Customer Reviews

Mahler: Symphony No. 8 "Symphony of a Thousand"

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It would be easy to say that this is the single greatest performance of the Mahler Eighth ever recorded; I believe it is. But it would be difficult to say that and have it mean something, because after experiencing this colossal achievement, the competition (including, alphabetically, Abbado, Bernstein, Chailly, Haitink, Horenstein, Kubelik, Nagano, Olson [Colorado Mahlerfest], Solti, and Tennstedt, among others) suddenly seemed far less impressive than they once had. What sets this Mahler Eighth so far apart from virtually every other is its sense of ecstasy; of a transcendent vision being communicated, of a religious fervor. Mahler had an extraordinary plan in putting together what he considered his most important work, such that he could bring us to the brink and say, "There. It's out there. You can't see it, but you can divine it" (and call "it" what you will: "God" or "Love" or some all-embracing power outside of ourselves). Most performances miss the mark, then, in one of two ways: by remaining resolutely earthbound or by trying to capture that vision in terms we can understand. The problem, of course, is that if we can understand it, it's no longer a vision, it's something mundane. In the closing pages of Wit's extraordinary (and that word, as well as any other, hardly begins to do it justice) performance you become aware of that vision existing just beyond your comprehension. You know it's there only because you're willing to take that leap of faith. And that's what I mean when I say he brings the piece a sense of religious fervor. There is nothing dogmatic about the kind of religion I'm referring to here.

So let's look at the basic components of the performance, element by element:

The sound: Spectacularly natural and all-encompassing. The soloists emerge from the overall sonic image like members of the orchestra, and the chorus, orchestra, and organ blend to perfection.

The soloists: To a letter the finest group I have ever heard. There's a distinctly Slavic sound that seems altogether appropriate given Mahler's Bohemian roots, and a refreshing lack of self-importance. No operatic grandstanding here. And for the first time ever I felt as though I was missing something by not following the words (no libretto is provided, though it is available online and can be found easily enough elsewhere) because everyone sounded like they cared dearly about what they were singing. They weren't going through the motions, making pretty sounds. They had something imperative to communicate and wanted us to know it. To be honest, part II has often bored me to tears (with Chailly's performance being particularly offensive in this regard) but here I was literally on the edge of my seat throughout, impatient to hear what (and who) came next. And throughout it all, so importantly, there was a sense of spiritual ascent from beginning to end.

The choruses: Easily the best I've ever heard. The way they rip into "Hostem repellas longius" with their shrieks in the great double fugue of part I is unforgettable, and the fugue itself, which has never reminded me more of the "rabble" section from the first movement of Mahler's Third, literally had my spine tingling throughout its entire course. That's nothing. I got chills right at the beginning of the Chorus Mysticus and six and a half minutes later they had not abated! I have NEVER experienced anything like that before. Ever. And I don't just mean while listening to music.

The conductor: What can I say? He holds the symphony together with a tautness and logic that nobody ever credited this work with having before. How? I have no idea, but when the start of part II doesn't jar, as it usually does, you know you're in for something special. Maybe it's because the orchestral prelude there seems faster than usual, or because he finds so much inwardness in the first part (the first entry of the soloists, for instance, is so raptly caressing).

The orchestra: While they don't have the "Mahler sound" that the Concertgebouw or Vienna Philharmonic may produce, there's an earthiness (but never sloppiness) that sets them far apart from the bleached, sterile sound of too many American orchestras that make Mahler sound not like Mahler.

To sum up, then, I could not speak for an hour after hearing this recording, and still burst into tears at the mere thought of it, especially those radiant, visionary, and extraordinary closing pages. Record of the year; record of the century! It crowns not merely my Mahler collection but an entire lifetime of listening to great music.

There are plenty of Mahler 8ths out there. Considering the difficulty of the work, it is a wonder. I actually saw Solti perform the piece in Chicago before he recorded it. His performance is a benchmark. But this performance has many attributes that place it with the best. The soloists are all good, some with rather individual traits that make them stand out (a good thing!). Wit paces the performance with lyric intensity, without driving it as Bernstein and Solti did. The sound is some of the best Naxos has ever done. It is spacious, wide open acoustic, but it is clear and balanced. Quite an achievement.

In the end, it may all depend on taste and on mood. There are many recordings (of about 40 existing total) of Mahler's Eighth Symphony which are considered almost automatically as 'the best Mahler Eight' by ever so many different people. (My favorites would be Abbado and Nagano, by the way...)

Aside from many other 'big' names like Haitink, Gielen, Kubelik, and Sinopoli, we have the 'early' classics like Horenstein (1959) and Mitropoulos (1960), the classic favourites of Bernstein (especially 1966 and 1975) and Solti (1971), (somewhat) more recent favourites like Tennstedt (1986) and Abbado (1994), and the 'latest additions' to the catalogue like Chailly (2000) and Nagano (2005) and now this, maybe to top it off, the recording on Naxos by Antoni Wit conducting the Warsaw National Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra and soloists. (We can only wait to hear what Pierre Boulez and Michael Tilson Thomas will have to say in the matter, but could it get much better than all that has gone before or that which has now been reached with, for example, Abbado, Nagano and Antoni Wit...?)

ABOUT THIS RECORDING. This specific recorded performance has - I believe - many, many virtues (which outweigh any of its possible 'defects'), of which the most important is - at least to the ears of this particular listener - a sense of coherence and overarching vision.

First of all, there is coherence in the music-making, as it is being nicely held together - in the aspects of tempi and phrasings - by the conductor, ever moving along purposefully, never sagging or revelling in the music for beauty's sake.

Antoni Wit seems to have a clear sense of the need for stressing the drama behind the music. The conductor doesn't seem to want to relish in the beauty perse, bringing with it the danger of making it sound (overly) sweet or sentimental. Nonetheless, there ARE recordings out there that DO relish more in the gorgeous multicoloredness and deep sentiment of this music than this specific recording, but without succumbing to sentimentality, and which are IMHO an even finer success as the recording under review here - I especially think of Claudio Abbado and Kent Nagano.

But please don't get me wrong, while Antoni Wit keeps tight enough rein on the proceedings to make all of the music sound 'of a piece', there is enough pure sentiment here, nonetheless, to keep 'both sides of the field' happy: there is sweet beauty and sentiment, held in balance with clarity and purposefulness.

In line with - to my ears at least - his 'purposefully going forward' Antoni Wit doesn't stress the differences in tempi as much as other conductors might do here and there in the piece, especially Part II. This is a good thing in that it keeps the sense of forward momentum, of dramatic flow, inevitably towards 'das Ewig Weibliche'. But the playing here never sounds rushed or self-consciously '(micro)managed' by the conductor, which would IMHO be intolerable. (And there are of course such recordings out there - by much more 'renowned' conductors - which are held in high esteem by many. I will not name any names. But then again, many people also consider the rest of Antoni Wit's Mahler-cycle for Naxos as quite unremarkable ...)

There are other reasons why this recording/performance sounds so wonderful, aside from coherence and tautness and balance between 'head and heart'. There is more, such as nice ensemble-playing: the whole orchestra sounds appropriately grand and massive, but at the same time, all the individual instrumental voices (be they groups or solo) are made to sing their lines within the orchestral textures, never being drowned out. A perfect sense of orchestral balance where every instrument is given full opportunity to shine when his time is there. (Is that which we experience/feel as 'sentiment' a result of just the 'right' amount of instrumental coloring and phrasing within a harmonious textural balance ...?)

This sense of 'finely balanced ensemble' may also have to do with the recording-balances and the sound picture as such, in which the orchestra sounds 'cushoned' within a deep and wide soundscape, and as a result a bit 'woolly' sometimes (maybe too much so, compared with Solti, Chailly or Nagano?). Although, in tuttis, the sound never becomes congested, but always stays open.

The choirs and (most of the) soloists are Polish, and while their pronunciation of German is sometimes a bit odd, they are all quite up to the task. The soloists are no A+ or 'star-voices' altogether. This does probably have the advantage that there is - to say it in the words of the previous reviewer - no 'operatic grandstanding'. But the singers are mostly just fine, some better than others. I am not going to compare with other recordings here - this performance must speak for itself, which it does eloquently enough, I believe. Only the Gretchen by Izabella Klosinska sounds just a bit (too) course/rough to really please the ears of this particular listener, which is a pity, but not so much as to cause a distraction, because, happily, her high notes are agreably natural and sweet enough. Timothy Bentch's Doctor Marianus to my ears has to struggle sometimes just a bit too much reach the highest notes, making them sound a little strained now and then, as if shouting. But although his singing is accomplished enough, in the end, I would not trade him in for likes of, for example, Rene Kollo (for Solti), Peter Seiffert (for Abbado), or Ben Heppner (for Chailly)?

While there are many more 'high-profile' recordings out there that are maybe more 'distinctively accomplished' in specific aspects of conducting, music-making and singing, this is really only a matter of details (maybe even tastes) and as such would amount to nitpicking (even for Izabela Klozinska's not very 'beautiful' Una Poenitentium and Timoty Bentch's 'shouting' his high notes, when very specifically, a low volume is asked for in the score).

There are not many recordings (even 'great' or 'classic' ones) which are consistently beautiful or artistically accomplished 'across-the-board'. And maybe, not many great recordings are better than this specific one of the forces from Warsaw conducted by Antoni Wit on Naxos. From beginning to end, in this recording, when one is susceptible to it, the listener's imagination and feelings are held captive in a compelling and ecstatic vision that is so wonderfully sustained from beginning to end, that, by the end, the final chorus mysticus really lifts the mind to higher spheres of emotion and ecstacy.

Surely, there are even better recordings of Mahler's Eighth Symphony around. I would never like to be without my Abbado and Nagano performances, for example. But this is a nice recording in itself. At least 4 stars, then, for this sympathetic performance.

All the reviews in audio specialty magazine are correct. This is a wonderful performance and a spectacular recording. The depth of instrumentation and voices across the entire stereo stage is breathtaking. If you synthesize surround sound in your system, you will be amazed at the concert hall ambience you will hear. You will be envolped in a world class performance.

Buy this CD. You will be thrilled.

I have been listening to Mahler for about ten years now. His symphonies are all magnificent, epic works, both emotionally and structurally, and they lend themselves to a wide variety of interpretations. Consequently, I very seldom find a single recording of a symphony of Mahler that I'm totally satisfied with. This CD is that rare and precious item. If I owned no other recording, I would still feel completely satisfied.

All of Mahler's symphonies are well served(maybe a bit TOO well served!) on disc. I have heard Bernstein, Solti, Chailly, Tennstedt, Nagano, Rattle, and Abbado, and quite honestly, none are bad at all. But Antoni Wit's is easily my favorite.

I played this CD blind to a friend, and he guested the orchestra to be the Chicago Symphony. The playing of the Warsaw National Philharmonic, in particular the brass section, simply could not be better. More detail in Mahler's all important brass writing can be heard than on any other recording I've heard. The organ, so often either artificially pumped up in the mix(Solti), or not there at all(Abbado), sounds perfect, just loud enough that it feels like an organic part of the overall sonic picture, but never drawing undue attention to itself. In fact, that would also describe the sonics in general: Totally warm, clear and natural, nothing overmixed or unnaturally accentuated.

I'm no signing expert, but the singing sounded magnificent to me. One highlight is the big choral climax at the words "Accende lumen sensibus" in the first movement, a perfect balance of energy and grandeur. Another is tenor Timothy Bentch at "Blicket auf zum retterblick, alle reuig zarten" in Part II. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. Wit's tempo and transitions between sections are all superb. His overall time clocks in at 80:51, and all his speeds just seem right, neither too fast or too slow.

It's also very nice that this recording is 2 CDs for the price of one full price disc. Whether you've never heard this work before and want just one recording, or you've heard a ton of recordings, buy without hesitation. This is my pic for a desert island Mahler 8!

Because of its cosmic dimensions, the Mahler Eighth has received any numbr of effortful readings that seem to take so much out of the performers hysically that the listening experience is nervewracking and ultimately exhausting. HOw Antoni Wit is able to avoid this pitfall when so many geat Mahlerians don't is a mystery, but I am very rateful. I could listen easily to the entire symphony without feeling pummeled, a far cry from Solti's famous recording on Decca.

Part of this success is due to superb engineering, which captures the huge choral forces and the soloists with equal fidelity -- the microphones are placed so that the lighter voices don't have to scream to be heard. In fact, I hear no screaming at all; the singers seem comfortable on all fronts. Wit also has an exciting view of the score, and he enoucrages his Polish musicians to play with celebratory joy. I won't go into detail since so many other reviewers have, but this is a significant addition to the Eighths on disc at any price.

I was hesitant but let the other reviews talk me into this purchase. It is stunning. I heard details of orchestration that I've never heard before, even when listening with the score in my lap. And the soloists, always perfectly clear, sing with a sense of intimacy and respect for the music and text. No over-singing, no over-playing. Just a tremendous drama allowed to slowly unfold itself right up to the tremendous, triumphal climax. Sometimes you think you've heard just about everything that can be done with a piece--then something like this comes along.

If you shy away from budget labels, such as Naxos, because you're afraid of them then the fault is all yours. Naxos has all their CDs in listed in their downloadable catalog in pdf format. And, in it they not only list all their titles but where and in what journals or sites the particular recordings have received glowing reviews. If, like me, you're on a budget (Heck, I ain't no spring chicken any more, and am on Social security now that I'm retired) you'll find many great recordings there. Now Naxos makes up more than 10% of my entire collection. If I remember right this particular set got the highest both the Absolute Sound and Stereophile give to a recording. And fabulous it is. Great sound (as is typical for what Naxos gives conductor Antoni Wit and his orchestra) and performance to match. As is usual with the M8 Part 1 is on Disc 1 with Part 2 on Disc 2.

If you want more info on an additional 5 M8's check out my review under Mahler 8 Shaw Telarc (another budget recording). Best thing is that Amazon carries all 6 recordings!

Best,

Mark Zimmerman, the Bipolar Bear!

Though it has the reputation of being a `problematic' work, and its ensemble requirements make performances an expensive proposition, there is no shortage of recordings of this behemoth; nor, indeed, of GOOD recordings. Solti is still considered an unmissable classic, though the Decca sound has not aged gracefully; my personal favourites are Sinopoli, Rattle, Tennstedt, Gielen (Hänssler) and Inbal. Among such competition, Antoni Wit's Naxos edition in my opinion qualifies as a decent runner-up. Not an indispensable reading that any Mahlerian should own; but neither a version anyone should regret buying. It does not fully convey the sense of scale this work ideally needs; but then, very few, even among the front-runners, do. It does offer a generally well-played and committed reading that excels more in lyrical atmosphere than in searing fervour. At times I was bothered by a lack of urgency, like in the nervous instrumental interlude at nr. 23 in the first movement, but almost every time I was instantly comforted by the beauty of the playing and the tender phrasing. The horn-playing is particularly beguiling.

Sometimes a po-faced Wit passes over portentous shifts in harmony or atmosphere without seemingly noticing them, as at nr. 37 in the first movement; but at other times he gives them their full due, like in the colossal, almost Ivesian dissonant at 220 in the second movement. He has a keen ear for the mysterious moments, like the opening of the second movement, or the wonderful "Langsam" later on, at nr. 171. The final chorus is done marvellously, the ensemble revelling in the protracted, soft dissonances. The whole structure is convincingly held together, though neither ensemble nor intonation are entirely impeccable.

The soloist are up to the task, with a pleasantly round-voiced tenor who doesn't bellow and only very occasionally sounds strained. The other, smaller parts are variably successful but never really below par. The baritone is truly excellent, the bass rather less so: his Pater Profundus is powerful but quite unlovely. Maria Aegyptiaca (alto II) has a fresh, incisive voice that is just a tad shrill; the other alto (Mulier Samaritana) has a very dark and wobbly voice that was less to my liking. However, together with soprano I (Magna Peccatrix) they make up an ensemble of nicely distinct voices for the beautiful trio in part II. Izabela Klosinska is a clear and fresh "Poenitentium", but does not erase memories of Margareth Jane Wray, who sang the most beautiful Gretchen I ever heard in the otherwise flawed Mahler 8 under Robert Shaw. Also, more than the others she has problems with her German diction; "er ahnet kaum" turns into "er einet kaum", and "gleicht er schon der heil'gen Schar" disconcertingly becomes "gleint er schoen der geilgen Schar".

The choral singing is uniformly excellent, including a boy's choir that has real presence.

The Naxos engineers did a decent enough job, though there is little sense of an acoustic setting around the ensemble. Clearly there has been some multi-mike editing; at the start the soloists are naturally integrated in the sound picture, but later they sometimes blow away the entire chorus. At nr. 98 in the second movement an unsettling giant solo cello suddenly rises from the orchestra. Choirs that are well-defined in one passage recede into near-inaudibility in the next. Such are the usual vagaries encountered in most recordings of this work, but one would wish all of this recording were of the same quality as the final page, which is a blazing, sonorous success.

There's little that I can add to the reviews that have already been posted. This came as a real suprise - no, shock! My only complaint, and it's a minor one, is that the sound could be a bit better than it actually is. I'm hopeful that Naxos will eventually issue this on SACD, so that I can take advantage of the DSD upgrade on a regular player (hybrids often times sound better on my equipment). My only other, very minor complaint is that the vocal soloists aren't the very best. Neither are they poor in any way either. Considering that there are no big names amongst them (for me, anyway), they do a pretty good job. All of these shortcomings (and they're minor ones) are genuinely compensated by Witt's intelligent conducting, as well as the surprisingly strong playing from the Warsaw Philharmonic. If somebody had put this on their stereo, not allowing me to see what it is, and told me that it was the Chicago Symphony performing, I think I might have easily believed them - that's how good the playing is.

For those who are contemplating upgrading their Solti M8 recording, I would urge you to at least consider this option. I say that because, A). I'm not a big fan of the Solti for a whole laundry list of minor and not-so-minor reasons, and, B). I feel that the new Originals pressing only helps illustrate, all the more clearly, just how artificial and contrived the Solti recording is from a purely audio standpoint.

Top drawer recommendations? That's tough . . . I guess I'd say Kent Nagano for Part 1; Rattle for Part 2 (get it on the extended range DVD only disc, if you're DVD player is hooked up to your stereo); this one (maybe the best compromise of all!); Bernstein/LSO on the Bernstein Century pressing (love that performance! - distortion and all!); Bernstein/VPO on DVD (a must have!!!).

For just singers alone, I really like the "live" Kubelik on Audite. It's also a decent performance in all other respects. I haven't heard the Abravanel M8 on its high-def HDCD incarnation either. I hope to do that soon. But for less that $15, you won't go wrong here, and that's true for both parts.