Customer Reviews

Mahler: Symphony No. 8

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've been putting off reviewing the Rattle Mahler 8th because it's a real toughie. That being the case, I'm going to cut to the chase right away.

Once again, EMI has provided Rattle with less than outstanding sound. If you have a DVD player that's hooked up to your main stereo, get this on the extended range DVD disc. It's not a DVD-A, but a disc that can played in ANY DVD player (it won't play on a regular CD player though). It does have a fairly extended dynamic range - rather like what you'd expect from a DVD-A. I found this to be a sizeable improvement over the plain, old CD. As for the performance itself, Part 2 is better than Part 1.

Part 1 finds Rattle pushing a bit too much in the faster parts. It's not such a problem during the big double fugue passage, but it becomes one at end of the "Gloria" - the concluding section of part 1. Here, Rattle's desire to keep pushing ahead sort of obscures choral detail, as well as actually robbing this ending of some it's majesty, if you will. Part 2 is much better.

In fact, this might possibly be the greatest performance of Part 2 ever. All of the soloists are very good, but they're also supported by a stronger than usual childrens chorus (a weak childrens chorus was one of the down-falls of the highly touted Kent Nagano M8, along with some very sluggish tempi for the first fifteen minutes or so of Part 2). No such troubles here, as Rattle does a particularly good job of capturing the changes of mood - the ebb and flow of Part 2, if you will. He's very Wagnerian with the baritone and bass-baritone solos, yet captures the lighter, more Mendelssohn-like character of the passages for children and womens voices that follow. Jon Villars does a very good job on his two long and difficult tenor solos (Kollo, Heppner, and Richard Leech are better still). But none of this means anything if the ending falls flat. Again, no such troubles here. The chorus is sufficiently large, and the Birmingham organ roars like a 747 on take-off. More important, Rattle mixes up his tempi in an intelligent way; speeding up for the males' ascending, "das ewig Weibliche zieht uns hinan" (often times dragged). After the chorus cuts out, he takes the onstage trombone soli at almost a march tempo - matching the speed in which that same theme is employed in Part 1 - yet, he slows down significantly for the symphony's concluding measures; the grandest ending in all of western music.

What to do? Again, if you have a DVD player, it's worth investigating this on the extended range DVD disc (also comes with an interesting interview, and rehearsal footage that's the only video component). For Part 1, I really like the Nagano recording. Unfortunately, his Part 2 takes too long to get warmed up. Nagano is also let down by a less than stellar tenor, and a childrens chorus that's simply too wimpy sounding. Solti is reliable, but - let's face it - it's pretty dated now. Better all-around Mahler 8th's are the Tennstedt one that just got reissued on EMI's remastered "Great Recordings Of The Century" edition (coupled to a pretty decent Mahler fourth), as well as the recent Anton Wit/Warsaw Phil. one on Naxos. My personal favorite Mahler 8th of any (drum roll, please) is the Gary Bertini one on EMI. However, at this time, you can only get in the box set of the complete symphonies conducted by him - Bertini. As a supplement, anybody with a DVD player should get the Bernstein/Vienna Phil. DVD disc of symphonies 7 & 8 (DG). But still, even with the regular CD issue, you could do far worse than the Rattle. Just don't expect an audiophile event, is all.

Well, what can one say, except 'wow', or something similarly monosyllabic. Since the teenage years when this work caught my fascination, and I decided to get every recording of it I could get my hands on (attending a life performance really seemed too much to hope for), I collected a dozen versions of this work. And this one surpasses them all. It simply left me gasping: the blazing final chords have never sounded more immense and overwhelming on disc. The whole reading has that true sense of scale that is a prerequisite for this symphony (many modern day conductors, or more likely, concert managers, keep insisting on presenting minimalist renderings). Soloists are placed in a natural perspective, and the choruses are excitingly stereophonic, incisive and powerful. For once, the children's choir is audible throughout, and you can count on these Birmingham and Toronto youths to make the most of it.
The soloists may not be a perfect match to the most luxurious line-ups of previous recordings (notably Solti's and Sinopoli's), but blend in very well, and Soile Isokoski does give us a most delightful Gretchen. Jon Vickars however sounds taxed and even somewhat frayed; that said, unlike many of his colleagues he at least shows himself capable of singing a true piano. In the end, this is a minor quibble, for as Mahler said, in this symphony the voices are in fact orchestral instruments, and the thing that places this reading hors concours as far as I'm concerned is that it is a very orchestral reading. I know of no other Eight on disc that allows you to hear so much of what is going on in the orchestra, and played so beautifully at that: the Birmingham orchestra has clearly succeeded in maintaining its world class stature after Rattle's departure.

I've not been a regular fan of Rattle's Mahler. Most of his recordings I found whimsical and fussy, and in my humble opinion his recording of the Second is one of the most insistently overpraised discs in the catalogue. Only his two recordings of the Tenth I have found truly rewarding. With this Eight he sets the record straight, especially seeing that this is a `live' recording (though you won't hear a sound from the audience). A recent, shockingly garbled attempt at this work by Gergiev in Amsterdam once again showed that even the greatest conductors can get into trouble trying to keep these mammoth forces and complex structures together - disaster was only barely avoided. No such trouble here: the execution is of dazzling precision, and gives free reign to musical inspiration. Mahler considered this to be his greatest work, and it certainly was his greatest public success, less than a year before he died. In later years it has come to be regarded as overblown and old-fashioned, but I feel there is a true and heartfelt, life-enhancing vision behind these notes that Rattle knows to realize like few before him. A must-have, I would say!

Sir Simon Rattle certainly has gained his credentials as a Mahler interpreter of the highest esteem. Of all of his recordings of the Mahler symphonies this newest release of the mighty 'Symphony of a Thousand' as captured during live performances in June 2004 is the crowning glory. This symphony is fraught with challenges at every point of its 74 minute length: the forces involved include an expanded orchestra, a large chorus which at times sings in sixteen parts, a children's chorus, eight soloists of heroic operatic caliber, and a score so complex that it would challenge any conductor's ability just to hold it all together much less make it have the architectural sense that lies within the notes of the two movements.

Rattle paces this performance with such sound sensitivity that he not only makes this gargantuan symphony work, he makes it seem almost intimate so well integrated is his concept and execution. He is blessed with an orchestra - his City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra - fully compatible with his interpretation and playing better than it ever has on recordings. The Orchestra's Chorus and Youth Chorus are expanded to include the London Symphony Chorus and the Toronto Children's Chorus and the quality of singing is lush and responsive throughout. Add to this the fine voices of Jon Villars (the best Doctor Marianus on records), Christine Brewer, Soile Isokoski, Juliane Banse, Birgit Remmert, Jane Henschel, David Wilson-Johnson, and John Relyea and the impact of each of the roles in Parts I and II are individual and stunning in solo portions and blended to perfection in the ensemble passages. Rattle's thoughtful, spiritually enlightening, passionate conducting achieves what few conductors have accomplished.

The recorded ambience is so very well balanced that the soloists, the organ, the multiple harps, the children and the combined forces are clear and for the first time heard to the advantage impossible in the concert hall. This is now the definitive Mahler 8th and makes us anticipate Michael Tilson Thomas' eventual recording in his excellent cycle. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, April 05

This performance is 'unspecial' in direct, if inverse, relation to the praise it got in Gramophone. There is nothing, on the surface, that is quite WRONG with it... but then there is nothing that really captures you, either. Admittedly these are fairly subjective criteria - but then that's the only way to critique a Mahler 8th, anyway. This much I think can be said objectively: It is an 8th that is in the vain of the Solti recording (that alone might be highest praise for those many who think that Solti is still the landmark), it is fast in the first movement (I'd say: hasty), and it takes a distintively light approach to the second movement. The playing is good, the singing more than competent.

What it lacks is the eternally mysterious, the truly Faustian (the second movement is based on Faust II by Goethe) towards the end. Lack of heft and very little of the requisite sensual, unearthly atmosphere make it one of my lesser liked Mahler 8ths...

Two contrasting versions that both show how it can be done better are the recent Kent Nagano recording on HMU (derided in Gramophone, unfortunately on two discs at over $30) who gets the gravitas just about right (and whose organ is more prominent)... and the lightning fast Neeme Jaervi on BIS - also live... from a concert in honour of the victims of the M/S Estonia desaster.

Most classical fans were not expecting a completely re-worked performance of Mahler's arguably most powerful symphony when they saw Sir Rattle's name on the cover. Although many were glad to see him completing his Mahler cycle for EMI, it was doubtful that everybody was expecting a masterful performance.

Boy did Mr. Rattle shock us!

This is not the be-all end-all recording of Mahler's 8th, but it's a significant and unique attempt at the work. In particularly high spirits was the tenor soloist, as well as the horn section. The tenor soloist gave me chills down my spine that I'd never felt when experiencing this piece. For the price, this disc is worth it alone for the tenor's performance, but the orchestra and choir are not half-bad either.

Sound quality is above average, but by no means great, which is why the score has been deducted one star. While imaging and sound-stage were quite impressive, the recording dynamic and vertical axis needed more work, and the vocalists did not have enough definition within the x-y-z plane. Likely caused by the same engineering fault, the choir also suffered from a noticeable lack of resolution. And all the while, the crash cymbal was far too present, with excessive loudness and clarity, when compared to the rest of the entire orchestra! The most reasonable cause is a poor microphone placement, or maybe some studio trickery (which is purely inexcusable if such is the case).

So, to conclude, this is a nearly excellent performance of Mahler's 8th Symphony, and any classical fan will know that this piece is no small undertaking. Respect must be given for merely attempting to pull this performance off. Rattle and company did a respectful job, certainly, but engineering faults and the lack of top-level performers bring this recording down slightly. This recording is still essential for any Mahler fan, but it would be best to begin a collection with one of the more definitive recordings.

This performance was broadcast on DirecTV's HD channel and I sat on the edge on my chair throughout the whole performance! Even though I'm waiting for the release of the DVD, it has to be as brilliant as the original broadcast! If you love Mahler, you'll love this DVD, to be played over and over again, in spite of its length!

This disc seems to have elicited fairly extreme responses, judging by the reviews below. And I'm afraid I have to count myself among the disappointed, particularly with respect to the recorded sound. I can't believe it's my set-up that puts me at odds with some of the glowing responses this recording has elicited - the EMI engineers in this series usually produce stunning sounds on my system (e.g. Symphonies 2,3 & 7). Certainly there is an impressively wide dynamic range here from the barely audible tremolo basses in Part 1 to the vast organ-supported sound at the end. But too often, when there's a lot going on, the sound becomes muddy and congested. This becomes lethal to important contrapuntal sections like the big double-fugue in the development section of Part 1. I'm loath to blame Rattle since he's normally so precise with his orchestral balance throughout his Mahler cycle. I get the feeling that the engineers just didn't cope too well with the scope of the piece, recorded in live conditions. Most of the time (but not always) the soloists are right in your face, masking the detail of the orchestra and choruses. Yet a purely orchestral passage like the opening of Part 2 works well enough in sound terms (easier to record?). The offstage brass at the ends of both Parts are just buried away in the orchestra somewhere, indistinguishable from the rest of the brass in acoustic terms - I remember Bernstein in the Albert Hall had them placed to stunning effect in the top gallery at the back of the hall (so he seemed to be conducting the entire space of the Albert Hall at the end: very Lennie!) and his CBS engineers at Walthamstow straight after that show gave a pretty good 2-D stereo impression of the same.

Rattle always maintained that his Mahler cycle wouldn't necessarily be complete. And the Eighth was the problem-child that he couldn't quite get to grips with. Now the cycle is complete and maybe those problems still show through despite, I'm sure, a lot of homework on his part. Certainly he applies all his skill and knowledge of Mahler to good effect here - but not to great effect! The pacing is good throughout, the orchestral balance allows woodwinds, harmonium, mandolin, etc. a chance to be heard, the various elements of Part 2 are held together admirably, the final pages grow impressively from extreme piano to extreme fortissimo with fine, largely well-tuned choral singing. It's a very sound performance. But I want something more than 'sound' in the Symphony of a Thousand. I want thrills, spills, excitement, ravishment and knockout punches. Take the very opening: Rattle's allegro is a good sensible speed. But it lacks the sheer energy of a Bernstein or a Solti or the grandeur of Stokowski. Veni Creator spiritus - Come, spirit of creation. The huge build-up and release as we get to the restatement of that theme at the start of the recapitulation knocks you for six under Bernstein or Horenstein - here it just feels like the beginning of the recapitulation.

Part 2 fares better, particularly the slow introduction (where, as I've said, the engineers don't get in the way). The scherzo-like sections, too, show Rattle's familiar light, rhythmic hand. The soloists, as in all Mahler Eights, are a mixed bunch from the good (Isokoski & Wilson-Johnson, for example) to the somewhat strained and trying Villars - a shame since Doctor Marianus is such an important part towards the end of the Goethe.

No, for a great performance, go historical to Stokowski or Horenstein (the latter in the vastnesses of the Albert Hall, whose tricky acoustics always seem to me to add to this work). If you need modern sound (and the Eighth does undeniably benefit), probably Tennstedt or Chailly. And, for a mixture of both, don't ignore Solti (one of the best in his series) or the irrepressible Bernstein.

I began listening to Mahler's Eighth back in the 1950s, and wore out Hermann Scherchen's disks and had to replace them at a fancy price ($30) back in the seventies. Scherchen had had his live recording withdrawn from the Columbia catalogue. However, it was reissued on CD about six years ago and, frankly, to me does not sound as good as on my vinyl. As a Mahler fan I have collected over 200 performances on disk, if not more (three complete run-throughs by Bernstein alone, including live DVD performancess), and I must say that Rattle's performance of the Eighth really rinses your ears out and is a marvel. The Veni Creator Spiritus is not quite as grippingly paced as some but its clarity and the perfection of the instrumental soloists make up for that. They're right in the room with you. Part Two burns me crisp. It is far more orgasmic than any Tristan and Isolde recording.
Let me recommnd Rattle's Mahler Tenth while I'm at it. Some say Rattle''s strings lack the beauty of the early Philadelphia recording, which may be true, but I don't care. It delights me throughout. Although the Purgatorio is always hard to take by anyone, I am swept up Rattle's unusual lyricism with this movement.

There are some incredible renditions of this mammoth symphony, including Riccardo Chailly's recent take that is available in a wonderfully mastered DVD Audio version, but this one is even better. Having seen this symphony performed in the National Cathedral in DC back in the 70's, I have always been stunned by its spiritual power. What Rattle brings to this with his CBSO is a summing up of his cycle through Mahler, and he has saved his best for last. Not sure what Berlin will think of that, but perhaps it will give them an incredibly lofty goal.
This recording emboldens the spirit and hits profoundly compelling spiritual moments at every turn. It is pristinely recorded, and I am sincerely hoping that there is DVD Audio or Blueray version in the works. It moves a little more briskly than other versions that I have, but that's a great thing altogether. It gives the entire symphony an exhilaration such as I have never heard before. This is an essential disc for classical and Mahler fans.

It is honorable of Rattle to return to home turf to complete his Mahler cycle for EMI, even though the best parts of it were done with the great orchestras of Berlin and Vienna. If any work needs a sublime orchestra, chorus, and soloists to make its full impact, it's the Mahler Eighth. It also demands massive forces -- Mahler conducted the premiere with 1,030 participants, including a chorus of over 800! A musically intimate reading like tis one isn't in the right spirit, anymore (to my mind) than a Beethoven Ninth with sixty people.

I find that Rattle has some good ideas--he is a prominent Mahlerian, after all--but the Birmingham forces, both orchestra and chorus, aren't up to a high standard, and the soloists, though good, don't excel, either. So this reading was a non-starter for me, and another example of why I distrust critics at the Gramophone when it comes to British performers. They freeted this Eighth like the second coming.

P.S. Jan. 2010 - Rattle has a better Mahler Eighth from the Proms 2002 that feels much more immediate and vital than this one, even though the Birmingham performances were done very closely. You have to find it online from a share group, and the orchestra is the expanded Youth Orch. of Great Britain, who perform with amazing panache and commitment. Maybe they sparked Rattle to more spontaneity.