Customer Reviews

Mahler: Symphony No. 7

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After his first Mahler cycle in New York (Sony), Bernstein returned to his home orchestra three times, for the Second, Third, and Seventh Syms., in his second cycle on DG. He more or less owned the Seventh, which he instinctively understood wtihout having to underline and exaggerate. I'd like to compare the 1965 and 1985 versions, keeping in mind that both have been cited as the "best ever."

Sound: The 1965 Seventh has excellent, clear analog sound. It was made in Avery Fisher Hall, like the later version, and the engineers put us midway back in the hall, so there is no spotlighting. Delicate overlapping and ensemble are more important than visceral impact. The DG engineers move us into the heart of the orchestra, which makes the sound brighter, more immediate and intense. The DG sonics are still clear, though, and digital glare is minimal, thank goodness.

Tempos: In both readings Bernstein stays well within normal range, and until the last movement he keeps the same speeds, exactly so in the long first movement. But the finale in 1985 is almost 4 min. slower--Bernstein has abandoned his earlier thrilling rush. However, the sonics are so much more immediate in 1985 that the two come out about equal in exhilaration.

Interpretation: British critics fostered the canard that Bernstein was excessive in Mahler and grew more so with age. In fact, the 1965 reading is quite delicate and full of finesse; it was Bernstein's genius to catch all the nuances without losing the shape and momentum of the symphony--nothing is remotely fussed over. The 1985 reading is equally detailed, but there is more expressive underlining, to be sure. We are clearly hearing the same basic performance, although the orchestra, perhaps because they are playing live in concert, is scrappier at certain points in 1985 (note the sloppy opening to the finale) than their impeccable coutnerparts twenty years earlier.

Overall, I expected a bigger difference than I heard. Of these two great performances, if you want more detail and naturalness in the interpretation, pick the 1965 version, which is much more economical on its single mid-price Sony CD. If you want sonic impact and the added livelines of a concret, pick the 1985 version on two full-price CDs from DG (not even a filler). Mahler has become such a staple that there are quite a few Sevenths of stature, including Rattle's from Birmingham, both of Abbado's from Chicago and Berlin, and Klemperer from London (the latter is slow and sometimes very slow--be advised). I find both versions from Tilson Thomas lightweight and fussy, and the fascinating Scherchen is stuck with raw recording and an equally raw orchestra--but far from the worst he ever had.

I remain happy with both Bernsteins, yet having heard a transcendent Mahler Seventh from Welser-Most and thhe Clevelanders, I will rush out to buy their CD the moment anyone decides to record it.

Particularly with the Seventh, I have little desire to analyze what Mahler is trying to say. I'm satisfied simply to let myself be taken along the river of the composer's musical consciousness. Currently, my preferences for this piece are Tennstedt and this first Bernstein New York Philharmonic account. Like some, I find a number of the performances in Bernstein's second set (with different orchestras) often mannered and slow. By contrast, I would place a number of his readings from the first set at or near the top of the list of individual Mahler recordings. I am of the same opinion regarding Klaus Tennstedt's sincerely executed and mostly very satisfying collection. Some prefer Tennstedt to Bernstein because they feel he tends to avoid imposing his personality on the music in the way the latter does. Well, in most of his Mahler (with reference to his New York Philharmonic set, not his later one) I really don't have this problem with Bernstein. His somewhat "personal" interpretations are typically a plus for me.

Though I very much enjoy both Tennstedt and Bernstein in the Seventh, I would not make a choice at this time as to which one I find preferable. Tennstedt is very effective at clarifying textures and fleshing out details. In this regard, he is aided significantly by the EMI sound engineers. His entire performance also brims with earnestness and intensity. Especially imposing is his last movement, which impacts with an intoxicating sense of excitement and splendor...Bernstein's Seventh is one of the very few performances of a Mahler symphony I give near unconditional praise to. It might constitute the finest reading in his Mahler repertoire. He achieves a natural musical flow throughout, and elicits an especially enchanting quality from this interestingly variegated work. From the beginning, he permits no softness or slack, yet still is able to realize a mellifluous presence, especially in quieter, more mysterious passages. While his rondo finale is very fine, I feel it doesn't quite match the grandeur of Tennstedt's, whose effort here sounds close to being inspired. All things considered, I wouldn't be without either of these Sevenths. For those who want a complete set of the Mahler Symphonies, I would go with either the Tennstedt/London Philharmonic, Bernstein/New York Philharmonic or Kubelik/Bavarian Radio set.

I bought this recording on the strength of hearing a recording by Bernstein of the 5th, which was dazzling. The soaring brass in the opening fanfares of the last movement exceeded my expectations, as did the grand noise at the very end. I am sure Mahler would have approved.

A Mahler fan for now decades, I had been reluctant to study the Seventh previously because of the odd way it began; with this recording, I feel I can glimpse with more empathy and interest what Mahler is doing.

This recording and the recording of the 5th I heard also by Bernstein have convinced me that Bernstein had a high degree of empathy for the nuances in Mahler that have always been one of the factors that strongly attracted me to his music.

A subjective review? How can I escape that! It's about a performance of a Mahler symphony!

So often Mahler's most ambiguous symphony is conveyed by the greatest orchestra's and most lauded conductors, without a real trace of soul, commitment or just plain guts. Though, mind you, on it's very own merits Mahler 7 is a fantastic orchestral experience, magnificent even when it's just played professionally. However, if you like to be swept away, if you want to experience the heart and soul of this very important symphony and witness the true struggle through the lonely night into the bright and exuberant arrival of daylight, one really has to hear the 'Song of the Night' like it's performed here.

Bernstein is an absolute authority when it comes to Mahler's Seventh. His reading of the Seventh with the New York Philharmonic for his 80's DG Mahler cycle was one of the high points and this version, the CBS (now Sony) 60's landmark recording with the same orchestra, changed the course of history for this very symphony.

As it's true better recorded versions exist (Tilson Thomas/London, Haitink/Concertgebouw/2nd recording, Abbado/Chicago, Inbal/Frankfurt), none of those reach the same solidity, virtuosity and vision embodied in Bernstein's. It's magical, soulful, grand, intimate and above all... groundbreaking. This is what Mahler is all about.

The 7th symphony of Gustav Mahler has always been my favorite and yet I think it is clearly a puzzle among Mahlers symphonies. Bernstein solves the mystery of the 7th! This is a most thrilling account of the Mahler 7th. With patience, Leonard Bernstein brings out many details in this complex score that are lacking in some other interpretations. The New York Philharmonic is more than up to the task throughout. The recorded sound is definately 1965 but that is not a bad thing as it captures the orchestra very clearly and is neither muddy or brittle in sound; take note of the wonderfully clear woodwind playing (particularly in the quieter movements) as well as the concise timpani playing. The string playing is very romantic against the very modern brass writing helping along the paradoxical Mahler 7th. What is most exciting is Leonard Bernstein's great varying of tempi; it keeps you on the edge of your seat the all the way to the last bars of the symphony that ends like the crack of a whip. This may be Bernstein at his best!

Mahler's Symphony No. 7 is, like his Third, a work that can come off as sounding episodic. For many conductors, this is how they approach it. Not Bernstein. He ties the whole work together, one fantastic movement at a time. This recording was made at a point when the Seventh was little understood (and still is to a point) and when there were few others available. So this is basically what all other Mahler Sevenths have been compared to since. I'll start with the orchestra. They tackle this difficult score with heart, and it pays off 99% of the time. There are a few moments in the brass where things get rough, but no major disasters. Secondly, the sound is very natural, like a good seat in the middle of the hall. Some solo instruments are hard to pick out (the bass clarinet comes to mind) but overall a very nice, big sound picture. Now for Bernstein's conducting. He was known for getting up close and personal with his music, but here there is a since of discovery, and the vistas of this symphony unfold with each bar. Each movement is brought off very convincingly. I would not be without this recording.

Bravi tutti!

I own M7 versions conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas (both LSO & SFSO), Claudio Abbado (Chicago), Tennstedt, and this NYP Bernstein. They are all of a different flavor, but this Bernstein is the one I listen to most often, and consider the standard. It is not flawless, but flows exquisitely, and has great detail and clear sound. Quite lovely, and that's not an adjective often applied to Bernstein's work, especially his later output. This is a benchmark recording, and belongs in the collection of every interested Mahler listener.

This is certainly one of the best renditions of this complex and disparaged work and along with Haitink and the Concertgebouw Orchestra's recording on Philips, ranked at the top of the list until Tilson-Thomas and the LSO released what will long be the standard to match. A worthy addition to a collected set worth having.

Bernstein does have a winning way with many sections of the work. I particularly admire the excitement he generates towards the end of I. That said, this performance suffers from typically undercommitted playing from the New Yorkers (back in the 1960's, they were notoriously inconsistent - even today they sometimes "do not show up to play"), and a tendency on Bernstein's part to simply play through certain passages in lightweight fashion. Maybe he was exhausted either by his own excitement or by his futile attempts to wake this orchestra up. Even the final chord of the finale is botched. The sonics and the playing do not have the ambiance of Concertgebouw Orchestra playing in its own hall. In truth, I am not sure a truly great recording of the Seventh has been made yet. For now, this will do for some people, though the floor is still open.

this release flows, in good sound, and before you know it, its over. the basic sound sculpture is close to the superior bernstein sony mahler symphony no. 3, but seems half its length and is totally instrumental, without the third's vocal segment. the horn blares are less musical and more like being jostled in no. 7. the composition, i suspect based on reading reviews, is better than mahler symphonies nos. 1 & 4, and the enjoyment at listening is about equal to the far more detailed and formless dg/bernstein mahler symphony no. 6. >>>i'll give all these many more listens and edit my review to say more and increase my accuracy here, but at the price, the sound and conducting is good; and the new york philharmonic is as good as mahler symphonies get. it just feels short after the lengthy nos. 2 (sony/bernstein) and 3, even minus the add-on fillers for those two milestones. the ninth is mahler's symphonic masterpiece and the second symphony by bernstein's ny phil. is the best after that, in my opinion; then the third. after that, the short 7th would compete with the choral-based 8th, and the first and 4th for next pride of place.