Customer Reviews

Mahler: Symphony No. 5 ~ Barbirolli

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Not only is this perhaps the greatest available recording of this work, it is also one of very best ever made. In my experience, only Haitink's Amsterdam recording is better. Levine's is fun, what with that rich Philadelphia Orchestra at his disposal. However, his IV is too slow, even with the great strings (more on that later) and the trumpeter may not be to everyone's liking. Both the Haitink and the Levine are out of print. No matter - this one will do just fine.

I guess what makes it work is that special brand of rich romanticism that Barbirolli brought to everything he conducted. The man simply felt the music - passionately. There is drama here, there is passion. The results can often be Shakespearean, not meaning to emphasize the conductor's Englishness. Even if Barbirolli may gloss over a section or two, these can be forgotten in light of the magnificent splendor of everything else. A Barbirolli performance is special. The same monumental quality he brought to Elgar he brought to Mahler (indeed, both composers had much in common).

As with his outstanding Sixth, Barbirolli does not hurry through the Fifth, but the tension never lets up. Given this framework, the NPO play with a wonderful, burnished quality highlighted by an absolutely golden brass section. Next to these guys, Chicago's brasses sound ugly while Philly's section may be a little cheesy. Barbirolli also has the best horn soloist in III. Notice how faithful the unidentified player is in realizing Mahler's explicit directions regarding dynamics. The horn players for Haitink and Levine (Mason Jones!) do not always play forte in their dialogues with the muted, antiphonal sectionmate, ruining the "echo in the mountains" effect. No such problems here. Maybe the result sounds a tad Edwardian on occasion. But if it's okay for Bernstein's old recording to sound vaguely "Old New York," then it's okay for the Londoners to bring Elgar into the mix.

I begins with a properly tragic trumpet call and mournful orchestra entrance. This is a true funeral march, grief-stricken and at a proper tempo (Walter and others rather whip right through the movement). The intense middle section is played to the breaking-point as Barbirolli wrings every ounce of emotion from these bars.

In II, Barbirolli chooses a more rugged, less propulsive tempo, letting the fury rise from the music naturally instead of forcing it out. The vaguely Hebraic second theme (first heard towards the end of I - the hero of the work?) has just the right character, and the music's hectic and overpowering conflicts are played to the tilt. Avoiding excesses of speed (try Scherchen if you want to laugh - it's a wonder some of his musicians didn't lose fingers), details come to the fore clearly and robustly. The choral climax is given just the right weight, while the crash that follows is properly devastating.

III is lyrical, though with just the right lilt, along with an Elgarian melancholy, particularly after the first horn solo. The final bars really rock - in contrast, Haitink seems unenergetic while Levine rushes.

The Adagietto is a textbook example of how to conduct this movement. Aided by great strings (as well as the superb EMI engineers, whose work is spectacular throughout the recording), JB selects a perfect middle-of-the-road tempo that enables the short movement to really sing. Tempi of this movement vary; one of Scherchen's recordings takes over thirteen minutes, while Haitink's Berlin performance is interminable. Levine takes just over twelve minutes, but the Philly strings make the trip worthwhile. Recently Gilbert Kaplan did research in order to prove that Mahler did not really want this movement done to slowly. Based on his findings, he concluded that the proper length of the movement should be 7-10 minutes. I agree, not so much because of that dreaded word "authenticity," but because the music simply sounds better at under ten minutes. This Barbirolli is (but not by much!), and given his phrasing and general way with this sort of thing (check out his Delius and Vaughan Williams as well), it simply doesn't get better than this.

V is also unhurried, but this time, maybe a little more energy would have been in order. The music does not always sound as joyous as it should. But the orchestra and recorded sound are both breathtaking and the final choral climax (basically a repeat of the end of II, except this time happiness prevails) has just the right kind of spirit.

The Dohyanni/Cleveland is also available on a budget label. I believe it is a dollar or so cheaper. Great performance, but the Cleveland maestro does not bring the same passion to the work that JB did. I have yet to hear the Chailly. People say it's excellent and given both Chailly and the fact that he has the incomparable Concertgebouw Orchestra at his disposal, I would believe it. Still, this one will always be one of the all-time greats, certainly near or at the top of the heap among recordings made before the mid-1990's. Should you get it, you will not be sorry as repeated listenings will reveal its many gifts. In fact, if you have read this far, what are you waiting for?

Sir John Barbirolli died a year after recording this Mahler Fifth in 1969; in general his most acclaimed Mahler performances came late in life (even later than with Karajan). A reviewer below criticiezes Barbirolli for being too slow compared to Karajan, whien in fact the two renditions differ by 32 seconds. What he's no doubt responding to is the relaxed, at times gentle pacing of the first movement, which really seems like a grave funeral march, not merely a march tempo used as scaffolding for orchestral fireworks.

Many listeners and critics have loved this rcording for its spirit--other acclaimed readings (from Karajan, Abbado, Levine, etc.) are stunningly virtuosic. Barbirolli is unique in making you feel that you are eavesdropping on his personal emotions. Unintimidated by the score's enormous, complex demands, he phrases everything simply, as if to say, "See how lovely and touching this is?" For that reason, one never feels assaulted; this Mahler Fifth often caresses the ear, and the heart. It would be unthinkable to do without it.

This,along with the recordings of Abbado, von Karajan, and Bernstein, is one of the finest and most convincing Fives.Some of the tempi(the start of the first two movements and the swift adagio)are unusual, but they work.However the sound quality at the climaxes is not brilliant, and the brass do not always play sensitively.

Usually, listen tends to judge Mahler's symphony no.5 based on the 1st movement, which is a dark and emotional funeral march.

Unfortunately most of the reviewer didn't comment about the most beautiful string work amongst Mahler's symphonies.

I find the 4th movement, Adiagetto is the best string of entire Mahler's work. For this CD, this movement is the best reward for all the listener hence I rated it 5 stars.

Why?

Sir John Barbirolli has insight of the bitterness among the music note. He has made the emotion blend with bitter sorrow, passionate and noble. My feeling completely submerged into the strings when listening to the 4th movement.

The mood from the 4th movement is the echo of the 1st movement. Should Sir John Barbirolli made the sound on 1st movement too bright, I think it might destroy the coherence for the entire symphony.

First, compliments for the high quality of recording and remastering. Despite being 32 years of age, this recording gives even the most recent recordings a run for their money.

Mahler's Symphony No. 5 traditionally plays well, but under the baton of Barbirolli, it sparkles like never before. In my personal favourite, movement 2, NPO delightfully delivers more than the usual expectations. Right from the beginning, the NPO bass and brass dig in and rumble and shake for all they are worth. One gets the impression of being caught in the middle of a thunderstorm getting powerfully tossed port to starboard and back. The prize, however, goes to the cellos. The swell of their melodious lament is nothing but spectacular. Throughout the movement, the NPO creates and sustains a palpable, nerve-unsettling sense of tension. Marvellous!

Movement 4 is the unusually beautiful (and equally famous) Adagietto. Barbirolli and NPO succeed where many conductors and orchestras fail, i.e. to make it fit into the general sound of the Fifth. I always have the feeling that Adagietto hovers a little above the other movements. Not in this interpretation though. Perhaps it's a matter of timing, for Barbirolli's Adagietto lasts 9:52 minutes in contrast to other Adagiettos of 11, 12 and 13 minutes. (An exception is Kubelik's, which is a proud 7 seconds faster) Another effect of the faster tempo is that, in my opinion, Barbirolli's Adagietto sounds light and quietly reflective where others are draggy and weepy as a reed in comparison. But again, each conductor has his own interpretation, and no symphony of Mahler than the fifth has been graced with such diverse readings. Just for the interest, there is evidence that Mahler himself meant Adagietto to last only 7 to 8 minutes!

Movement 5 is yet another highlight. The first bar begins with the NPO horn sounding its challenge and soon afterwards it sails in carefreely. Its continued brilliant presence is wonderful. Sweetly animated too, is the conversation between the bassoon, oboe and clarinet. Spare yourself a close listen!

There is no doubt that Barbirolli is a great interpreter of Mahler, belonging to that special inner group of Mahler conductors which includes Walter, Klemperer, Horenstein, Bernstein, and Kubelik. IMHO, this interpretation should be the standard by which other Mahler No. 5's are measured, even in consideration of great Fifths by the other two B's, namely Barshai and Bernstein.

I recommend: check out this CD, and Barbirolli's equally famous Sixth as well!

Like Mahler's 6th, there is a rainbow of orchestral colour and emotion to capture in this, Mahler's valedictory 5th Symphony. It is gladdening to be able to say that, here, Barbirolli achieves everything that could be expected from a single unique interpretation of this mighty work. The New Philharmonia respond commendably to his warm leadership and the coupling of conductor and orchestra pays dividends in the music making. Add to this, surprisingly good sound for the 60s and there is barely anything to fault.

Performance: 4/5
Don't read this wrong, the orchestral response is absolutely fantastic, their playing superb. Unfortunately, this is not Legge's Philharmonia of the '50s and '60s. Many of the greatest musicians have gone - died or moved on when the original Philharmonia was disbanded. The feeling is that this is not a world great anymore, merely just another English orchestra (though a good one at that). Put simply, this is a different orchestra from the one the likes of Furtwangler, Klemperer and Karajan had led. Gone is the warm, soft and immersive string tone to be replaced by something altogether thinner and more brittle. The bighting woodwinds, which Klemperer had the greatest hand in developing, have also been replaced with something of lesser directness. The sections that have lost the least, however, are the brasses and the percussion - they still produce weighty and full sounds that would make any of the world's orchestras proud. Fortunately, these merely fall into the category of quibbles (if not minor ones) as the collaboration of conductor orchestra and engineers work in partnership to pull off a fantastic recording. Has orchestral commitment ever been in less doubt? Listen to the final bars of the Adagietto - the orchestra squeezes out every last loveable ounce of musical passion from the score while they succeed in continuing that atmosphere, briefly, through the opening of the finale. The finale's weight, moreover, builds and builds as the orchestra reveals that it still has the capacity to be virtuosic. If the funeral march first movement lacks some of the power or weight or plushness of texture, it can be forgiven as the performance remains engaging throughout while the orchestra captures the colour of the three inner movements quite adeptly.

Sound: 5/5
EMI have not only made themselves proud of the sound on this record, they have done justice to an affecting performance. The engineers captured a lifelike image with clear weight from the brass and the bass elements of the orchestra. Not only that, the re-mastering has brought greater clarity warmth and presence to the sound. In short, there really is nothing to fault here - as long as you are expecting '60s stereo sound.

Interpretation: 5/5
As has already been implied (and highlighted by other reviewers), the first movement lacks some weight and orchestral pyrotechnical brilliance. But what Barbirolli lacks in ear catching surface gloss, he makes up for in musical cogency. The atmosphere remains funereal with real darkness in the brass and percussion. Barbirolli latches on to the emotional intensity of this piece and he never lets showmanship interfere with the spell he weaves. He also moves very well into the second movement, subtly playing up the contrasts in mood and colour between the first two movements. With a clear change in musical mood in the subsequent two movements, Barbirolli becomes slightly more upbeat and positive as he works towards that elating finale. The emotional power of the piece becomes clear when movements 3 and 4 feel like something of a relief from the stark moods of the first two movements. Overall, there is a feeling of warmth and gentleness from a conductor who evidently appears to be allowing Mahler and his score centre stage - without over-interpretation or self-conscious affectations, the music speaks for itself. The only caveat being that a broadening of tempo into the final bars of the final coda robs the chords of some of their finality.

This truly is a great recording; it is worthy of its re-release in EMI's Great Recordings of the Century. Long may they keep it available.

I am a Mahler fan of some 30 years, and a fan of Barbirolli too. Also, I studied this work thoroughly as an ardent student of conducting, noting every detail of Mahler's copious (some might say obsessive) notations to the score. While I haven't listened to every recording available, I have heard and studied many of the "greats."

To the serious Mahler devotee, Barbirolli's interpretation must always be considered and weighed carefully in all respects with the best of Mahler interpreters. The recorded sound is very important, too, if not crucial, to capture the many nuances and "flavors" of Mahler's expressivity and spiritual and psychological depth. This recording, some thirty years old, is astonishingly vivid and sumptuosly reproduced.

To the amateur lover of late romantic music and for those who are just getting their feet wet, I highly recommend this recording as well. It sounds beautiful despite its age, and the performance is deeply touching and very exciting. The work is very long, so taking little bites at a time is a very good way to start listening. I still listen to it this way, only occasionally listening to the whole work at one time (but don't hesitate to listen to it any way you want to).

Barbirolli said of Mahler's symphonies, "there are many high points, but only one true climax." It's fun to listen for the high points, but harder to make out the "one true climax." For many it is the 4th movement "Adagietto". But I think the climax comes at the very end. The effect is subtle, but with continued listening, Barbirolli and the New Philharmonia make it as joyously great as could possibly be, a culmination of all that has come before. It's overwhelming, as it should be.

Highest recommendation to all listeners!

By all means, everybody, get this recording while you can. You'll never regret it!

This recording of the Fifth has long been a classic of the gramophone. And deservedly so. Despite being, these days, probably the most popular of all the Mahler symphonies, it is not at all easy to bring off well. Mahler' music was in a stage of transition from his Wunderhorn period to the bleaker world of Symphonies 6 & 7. Here in No.5 he was trying out his new-found confidence in counterpoint and fugal writing. Here, too, is a newly won ability to play amazing sleight-of-hand tricks with his harmonic modulations, especially in the infamous Adagietto.

Barbirolli has a matchless ability to combine passion and the full weight of Romantic angst with intellectual rigour. The centre of gravity in the two linked first movements in Sir John's hands is the intense Kindertotenlieder derived funeral march rather than the trumpet and brass flourishes of the opening. He reveals how close its kinship is with all those other Mahlerian funeral marches from the First Symphony's slow movement through to the profound development in the Ninth's opening movement. The Scherzo is just glorious in this recording - impertinent, quirky, idiosyncratic, rumbustious, stompingly pesante by turns. The Adagietto is perhaps a little self-indulgently broad by modern standards, but Sir John is a master of all its conjuring tricks of enharmonic modulation from key to unexpected key. The final rondo, like so many of Mahler's finales, is the toughest movement to bring off. Barbirolli manages its tricky combination of Wunderhorn sarcasm with contrapuntal dexterity and fugal rigour perfectly. When the main theme of the Adagietto reappears here in Till Eulenspiegel style dress, Sir John catches just the right note of perkiness. And, as the chorale - so rudely cut off in its prime in the second movement - bursts through to the electrifying coda, it seems no less than the fitting end to this glorious performance.

A recording to treasure.

I recently made some comparisons with another two recordings and found both the Abbado version with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the "sleeper" issue from Frank Shipway with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on the bargain RPO Collection Tring label to be superior to this revered 1969 EMI recording by Barbirolli and the New Philharmonic - good though it is. The EMI sound is inevitably rather muddier and more indistinct than either the DG or Tring, and Barbirolli is that bit more genial and even comfortable in his interpretation - except in the famous Adagietto, where he is a tad brisker than either Shipway or Abbado but nonetheless caresses the music lovingly. For me, both Shipway and Abbado push the Adagietto tempo to the very limit of slowness before the music starts to sag - but they just get away with it, especially when both their strings produce such rich, unbroken, singing tone. Shipway creates a more detached, haunting quality while Abbado goes for a lusher, perhaps more conventional indulgence.

All three orchestras are deeply impressive; one notes the famous depth and sonority of the Chicago brass, the beauty of the Philharmonia woodwind and the all-round élan and precision of the RPO in ensemble. Abbado's approach, as his is wont and forté, is more majestic, while Shipway generates incredible energy and momentum, especially in that rumbustious finale. Barbirolli, by contrast, as I said before, seems to convey the most affection for this great work and he has an acute sense of its architecture, subtly moulding phrases con amore. It helps that he has at his disposal one of the finest orchestras of its day.

In the end, "you pays your money and you takes your choice"; if push came to shove I would choose above all the surprise disc of Shipway and the RPO even over Abbado and the Chicago, by virtue of the DDD sound and the youthful attack the former bring to Mahler, but in truth their interpretations are very similar and both are played to the highest artistic and interpretative standards. Barbirolli will remain others' favourite for reasons of nostalgia and a preference for a more restrained approach, but I think his version is now definitely superseded.

This "Great Recording of the Century" was recorded in 1969. Many Mahler fans have owned (or maybe still own) the LP version. Most Mahler fans agree that this is indeed a great recording, although many of us find ourselves a bit put off by the slow first movement. (For example, in a recent phone conversation with a fellow Mahlerian, I casually mentioned that I had picked up this new CD release of the Barbirolli Mahler 5th, and my friend immediately responded, "Yeah, that's a great recording -- but it has that REALLY SLOW first movement!")

Interestingly enough, Michael Kennedy's liner notes refer to Barbirolli's "spacious interpretation," but do not refer directly to the Barbirolli's slow first movement. Hmm. For the record, when I compared the Barbirolli version to Abbado and Boulez, both on DG, I found that Barbirolli takes the opening movement in 13:48, Abbado at 12:36, and Boulez at 12:52. Moreover, Barbirolli's interpretation sounds even slower than it measures.

Kennedy then avers that "some may find his (Barbirolli's) tempo for the second movement too deliberate." Hmm. A quick check reveals that Barbirolli at 15:14 is not really much slower than Abbado (14:46) or Boulez (15:02). Kennedy further says that Barbirolli's tempo in the Adagietto "comes near, according to the Mahler scholar Gilbert Kaplan, to the pace that Mahler himself is said to have adopted for this exquisite movement." Here's where it get really interesting: Abbado is nearly a minute faster (closer yet to Mahler, if Kaplan is to be believed) at 9:01 than Barbirolli at 9:52.

But wait, the story gets wilder! Boulez, whom many criticize as "heartless," comes in at 10:59, while Kaplan himself comes in at 7:58! Actually, where Barbirolli is especially slow is in the final movement, where he clocks in at 17:27 as opposed to 15:40 for Abbado and 15:12 for Boulez. Overall timings? Abbado comes in at 69:29, Boulez is a bit slower at 72:17, while Barbirolli is indeed "spacious" at 74:29.

Enough nitpicking about liner notes and timings. Barbirolli's performance is heartfelt and powerful. Although the first movement does seem exaggeratedly slow, the playing is excellent--as is the sound quality--and the spaciousness of the reading does offer insight into Mahler. Although this would not be my first choice, or even my second choice as a Mahler 5th (Zander, Boulez, and Abbado are the top three in my collection), it is a CD well worth having, and it has found a permanent home in my CD collection.