Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde [Hybrid SACD]

Immaculate, except for one disgusting error

Disgusting error? How dare I? The San Francisco Symphony making a disgusting error? Never!

I want to point out, in case anybody's wondering what's wrong with their CD player, during the very beginnning of the second movement of this song cycle, a distant beeping sound is heard. I was at the performance when this recording was made. That's the sound of a stupid audience member who forgot to turn off their digital watch.

Just a heads up, in case. But as of the orchestra's performance, go for it! October 9, 2008

Great Emotional Recording

I have listened to the Levine/Berlin, Kleiber/Vienna, and Davis/LSO recordings before listening to this one, and I have to say that MTT gets us the most emotional Mahler yet. I think one of the problems that MTT avoids is "yelling." Everything in this interpretation is perfectly balanced and, as such, one can hone in on the beauty of the music and the emotional of the vocals. I can see why some may prefer other interpretations because MTT tends to take a lithe and subtle approach at beauty. Personally, I much prefer the MTT style over the the others I have listened to. If you are a fan of Mahler, then this is a must purchase. October 2, 2008

A strong installment in MTT's Mahler cycle, with great singing from Hampson

One risks a hail of negative responses when demurring from the general rapture over MTT's Mahler, but here goes. Tilson Thomas is skillful and brisk in much of this music, failing to plumb Mahler's poetic melancholy and world-weariness. 'Das Lied' repays the most profound musical instincts. Here, the only performer who rises fully to the occasion is Thomas Hampson. His earlier account with Simon Rattle on EMI was strangely out of sorts, but now, in magnificent voice, Hampson turns in a world-class performance. Detractors may feel that he makes the vocal part too virtuosic, or that he "always sounds like Thomas Hampson," but mannerisms are kept to a minimum. His mature and moving mastery makes the whole performance worthwhile.

Stuart Skelton, a promising Australian dramatic tenor with a slightly beefy sound, does well. The engineers were smart to mike him close enough that he doesn't have to shout over the orchestra, and although Skelton doesn't approach Fritz Wunderlich or Ben Heppner for beauty of voice or deep interpretation, he's as satisfying as far more famous tenors on rival versions. The engineering throughout is exemplary -- I listened to the two-channel stereo version -- and no doubt will prove one of the strongest draws in the SACD surround format.

There's no limit to how expressive the instrumental solos should be in this music. But the San Francisco Sym. doesn't have many first-rate woodwind and brass players, so we wind up nowhere near Klemperer's New Philharmonia Orch. on his classic EMI recording, much less the Vienna or Berlin Phil. On the other hand, the playing is much finer than on Bernstein's rag-tag remake with the Israel Phil. on Sony.

For me, this is Mahler's ultimate masterpiece, and I want the widest range of mood and feeling. Tilson Thomas doesn't provide that, yet this is overall one of his best Mahler recordings, and Hampson invites comparison with the best baritone soloists, including Fischer-Dieskau. September 26, 2008

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