Customer Reviews

Mahler: Symphony No. 3 in D minor

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is one of the best recordings of Mahler's 3rd among some 30 renditions sitting on my shelf. Salonen pays great attention to details that are commonly missed, and the transition from one musical idea to another are skillfully controlled and achieved with great insights. This is particularly so in the first three movements. The LAPO is an incredibly well balanced ensemble under Salonen's baton, as exemplified by the very fine first movement which in many cases falls victim to over emphasis on the brass section. Anna Larsson is a wonderful choice for contralto. Her voice is at the same time solid with conviction yet gentle and angelic, perfectly suited for the symphony. The LAPO gives one of the best performances I have heard since the great Eroica Symphony under Giulini. The tempi in the Finale are naturally paced. Salonen handles the numerous rubatos with great care, and the musical dichotomies blend into one another almost imperceptibly. I am thankful that Salonen does not opt for the notorious accelaration at the final timpani strokes, which to these ears never fails to destroy the entire musical experience so painstakingly shaped to epical proportion by Mahler. In a way, the performance lacks the great sense of awe so magically captured by Horenstein, or the sheer excitement infused by Bernstein (SONY), but Salonen captures a rare quality about this symphony of which Mahler was proud and anxious to tell his friends - this is a music about the world and about nature which the composer created with all available musical means. This performance is a rare artistic achievement. The recording sound is also excellent. This is without a doubt one of the best recordings with which to introduce someone to the gargantuan musical architecture that is asthetically pure Mahler, and a must-have for any serious Mahlerite.

By any standards, this is an uncommonly beautiful and deeply satisfying account of this difficult, potentially disjointed piece. Several factors contribute to this. A notable one is Salonen's refusal to linger over passages that betray their limited staying power under the baton of more indulgent conductors. Thus, the post horn serenade in the third movement for once doesn't outstay its welcome. The bizarre juggernaut of the first movement is also kept moving along at an energetic marching tempo, its paragraphs joined by clearly articulated drum solo's instead of the usual vague rumblings that made you suspect the composer simply didn't know how to get from A to B. The final pages of this movement are indeed 'drängend', as Mahler requests, and to spectacular effect! In the second and third movement Salonen may at times be a bit too flexible with his tempi, inserting a few big ritenuto's where none are asked for, or defying the ones Mahler wants, playing them a bar later or earlier or not at all. Instances of this are to be found in the second movement especially. Nevertheless the fairy tale atmosphere of these pieces is realised to perfection. The post horn sounds duly distant, and the enlarged final ff return of its theme in the horns is magical, replete with rippling harps and quivering strings, truly otherworldly!
The Zarathustra song may be a bit too brisk for some, but it works nevertheless - even though Anna Larssons's (beautiful) singing is not at all 'durchaus leise'. The fifth movement is fresh, lightweight and folksy as it should be (the boy choir may be a bit polished or even timid to some tastes, but to me seems far preferable to Bernstein's bellowing NY street gang on DG). And the adagio really leaves almost nothing to be desired: it unfolds with all the unhurried majesty it requires and in this even more than in other movements one is stunned at the sublime playing of the LA Orchestra. The combination of precision with beauty of tone and occasional individual touches of phrasing and expression is indeed breathtaking!
There is an unfortunate and unnecessary letdown right at the end, though. I'm at a loss to understand what prompted the folly of reinforcing the final five timpani strokes with loud thwacks on the bass drum. This peculiar retouching of Mahler's score seems out of character with this conductor, and the cheaply sensational effect it achieves certainly doesn't match the composer's demand for a 'noble, saturated tone, not brute force'. Salonen demonstrates that he DOES know what Mahler meant even in the final chord, which is not extremely loud, but notated as a mix of f and ff levels, and duly rendered that way.
To top it all off, the recorded sound is very pleasing indeed. It is not extremely detailed, but has the atmosphere of a real-life concert, with woodwinds somewhat recessed, lower dynamic levels up to mf or even f sounding fairly mild, but with louder passages opening up impressively. In this, it is similar to the Inbal recording on Denon, though it sounds less distant and miniaturised than that. Incidentally, it also shares with that recording (and very few others) a clearly articulated, realistic sounding bass drum. All bass lines are marvellously sonorous for that matter, and a further help to textural clarity is the left-right division of first and second violins (which is what Mahler would have expected!).
On the whole, this is a very strong contender in a field without clear first choices. I long cherished the Haitink version from Berlin, but on recent rehearing it struck me as rather unvaried and severe (and I was surprised to note several wrong entries). Yet, I will keep listening to it for Jard van Nes's singing alone - her astounding rendering of the fourth movement has never been equalled by another singer. Bernstein on DG offers what is probably the best version ever of the first movement, but the rest is crude and uniformly loud, making it the most disappointing issue in his last Mahler-cycle. Inbal is quite good, though his orchestra is not up to the standards set by others. Older recordings tend to sacrifice too much of the work to inadequate recording technique - and this is a hifi symphony if ever there was one! I am curious about the recent Boulez, and am eagerly looking forward to Chailly's Concertgebouw recording, due to be issued soon by Decca. Until then, I will be listening to Salonen a lot!

I own four recordings of this symphony, all of which are very good. But this one is by far the best. The playing is fabulous, both technically and emotionally. LA's horn section is the most virtuostic I've heard, and Salonen really brings them out. The rest of the brass section is just as impressive, with a euphoric tamber and great power. The strings and winds blend beautifully, creating one of the best Mahler sounds there is. Anna Larsson also has the ideal tone for Mahler. Her singing is absolutely stunning. Salonen has given us the only recording of this symphony anyone will ever need. After hearing this version, all others pale in comparison.

Here we have perhaps one of the finest performances of the Third to date. There are so many fine things about what is taking place in this recording most notably the sensitive solos from all involved and the richness in sonic sheen that Salonen elicits from his orchestra. Rarely do we hear the balance of ensemble and depth of sound contained in this recording.

The first movement is a smooth ride all the way through; not once do we feel that we have lost sense of meter or rhythm and one section flows seamlessly and serenly into the next. Solos from the horn, oboe, violin, clarinet, and others are executed with repose and blend with each other and the accompaniment so naturally that one gets lost in the simple beauty of harmony and melody. The previous reviewer said that it sounded effortless, as if this was a bad thing. Bah! To make such a tremendous movement sound effortless is the indication of a talented group of people making music together, not of immaturity or egocentrism. Whereas the unison horns sound heavy handed and inflexible in other recordings, here they pull off their difficult passages with a nimbleness and virtuostic flair unheard of in any other orchestra. Indeed, they really do make it sound easy! The first movement ends in a flash of brilliance as Salonen takes quick-footed tempo that will make you grip your chair with excitement.

The second movement is handled quite nicely as well. Many instances of beautiful chamber music and fine blending of ensemble. Not one of the most exciting interpretations of this movement but still splendidly done.

The third movement is probably the weakest interpretively. Salonen's flowing style works less well here because he takes little time to stop and admire the scenery. The posthorn solo is not very inspired either. The ensemble work is still exquisite, and the interpretation is still effective, but not so much as say, Bernstein, Lopez-Cobos, or other notable recordings.

As for the fourth movement, Anna Larsson comes through with hauntingly effective work on the contraalto solo. Her deep timbre blends flawlessly with the LA Phil and the flowing style which did not suit the third movement so well fits beautifully here.

The fifth movement might be a touch fast for some, but one could hardly deny that it provides some much needed contrast to the previous movement. Here again we find the sparkling quality of the sound that is so characteristic of this orchestra especially when reinforced by the woman's chorus and the boy's chorus. The movement ends angelicly in preparation for what is to come.

The sixth movement starts off very well and maintains itself all the way to the end. I would still have to give the best interpretation of this movement to Bernstein, but this rendition can certainly stand on its own. The opening passagework is done with a majesty and true sense of purpose. Yes, the brass is slightly out of tune at the end, but only for a a moment, and one only mentions it because the rest of the playing is so flawless. I would have liked to hear a louder, more sustained last chord, but Salonen instead opts for a more balanced, organ-like sound which is valid as well.

Overall, there is little to complain about here and so much to commend. I know some will always be attached to their Horenstiens and Bernstiens and their bargain-priced treasures, but to say this recording is anything but top-caliber would be like criticizing Monet for not putting enough green paint here or enough blue paint there. I urge all of you to experience this marvel for yourselves.

I can't rate this CD high enough! Salonen and LA give a performance that blows the competition away completely. Sure, there are lots of other very fine versions of this peice, but this one makes them sound weak and forced. The horns in the first movement are astounding. Don't miss out on this!

This recording blew me away! The playing is flawless and Salonen brings out all the power and subtlety this symphony has to offer. The recording engineers did a terrific job of making you feel like you're standing on the podium yourself! The large brass section never sounds harsh and every phrase is executed with precision and beauty. I was captivated for every second of this recording. You won't ever regret purchasing this disc.

It's difficult to refrain from absolutes, but honestly, I have never in my life heard Mahler's Third played in a more mystical, magical, moving way. The depth of Salonen's performance, the sheer emotional power, the incredible nuances he nurtures, the angst-filled details I'd never noticed before... well... had me awed, teary-eyed and sniffling all the way.

I was so incredibly aware that I was "hearing" Mahler--- really hearing him--- for the very first time: hearing the man, feeling his inner turmoil, his conflicts, his existential sadness. Not since Kletski's rendition of Mahler's Fourth have I again felt the composer's presence near me, tangible and exceptional.

I have nothing but praise for what Salonen has accomplished here, how seamlessly he has woven together this symphonic masterwork, and with what phenomenal insight and incredibly powerful understanding he plunges deep into Mahler's very core.

This is simply beautiful work by all involved. Rich and rewarding. Anna Larsson brings real heartache to Movement IV, her dark hue uniquely sad and profound.

The LAPO is in top form, their sound, in a word, superlative. But, then, this is a performance filled with nothing but superlatives, and rightly so.

[Running time--- CD 1: 58:05 CD 2: 37:40]

The sound and finesse of the Los Angeles Philharmonic continues to grow every season and lucky we are that now and then we have recorded works to validate that growth. Esa-Pekka Salonen has polished this orchestra to a lustrously polished voice that he makes at home in every part of the repertoire. Yes, his conducting can be praised for its precision of deatil, its clarity of line, its at times polished academic inspection. But what is becoming increasingly more apparent is his ability to breathe life into the big romantic works such as the Mahler 3rd. Here is an experience of all of the heart-on-the-sleeve traits that make Mahler so vulnerably human, all played in a respect for the composer's language that makes it not only incredibly beautiful but masterfully controlled. The sound is pure velvet, the sonics are superb, the overall sweep is lavishly, heartrendingly comprehensible. One hopes Salonen and his band wil commit the entire Mahler cycle to CDs.

I have always been somewhat critical towards Salonen, for I found him too cool (such as in his Debussy), but here I must say, for the first time, I have been converted to become a believer.

This is not only a wonderful symphony in itself (where else on earth could one expect to find some almost march-like music and tempi next to a wonderfully mystical Nietzsche interpretation?), but also a very compelling performance by Salonen and the LAPO. The horns are the marvels of this recording, smooth, and crisp and sharp; they are blazing the trail without overpowering the other parts of the orchestra. Yes, one could nit pick about some seemingly fast played tempi here and there, but that merely fades away compared to the compassion and youthfulness which the players of the orchestra bring to this beautiful piece of music. It is almost like having an exciting live-atmosphere with the (sound)-benefits from a first-class-digital studio recording.

Also the two Choirs and Anna Larsson are shining well and brightly. They emphasize the lyrical sides of Gustav Mahler, and create at times an almost grave- and church-like gloom in movements four (Zarathustra's Mitternachstlied) and five (Es singen drei Engel).

Wonderful also Martin Chalifour's solo violin, who reminds me of in his style of Michel Schwalbe.

If you love Mahler, you will also love all your good old Bernstein's, Rattle's, Boulez's, Karajan's, Klemperer's or Horenstein's. Well, try this one, and let them rest in piece. What a wind of change! It will be like a fresh californian ocean breeze, blowing the dust away, and your own, old, since too long established mindset with it.

Last month I had the pleasure to attend Mr. Salonen conducting Mahler's Das Klagendelied, and was so moved by his performance of a work by my favorite composer, that I sought-out this recording.

Mahler's 3rd Symphony is a complex piece, which along with his 2nd Symphony, transports the listener through a journey of discovery and change. The music begins in both pieces with a dark mood, and remains true to it throughout. This is not a light work for a casual listener, but rather heavy, dark and powerful music which both demands and rewards attention.

Salonen's performance here is beyond reproach, and has replaced Jascha Horenstein's early 1980s recording as my favorite Mahler's 3rd. Now if only Sony Classical would release that March, 2002 performance of "Das Klagende Lied".