" (literally "Old-Fatherish") trios have a slight lift to them that's really plucky and truly harkens one to the image of "children playing" (ref. Alma M.). The Andante is played "just right", neither too fast (ref. Szell), nor too slow (ref. Barbirolli/Bernstein/Rattle).

It's the first movement where some people have a problem with the Levi M6, where I do not. What is it? The Levi M6 omits the exposition repeat of the first movement. No one knows whether this is an interpretative choice of Levi's or just a timing factor (to constrain this music to one disc).

As a member of the Gustav Mahler Discussion Forum, I know that interpolating the expo repeat back into the movement only stretches it out to about 22-minutes, which really wouldn't change the movement interpretatively (at least to my mind). Thus, if you're unilateral about not buying M6s that omit the expo repeat, I will tell you here and now that maybe you ought to reconsider that position for this very special recording.

Whether the presence or absence of the expo repeat means anything to you, it's best to consider the first movement as a prelude to drama that onfolds throughout this symphony. For an intrepretative analysis of the M6, please see "Tony Duggan's Synoptic Survey of the Mahler Symphonies" online.

That's it. For the above reasons, the Levi, IMO, is the best all-round M6 to come about in years. Dare I say it, it may be the best M6 in the entire catalog. 'Nuff said.

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very good Mahler 6, but something missing., May 13, 2001

By 

Jeffrey Grubin "jg2977" (Newington, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mahler: Symphony No.6 (Audio CD)

I own 11 versions of Mahler's "tragic" symphony, and I must say that this is near the top of my list at about #3 or #4. It is recorded in amazingly clear sound. The four sections (strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion) are all captured vividly. I usually don't take to fast first movements of the 6th, but here I can tolerate it because there is much energy and the Atlanta Symphony plays magnificently. The second and third movements were also done very well. The hammer blows in this recording are two of the best I have ever heard; it sounds like bombs are going off!

However, I will give this recording only 4 stars out of 5 for three reasons. One, even though I'm a trombone player, I feel that the trombones and the whole brass section in general were sticking out too much at times, destroying the polyphony that is so important in Mahler's music. Two, there is no exposition repeat in the first movement. If this was because Levi wanted to emphasize the tragic fall of the hero in the last movement, then fine, but I think the repeat was cut in order to fit the symphony one one disc. I feel that the repeat is needed because the major-minor motif that is so important in this symphony needs to be emphasized. Besides, Mahler called for it! Third, after the second hammer blow, it seemed like Levi lost his way and the energy that was flowing so well throughout this performance seemed to be lost somewhat. It sounded like the musicians were tiring, as this is an exhausting work. This makes the ending almost anticlimatcic. Despite these shortcomings, this is a very fine performance of Mahler 6 and one that I am glad to have in my collection. I would put Boulez's recording on DG ahead of this one because he doesn't miss a step through the whole thing.

My favorite version, Chailly conducting the Concertgebouw, is only available in Europe, unfortunately. I was able to acquire it through a friend, and it has the loudest hammerblows I have ever heard (even better than the Atlanta recording). Also, it doesn't have any of the shortcomings that I listed for Atlanta. I hope it is made available in the United States soon because I feel that it is one of the best kept secrets of Mahler!