Oh, that crazy closing chord! First time I listened to this piece, I had it on earphones ... got really soft and quiet right at the very end, ... hmm, ... decided to keep nudging the volume further and further up ... and then K'BOOM!!!!! Darn near leapt up into the ceiling!
I was at that same Carnegie Hall performance that you were at. I sat in the fifth row in the orchestra section, seeing LB periodically jumping up in the air on the podium at key moments here and there. One of the greatest experiences of my life.
An undeniably great recording. Coincidentally, Mahler's third and final concert performance of the 6th also was with the Vienna Philharmonic, on January 4th, 1907.
Unquestionably a great recording.. HOWEVER!!! After watching your video on best Mahler 6th I bumped into Thomas sanderling and fell in love with his version…a real knock out!
This version has also hammer blows quite distinguishable from a common bass drum sound, which is an issue for most of the recordings (except Neumann Czech Phil who uses a common metallic hammer, in contradiction to the composer´s instructions).
Dave you have thrown me a curveball. Thought nothing could be darker and heavier than the James Levine with the LSO on RCA. Mildred would be terrified.
No comparison. I like Levine very much (except that he hates cowbells), but he's positively perky next to Bernstein. It has to do with the basic sonority of the ensemble.
Perhaps many of those who claim Bernstein's performances are too over-the-top aren't really attuned to the true eccentricities of Mahler in the first place.
Exactly what Mahler symphonies van do with a person. I once attended Mahler 9 with Barenboim and Staatkapelle Berlin (in the year of their recording), and driving home, I felt as if nothing more could be expected from life.
Dear David... this is my to-go Mahler's 6th record now. I adore it, especially how good old Lenny conducts the climax of the andante, which always brings tears to my eyes. I started listening to this symphony with Solti and Chicago... could you review that one? I'm really interested in what you have to say about that record. Thank you!
@@DavesClassicalGuide Don't be too hard on him. His confusion likely arises from you saying "New York Philharmonic" when you hold up the recording at the beginning of the video. You obviously meant to say "Vienna Philharmonic," and do so throughout the rest of the presentation.
I saw him conduct that symphony with the Vienna Philharmonic in Tel Aviv around the time that recording was made. Unforgettable, even though i don't particularly like Mahler.
You don’t need 3. If you think you do, you actually need 5. But Mahler settled on 2. Anyway, no one cares because there are about a million other notes in this symphony and this Bernstein/Vienna recording is the greatest M6 on record.
As far as I know, there were 3 in the original score. Mahler later removed the final one. Some recordings preserve all 3. In his live video recording, so does Bernstein, if I’m not mistaken. Hence my question.
@@bombayteddy In an earlier version, he planned 5 hammer blows. He changed his mind about those, too. So my point was: if you don’t want to respect Mahlers final thoughts about it, why stop at 3?
Um. In your video description it says Lenny with the Vienna Phil, and then you open by mentioning Lenny and the New York Phil. I'm assuming he didn't make two recordings with the NY crew, so that your video description is correct? (I couldn't read the text on the CD cover). Edited to add: the confusion finally clears up at around 6:36.
Oh, that crazy closing chord! First time I listened to this piece, I had it on earphones ... got really soft and quiet right at the very end, ... hmm, ... decided to keep nudging the volume further and further up ... and then K'BOOM!!!!! Darn near leapt up into the ceiling!
I was at that same Carnegie Hall performance that you were at. I sat in the fifth row in the orchestra section, seeing LB periodically jumping up in the air on the podium at key moments here and there. One of the greatest experiences of my life.
An undeniably great recording. Coincidentally, Mahler's third and final concert performance of the 6th also was with the Vienna Philharmonic, on January 4th, 1907.
Unquestionably a great recording.. HOWEVER!!! After watching your video on best Mahler 6th I bumped into Thomas sanderling and fell in love with his version…a real knock out!
It is a wonderful performance. It is a great companion perfomance to Bernstein.
i LOVE mahler, I have so many versions of all his work... Bernstein is the master
Mahler's 6th Symphony is called the Tragic for a reason. The last bars at the end just Scream Tragedy Big Time!
I've always found it difficult to listen to this symphony: the finale scares the living daylights out of me. Must try again (from behind the sofa).
The nickname "tragic" helps me adjust my expectations so I can appreciate it.
@@stevemcclue5759 The finale is the only one I listen.
Yes, it’s got to be one of the greatest ever!
This version has also hammer blows quite distinguishable from a common bass drum sound, which is an issue for most of the recordings (except Neumann Czech Phil who uses a common metallic hammer, in contradiction to the composer´s instructions).
Dave you have thrown me a curveball. Thought nothing could be darker and heavier than the James Levine with the LSO on RCA. Mildred would be terrified.
No comparison. I like Levine very much (except that he hates cowbells), but he's positively perky next to Bernstein. It has to do with the basic sonority of the ensemble.
Perhaps many of those who claim Bernstein's performances are too over-the-top aren't really attuned to the true eccentricities of Mahler in the first place.
That's what I've come to realize.
You saw it live!! Oh, what I would give to have been there. Probably would’ve taken me a month to recover.
Exactly what Mahler symphonies van do with a person.
I once attended Mahler 9 with Barenboim and Staatkapelle Berlin (in the year of their recording), and driving home, I felt as if nothing more could be expected from life.
Dear David... this is my to-go Mahler's 6th record now. I adore it, especially how good old Lenny conducts the climax of the andante, which always brings tears to my eyes. I started listening to this symphony with Solti and Chicago... could you review that one? I'm really interested in what you have to say about that record. Thank you!
Bernstein managed to observe all those musical specifications even under live performance conditions (several performances cobbled together).
Maybe it's an idea to start a series about recordings that are the most faithfull to the score or the composers's intentions?
I don't think that's possible.
Dear Mr. Hurwitz, is this the cover and recording with the Wiener Philharmoniker and not with the New Yorker?
Greetings from germany.
Watch the video. Look at the video description!
Yes, this is the Vienna Mahler 6.
The NY Philharmonic/Bernstein Mahler 6 is on Sony Classical.
@@DavesClassicalGuide Don't be too hard on him. His confusion likely arises from you saying "New York Philharmonic" when you hold up the recording at the beginning of the video. You obviously meant to say "Vienna Philharmonic," and do so throughout the rest of the presentation.
@@leestamm3187Some of his DG cycle was done with the NYPhil. When I first heard this one was, I thought it must have been me.
I saw him conduct that symphony with the Vienna Philharmonic in Tel Aviv around the time that recording was made. Unforgettable, even though i don't particularly like Mahler.
Dave has pretty much nailed it. However, for outright "creepiness" Michael Gielen is your man, in the 6th...
And much else. He was a creepy specialist.
Two hammer blows or three?
Who cares?
You gotta have 3, but Bernstein doesn't.
You don’t need 3. If you think you do, you actually need 5. But Mahler settled on 2. Anyway, no one cares because there are about a million other notes in this symphony and this Bernstein/Vienna recording is the greatest M6 on record.
As far as I know, there were 3 in the original score. Mahler later removed the final one. Some recordings preserve all 3. In his live video recording, so does Bernstein, if I’m not mistaken. Hence my question.
@@bombayteddy In an earlier version, he planned 5 hammer blows. He changed his mind about those, too. So my point was: if you don’t want to respect Mahlers final thoughts about it, why stop at 3?
Um. In your video description it says Lenny with the Vienna Phil, and then you open by mentioning Lenny and the New York Phil.
I'm assuming he didn't make two recordings with the NY crew, so that your video description is correct? (I couldn't read the text on the CD cover). Edited to add: the confusion finally clears up at around 6:36.
Yes, I misspoke. Sorry.
@@DavesClassicalGuide I wish I spoke as well as your mis-speaks.