Customer Reviews

Symphony 6

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In little more than a year, I have now heard four remarkable recordings of Gustav Mahler's Sixth Symphony, each special in its own way and each vying for shelf space next to the version which had long been my favorite, Leonard Bernstein's second recording, with the Vienna Philharmonic, on DGG.

Two of the first three (Benjamin Zander with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and Thomas Sanderling with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra) got the benefit of some commentary of mine elsewhere at Amazon. The third (Michael Gielen with the SWR Orchestra of Baden-Baden/Freiburg) had been in the queue for similar commentary treatment. And then this Michael Tilson Thomas/San Francisco Symphony Orchestra live performance arrived, putting detailed commentary on the Gielen recording on at least temporary hold.

Tilson Thomas (MTT, for short) has gauged this symphony largely along lines most similar to those of Zander in the outer two movements and Bernstein/Vienna ("Bernstein II") in the inner movements, as a "tale of the tape" (comparative movement timings) shows. Each of these three performances has many strengths and few weaknesses. While I personally think that Zander accomplishes the near-impossible in his shattering realization of the final movement, MTT is very close indeed (and provides two hammer blows vs. three, for those "who are counting"). All three are rather evenly matched in the opening movement, but I give a slight edge to MTT by virtue of the atmospheric effects he is able to achieve with the brief "respite" provided by the celeste and cow bells late in the movement; beautifully done. There is little to choose between Bernstein II and MTT in the second-movement Scherzo; they are within a few seconds of each other and "of a piece." (Here, Zander is considerably more demonic; for some, perhaps slightly too much so.) It is in the third-movement Andante where MTT really shines. At 17'27" he is more than a minute more leisurely than Bernstein II (at 16'16"), who in turn is about a minute faster than Zander. Yet MTT's Andante seems perfectly gauged and not a second too long; a necessary voyage into a different, sublimely beautiful world in a remote key signature before the Finale, with its eventual - and Tragic - felling of Mahler's protagonist/hero.

The recording is one of the new SACD/CD "hybrid" variety, but I have only the ability to play the standard CD layer. Suffice it to say that the standard CD stereo is excellent (particularly for a live-performance recording), with an outstanding sense of hall ambience and "air" and at the same time the ability to hear fine details and inner voices. It lacks nothing in immediacy and in its ability to represent even the strongest passages without evidence of overload or compression. The packaging is lavish, and includes a rather fine essay on the work by Michael Steinberg. Unfortunately for this effort, Michael Steinberg had also been the essay author for the Zander/Boston P.O. performance booklet, in which his exposition of the work and his lyrical flights of wordsmanship were as fine as they get. So here, his essay is somewhat diluted and reduced in effect compared with that earlier effort. But, if you're half the Mahlerite that I am, you'll already have that Zander performance in your library. And you're likely to have the later Bernstein (as well as the earlier Bernstein) and the Sanderling as well.

Can I pick an overall, final favorite among these four or five recordings? Not yet, despite having listened to most of them many times and the new MTT recording several times. But, for reasons I explain below, I'm likely to listen to this MTT recording, at least temporarily, to the exclusion of the others as I continue to grasp just what had been achieved here.

I'd be remiss if I failed to mention the remarkable circumstances under which the performances for this live recording were given. Scheduled many months in advance, they took place during a four-day period beginning September 12, 2001, under what can only be considered as the most difficult and painful of circumstances. It seems that there were absolutely no second thoughts about putting this concert on as originally scheduled, other easier, more "balming" program substitution opportunities notwithstanding. In this context, MTT's sublime third-movement Andante represents, to me, the musical equivalent of "the end of innocence" before "peering into the abyss" of the Finale. It was an act of some courage on the part of MTT, his orchestra, and his San Francisco audience; this document is testimony to that collective courage. And those two events, of 9/11 and the following days of performing and recording this masterpiece, will forever more be inextricably linked in my mind, as "history; one for the ages."

Three and one-half decades ago (almost to the day), the late, great Jack Diether, in writing notes to the first (1967) recording of this work that Leonard Bernstein made with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, wrote "To those who better understand Mahler, our world, and perhaps themselves, the work as a whole is exhilarating, not depressing. It is pre-eminently cathartic, just as the greatest tragedies of ancient Greece are cathartic." And as these performances must have been to those San Franciscans still reeling from 9/11. Mahler's time had indeed come.

Bob Zeidler

It is in my personal opinion that this is the best Mahler 6 recording I have ever listened to simply because the orchestra under the direction of MTT responds to details that in other recordings other orchestras did not. They have grown to be so together since MTT came to the orchestra in 1995. The brass playing in this recording is also among the best. The blend of the different sections of brass instruments is so perfect for Mahler's work. As a trombone player I found the trombone work in Mahler's 6th to be the best section playing I have heard yet. Mark Lawrence, Paul Welcomer, and John Englkis (I can't rmemeber the 3rd trombone player's name), really enunciate their playing styles in just the right ways that really make you feel the music. The trombones are, in Mahler 6, the "gods of fate" and with their quality of playing they put "the fear of god" into you. The trombone funeral choral at the end of this symphony is hands down THE BEST out of any Mahler 6th recording. Mark's sonorous sound and Paul's mournful touch on the eight note pickups really puts the soul at rest and into your tomb. This is a must have for any brass player.

This is a great recording of this great work, a unique and special one, and not for everyone. This live performance cannot be separated from the context of events - this CD was culled from concerts of September 12-15, 2001, and to the SF Symphony's credit, they never hesitated from presenting a powerful and tragic work that Tilson Thomas' own notes admits does not offer easy answers.

There is an unmistakable quality of grimness in these performances, which adds immensely to Mahler's expression, and this is the thing that may be off-putting. The orchestra plays superbly, with tremendous intensity, and Tilson Thomas is a real master of this piece. His sense of tempo is unerring, and even in the heat of the moment he never pushes too hard, and saves the milking of the moment for particular, well-judged points, such as the elision in the first movement between the end of the Alma theme and the return of the opening march. The scherzo is positively frightening, demonic and wicked in spirit. The particular flavor of the performance really comes through in Mahler's extraordinary slow movement. In other hands, Barbirolli's in particular, this expresses a passionate feeling of lost love, but in this time and place, and with this conductor, the music becomes a great cry of despair, a struggle to keep human feelings alive. It's unbelievably powerful and can be difficult to listen to. Finally, the last movement does show the orchestra tiring somewhat, but this is not a flaw, rather fitting in the performance. The hammer blows are delivered to an enormous wooden box perched above the back of the orchestra, and are crippling in the proper sense, although the visual power of seeing the box struck so is obviously lost on the CD. The last pizzicato is bone-chilling.

Some may, and have, quibble with the spirit of the performance. Again, it's not for everyone, but it is absolutely valid and important. The playing is without peer, and the recording stands out as demonstration quality, tremendously deep and wide, yet with every instrument clear and accurately placed. This is the first release in a Mahler cycle, with Mahler 1 coming out in September 2002 and Mahler 3 and 9 to be recording in the 2002-03 symphony season. Perhaps not for the casual Mahler listener, but for a true Mahlerian, an indispensible beginning to an important cycle.

Mahler's 6th symphony is either the highpoint(ask Bernstein, Solti or Karajan) or the lowpoint (ask Abbado, Rattle and Chailly) of a Mahler cycle. It is an intensly difficult work, and any conductor brave enough to challenge it does so at their peril. Of course, these days, conductors record this symphony with the same reckless abandon as Beethoven symphonies were recorded 20-30 years ago. Most of them are decent recordings, but few actually capture the essence of this tragic work.
I, for one, have always held Karajan's recording of this symphony in the highest regard and all recordings, or performances, that come my way have to face up to it.
MTT comes to this symphony having recorded, arguably, two of the finest recordings of Mahler symphonies around (the 3rd and 7th). His mentor, being Leonard Bernstein, has obviously tuned this man into Mahler in such a way that he captures the right vibe of the piece from go to 0. From the opening macbre march through to gut-busting finale this is a ride of unforgettable depth.
I am not in agreeance with the previous reviewer who stated this performance suffers in the quiet moments, on the contrary, I think it is where the biggest strength lies. One listen to movement 3 will confirm that.
The San Fransisco orchestra does a superb job and the recorded sound is excellent (despite not having the whizzbang gadgets Sony say are essential for listening to this). The liner notes are great for newcomers to the work, although more knowledgable folk will learn nothing new from them.
My complaints are the lack of filler on the set- most recordings couple this with a song-cycle or two so just having the symphony at full price makes it less competitive in the world of budget and superbudget recordings of the sixth (and there are just as many excellent performances at that price as well- WITH fillers).
Also, tempi in the second movement get dangerously slow, almost to the point of collapse- taking Mahler's score directions a little TOO literally!
However, those reservations aside, it is a fine recording and one can only wait with baited breath for the next installment of MTT's Mahler cycle.

The timing of this new recording of Mahler's Symphony No. 6 in A Minor could hardly be more correct. Recorded live in Davies Hall in San Francisco from 12 - 15 September last year, this is the essence of the reacton being felt after 9/11. Michael Tilson Thomas has outdone even his own recording standards (no mean feat) in breathing life, terror, agony, and hope into this darkest of Mahler's symphonies. The San Francisco Symphony pulls out all stops for him in a lush, rich, spell-binding performance. While other conductors may take a more analytical view in developing the themes and pacing the pathos, few others have been able to realize the underlying faith of the human soul pitted against the terror of the universe. The third movement is simply one of the most sincerely heartfelt statements Mahler wrote (outside the Kindertotenlieder) and Thomas finds just the right amount of indulgence to bathe us after the stormy marches that begin and end this symphony. This recording is among the finest of Mahler recordings......and because of its timely captured performances, it is destined to work its way into the fabric of a national healing.

Originally when I first heard this symphony I really didnt get it. I understood the basic framework but when somebody would tell me something about the work, I just couldn't follow. Then I just sat down outside the music building at my school and committed myself to the work. I listened so closely to the music that I broke through whatever was keeping me from it. I listened to it from a totally emotional perspective, releasing all thoughts of music theory or compositional elements. From this perspective, I learned how to listen to Mahler. His sixth being his most devastating and tragic, hence the title, is the deepest and yet seemingly, most accessible. The universal opinion as to the plot seems to be of a hero for humanity, who is representative of everything humanity is, evil, love, hate, joy etc.. In the 4 movements of this symphony we see many shades of this character.

The first movement is rather militaristic with very gritty and staccato marches appearing throught the 24 minutes of the movement. This harshness is interrupted by what has been called, Alma's theme, a very lush and swiftly majestic melody that shows the hero's human characteristic of love and devotion. This giant movement keeps switching between majesty and tragedy ultimately ending with Alma's theme, suggesting the possibility of hope.

The next movement depends on what recording you have, for this recording, the scherzo comes next, which I think is the best way to do it. This movement, the shortest in the symphony, has been called a parody of the first movement, which is kind of mis-leading. It is less serious than the first, but it is more schizophrenic, never staying on one emotion for very long or establishing that emotion very clearly, leaving the listener utterly confused and intrigued as to what is happening to our hero, perhaps breaking down, questioning his devotion to humanity perhaps, this can be debated forever. It ends with what Steinberg and Alma Mahler identify as the playing of children, which is highly unorthodox, rhythmically, but it any case, completes the movement well.

The third movement is a wonderful andante that contains Mahler's most heart-wrenching music. Some see it as a different theme totally from Alma's theme that appears earlier, and if you look at the score, they have very little in common, but, the effect of the two is strikingly similar, however this theme is much more extended and focused. This seems to be our hero's last encounter with human love before he faces his test or battle as the case may be. You will definitely not want this movement to end.

The last movement is the test/battle of humanity. By frequently switching between minor and major keys interrupted by three big hammer blows, this battle never lets up. However, we are given a clue as to how it will end with the opening minute suggesting tragedy and despair before the battle is even begun. There are moments of supreme glory here, but ultimately the hero is "fallen as a tree" with the final blow, ending with one of the most tragic moments in all of music.

This performance of the symphony so far is the best to date, being the most articulate, clear, epic, romantic, and dynamically contrasted of them all. The San Francisco symphony, quite simply, was the best orchestra in the world on this recording, with some immensely satisfying solos by the principal violin, Alexander barantschik, and acting principal horn, Robert Ward. Tilson Thomas has a connection with Mahler like no other, and along with his supreme gift for making any orchestra sound better than they ever have, he makes a mark on Mahler that we all can take a lesson from. The sound is magnificent, the cd liner notes are written by the best, Michael Steinberg, and the performance is unbeatable. Highest Recommendation.

Though I voiced my opinion of this superb recording of the Mahler 6th Symphony by Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony in February 2002, I returned to this recording after hearing MTT conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic live in a revisited Mahler 6th. The performance on the recording is a live performance, and indeed the performance with the LA Phil in the incredibly fine new Disney Hall was as 'live' as orchestral performance can be! The interesting comparison is MTT's choice to change the order of the movements of this mighty tragic symphony. In the two years since he recorded the 6th he has rethought the movements and in an eloquent program note he shared his reasons for altering the lineup. The first movement of course remains as does the last - in position as Mahler intended. The novelty was following the 1st movement with the Andante THEN playing the Scherzo just before the Finale: Allegro moderato. The effect is stunning. After the long thundering discourse of the first movement the insertion of the Andante (one of the most languidly beautiful reveries of Mahler's many great slow movements)allows for absorption of the impact of the opening movement. Then the Scherzo can bridge with wry, nasty tongue in cheek comments before the power of the finale sets in.

The SFO plays well for MTT: his performance with the LA Philharmonic revealed even more attention to inner voices and intensity of feeling, perhaps in part due to the superior brass and woodwind sections at his command. Every nuance can be appreciated in the sonics of Disney Hall. This new approach by an ever-growing conductor should be recorded as well. The evening was resplendent! MTT's approach to Mahler continues to command our respect and alter our lives.

I don't think this is so outstanding a performance or recording that it shoud win a Grammy, although I agree it is a mighty personal statement from the romantic Michael Tilson Thomas on the tragedy known as the Mahler Symphony No. 6.

What is awkward is the conductor does not begin this leviathan as if he were going to make a tragic statement, and he rarely allows tragdy to seep in during the recording's 87 1/2 minutes (making it one of the longer Mahler 6s out there.)

What I find most characteristic of Tilson Thomas's opening movements is his tendency to intermingle slow passages followed by rapid and loud march-like rhythms, even in places where the score does not indicate a march. This technique is most pronounced in the 14-minute Scherzo.

MTT's romantic personalized approach works most of the time and is quite a contrast to a recording I recently heard with the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Charles Mackerras. That recording, including with BBC Music Magazine's April 2005 issue, was recorded in 2001. In that version, Mackerras is all forward motion and zips through the apocalypse in about 74 minutes.

Where Tilson Thomas's personalized approach is most apparent is in his monolithic approach to the slow movement, Andante Moderato -- played in the traditional third position in this performance -- that begins wistfully, then becomes passionate, then tragic.

Mackerras, who places the slow movement after the opening in what has become the more current practice, zips through this relatively quiet Mahler statement in 14:10 compared to Tilson Thomas's 17:27. The Tilson Thomas version is clearly the heart of his performance and is a chameleon of mood and energy.

The closing movement -- all 31 minutes and 22 seconds of it -- is played every inch of the way by MTT and the orchestra for big picture affect. Everything you could want to hear about the end of time is in this finale. Tilson Thomas regularly distends tempo and playing to meet the needs of his all is dust finale.

The San Francisco Symphony plays extremely well throughout this recording, which is billed as a hybrid Super Audio CD, meaning it is playable on all CD players and should sound better on SACD equipment. It sounds fine most of the time with good bass depth although some passages tend to be a bit homogenous. The sound is neither as defined nor as brilliant as in the BBC recording under Mackerras. The two recordings date from similar periods.

Personally, I don't find Tilson Thomas's approach best suited to this end of the world music. I think one or two hearings would be wonderful but it would wear on the listener with repeated hearings. I prefer a performance more like the one Mackerras turned in or the recording by Maurice Abravanel and the Utah Symphony from the 1960s. I strongly prefer single CD versions of this symphony and believe anyone paying for two full price CDs in the Mahler 6 is probably not getting the best buy possible.

For me, Mahler already has too much angst and is too often on the emotional roller coaster without the conductor and performing artists adding to the mix. I prefer it in more straightforward fashion without the bloodletting from the likes of this conductor or his mentor, Leonard Bernstein.

As a professional trombonist and Mahler enthusiast I was very curious about this recording. I have seen MTT conduct in London and was highly impressed. The Mahler 6 is very special to me, as it was to Mahler. I have been wary of buying Mahler played by anyone but European orchestras, so there was some apprehension, I must admit. That disappeared very quickly as I heard a great, well thought out and rehearsed interpretation, supported by world class playing and a recording offering really fine detail while not losing the big picture. My worst nightmare in this piece was realized (on my first listening) when it became clear that the repeat of the exposition in Mvt. 1 used pre-recorded music - listen to the "squeak" at 2'09", the "sniff" at 2'11", and again at 6'55" and 6'57" (both occur on @ beats 3 ½ and 4 of the measures). This kind of re-hashing became evident to me in recordings made in the 1960's and 1970's, the most notorious of which is Karajan's BPO recording of this very same work. This may seem petty, but as a professional musician and music lover, I find it offensive. I realize that most recordings (including live ones like this one) rely on multiple performances and non-live re-takes, but I would rather have a fresh take than re-hashed. A Grammy perhaps, but it shouldn't contain such cheap shots.

Bob Zeidler's review says all that I could say about the performance. It is the gorgeous SACD sound I wish to praise. This is a four channel recording. It uses the rear channels to very nicely reproduce the reflections or ambiance of the concert hall. These reflections added to and working in concert with the front channels give this listener the uncanny sense that his listening room just expanded about 45 feet to either side, about 40 feet in front and maybe 100 feet to the rear. Crescendos leap into the listening space entirely without compression. leap forward in overwhelming fashion, just like in the concert hall with no overload or distortion or compression. Mr Zeidler says the CD layer has no compression - he should hear the SACD.

Comparing the multi-channel SACD layer with the CD layer is sort of like comparing a novel to its Reader's Digest Condensed Book counterpart.