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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Which Mahler 2nd from Bernstein--early or late?, January 17, 2006
Bernstein so closely identified himself with the Mahelr Second that he made three recordings. For a long time two have stood out: the first, from 1963, with the New York Phil. (Sony) and the last, from 1988, from a live concert, also in New York (DG). Sony owns another live concert from 1974 with the London Sym. and the unmatched Janet Baker as soloist in "Urlicht," but it has boomy cathedral sound and is hard to find. Comparing the two major recordings brings out interesting contrasts.
Sony 1963: Bernstein was 45 and freshly arrived at Mahelr when he made this recording. The phrasing in every movemeent has a spontaneous freshness that few have ever duplicated, including Bernstien himself. Nothing is played for rhetorical effect. Tempos are moderate; the orchestra plays beautifully and is captured in spacious sonics at Manhattan Center. The two vocal soloists, mezzo Jennie Tourel and soprano Lee Verona, were Bernstein favorites, but neither is ideal. Tourel sounds mature and doesn't blend well with Verona in the finale; her Urlicht is sincere and moving, however. The professional chorus is excellent but recorded too far back for us to make out the words or for maximum impact.
DG 1988: Twenty-five years later, when Bernstein was 70, he retained the basic shape of his earlier interpretation but slowed it down, by almost 4 min. in the finale, which is quite broad now. Spontaneity has been exchanged for a deeper, more settled view but also some rhetoric. The sound is multi-miked, often close up, and with not as much air around it as for Sony. Also, there is more underlining for emphasis, but not to an extreme. I think the finale suffers from Bernstein's earnestness to make sure it sounds cosmic--yet the stupendous coda does indeed sound cosmic. He uses another aging mezzo, Christa Ludwig, for the Urlicht, which she sings beautifully. It's too bad that LB takes 2 min. longer in this short movement; it sounds funereal. Soprano Barbara Hendricks sounds ideal. The chrosu is also better than on Sony and recorded, like the organ in the finale, with much more impact than before; we canmake out more words thanks to the multi-miking.
As interpretations, I think there is little to choose for the first three movements. After that, Bernstein is more musically fresh in 1963 but captured in more dramatic sonics in 1988. Chorus and soloists are also better in the 1988 set. The later performance ends in wrenching catharsis, and for some lsiteners that will make the difference. Both sets are five-star readings on the highest plane of performance and musicality.
(One thing greatly in favor of the Sony set is the fillers: a moving live performance of the Adagietto from the Mahelr Fifth at the funeral service for Robert F. Kenney in St. Patrick's Cathedral, and a riveting "Veni Creator spiritus" from the Mahler Eighth, a live performance to celebrate the opening of Philharmonic Hall in 1962.)
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A most spiritual performance for Mahler devotees to look to!, December 4, 2000
By A Customer
Bruno Walter and Otto Klemperer were two contemporary disciples of Mahler who gave us differing, but authoritative accounts of that composer's Second Symphony. Bruno Walter came close, but Leonard Bernstein takes us further in his first recording of this masterpiece. From the opening fortissimo string tremolo, he gradually leads us deeper into the spiritual world of Mahler, and if we are willing, he is convinced that we will be transcended like we have never been before. Purists may quibble about the liberties Bernstein takes with the score, but they are overruled when there are profound musical statements to be made.Lenny was right! In this recording, following Mahler's capsulated description about his work, Bernstein was able to convince his musicians that they too, had to be "battered to the ground with clubs and then lifted high to the heavens on angels' wings." I was fortunate to be introduced to Mahler's spiritual world with this recording, and must admit that I had the same experience. Considering the large number of recordings that followed, none since this Bernstein document (even his later Columbia Masterworks and DG recordings) depict Mahler's musical catharsis as does this one. Unfortunately, the 1963 stereo sound now shows its age. I'm thankful that it was recorded in stereo, but sorry that digital technology did not then exist to fully convey the quite-evident shattering power that Bernstein brings forth. Indication where digital recording would have helped is the buildup in the overpowering crescendo drum roll of the huge percussion section in the final movement, seemingly much more powerful than any recording of this since made. However, it sounded great when I first heard it in the late '60's, and the new 24-bit CD transfer helps the dated sound out. In addition to Bernstein's "man-on-a-mission" approach, the much underrated, and sorrowfully, now largely forgotten mezzo-soprano Jennie Tourel, conveys every bit of her conviction as a Mahlerian on this spiritual journey. Her "Ich bin von Gott und will wieder zu Gott, der liebe Gott, der liebe Gott" in the fourth movement Wunderhorn song preceding the giant finale is the best I've ever heard, even surpassing the interpretations by the great female Mahler singers, Maureen Forrester, and Janet Baker. The Collegiate Chorale also sings their part unlike any other chorus on all other recordings of the Second that I've heard. Rather than raising the roof "shouting" the piece as loud as possible as all other choruses do in their recordings of the Second, the Collegiate actually SINGS the piece. They do it most lyrically and hymn-like, yet maintain the necessary dynamic level to not be drowned out by the huge orchestra. And at the a capella choral entrance, they properly intone the music more quietly and reverently than on any other recording I've heard. Three cheers to Lenny and his performers for producing what will certainly go down in the annals of recorded Mahler history as one of the top Mahler documents ever made. It is this recording that I automatically think of whenever I hear the name, "Leonard Bernstein." Other reviewers have neglected to comment on the Adagietto from the Mahler 5th played at Robert F. Kennedy's funeral in New York City's St. Patrick's Cathedral in 1968, and the first movement of the Mahler 8th for the opening of Philharmonic Hall at Lincoln Center in September, 1962. It was at the latter where President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy were on-hand for the festivities. All I can say is that with this performance of the 5th's Adagietto, the grief-stricken Bernstein gave a significant contribution to a very somber occasion, and his performance of the first movement of the 8th was a significant contribution to a joyous occasion. These two shorter documents can be regarded as two important happenings in what were some of the most important artistic and personal episodes in Bernstein's life. The juxtaposition of the recordings in this set is interesting also. First, is the near high of Bernstein's personal and artistic life and his involvement with the Kennedy family in the early '60's, starting with the Mahler 8th first movement. Second, is attainment of the "high" with the complete Mahler 2nd recording exactly a year later (Sept., 1963), and the start downward with the shock of John Kennedy's assassination two months later. Third, is arrival at the "low" with the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in 1968. "The Bernstein Century" is an apt title for this particular set, and the entire series.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Amazing Account of this popular work, July 19, 2000
Bernstein's remake of this piece in the 80's was great, and in general his second cycle of Mahler symphonies is better than the first, but not in this case. This studio recording has more energy and drive than most live recordings I have heard. Instead of an analytical interpretation (Litton/Dallas), a showy interpretation (Solti/Chicago), or a scholarly interpretation (Kaplan/London), Bernstein goes for the very heart of the piece and lets it speak free of the constraints placed on it by most other conductors. The result is a performance of remarkable depth, intensity, musicality, and consistency. The playing could be a little more in tune in some places, but this does not really matter. Get yourself a copy of this recording as soon as possible!
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