Mahler 10th Symphony

[Bob Stern]

I highly recommend the new recording of the Cooke completion of Mahler's 10th from a somewhat unlikely source: Thomas Dausgaard conducting the Seattle Symphony, on their own label from a concert last year.

 

It is my new favorite performance among the 6 recordings I own of the Cooke and Carpenter completions.

 

The 24/96 recording has unusually clean, sweet violins and a powerful bass drum.

 

I learned of it from an enthusiastic review by Stephen Chakwin in American Record Guide.

 

$19 at eClassical:

 

eClassical - Mahler: Symphony No. 10 in F-Sharp Minor (Completed D. Cooke, 1976) [Live]

[Snowmonkey]

Do the six you own include the Chailly/Berlin Radio Symphony version of Cooke's completion?

[Bob Stern]

Yes. The others I have are:

 

Chailly, RSO Berlin

Levine, Philadelphia

Litton, Dallas

Ormandy, Philadelphia

Rattle, Berlin Phil

 

(Litton is Carpenter. The others are Cooke.)

[Bob Stern]

When I made my original post I couldn’t think of how to describe Dausgaard's style.

 

Perhaps I'd describe it as expressive, nuanced and refined in a modern style, not romantic like Levine or Rattle. Sort of like Boulez at his best, when he's expressive rather than clinical. Or like Haitink's refinement and subtlety but with more drama and tension.

 

I like Dausgaard's Nielsen symphonies on Dacapo, and that modern Nordic sensibility informs his Mahler.

 

Overall, my favorite Mahler is Bernstein's hyper-romantic style (he did not perform the completions of the 10th), so it's out of character for me to like Dausgaard's modern approach. If there were an outstanding recorded performance in the romantic style I'd probably prefer it, but I don’t find Levine or Rattle completely persuasive. Chakwin, the reviewer, likes Rattle's older Birmingham performance more than Berlin, but I haven’t heard it.

[AnotherSpin]

I would love to check Dausgaard's Mahler, most of his recordings are very good. From previous 10th early Rattle with Bournemouth is most memorable, imho.

[Jay-dub]

Hmm. I don't have a recording of Mahler 10. I've been considering Gielen/SWR, Barshai/JDP, and Sanderling/Berlin SO. None of these are among your six.

[christopher3393]

The following are available on Tidal:

 

Gielen/SWR

Barshai/JDP

Sanderling/Berlin SO

Chailly/ RSO Berlin

Litton/ Dallas

Rattle/Bournemouth

Dausgaard/Seattle

Nezet-Seguin/ Orchestre Metropolitain

 

I don't have a lot of experience listening to Mahler, but I'm enjoying the Nezet-Seguin. Thanks for this thread.

[JJinPDX]

The following are available on Tidal:

 

Gielen/SWR

Barshai/JDP

Sanderling/Berlin SO

Chailly/ RSO Berlin

Litton/ Dallas

Rattle/Bournemouth

Dausgaard/Seattle

Nezet-Seguin/ Orchestre Metropolitain

 

I don't have a lot of experience listening to Mahler, but I'm enjoying the Nezet-Seguin. Thanks for this thread.

 

Many thanks! When I get back from my current trip, I'm going to cue these up. I have been "apprehensive" about Mahler, but now that I've started to listen, I'm sorry I hesitated. What an amazing experience!

[Bob Stern]

Stephen Chakwin, a reviewer I respect, listed his other favorite recordings of Mahler 10 completions in his Dausgaard review. (I believe the order is chronological):

 

Inbal, Frankfurt (inexpensive on Brilliant).

 

Rattle, Birmingham (EMI): Fresh.

 

Rattle, Berlin (EMI): Rich, but Birmingham slightly better for unspecified reasons.

 

Lopez-Cobos, Cincinnati (Telarc): Mazzetti completion is different from the others' Cooke completion.

[astrotoy]

Hi Bob, I have the very old Wyn Morris version on vinyl on Philips, which I think was the first recording of the Deryck Cooke completion. Haven't listened to it in a long time. Any thought if you have heard it? Thanks, Larry

 

PS. I first heard of Deryck Cooke through his recorded analysis of the themes and leitmotifs of the Ring Cycle, which Decca released as a supplement to the Solti Ring Cycle. He also wrote a brilliant, but unfortunately unfinished at his death, complex analysis of the Ring, "I Saw the World End".

[Bob Stern]

Hi, Larry,

 

Sorry, but I haven’t heard the Wyn Morris 10th.

 

I do have the CD of Cooke's analysis of the Ring leitmotifs, but I never got around to listening to it. Something to look forward to when I have more time!

[Kal Rubinson]

Hi Bob, I have the very old Wyn Morris version on vinyl on Philips, which I think was the first recording of the Deryck Cooke completion. Haven't listened to it in a long time. Any thought if you have heard it? Thanks, Larry

The Wynn Morris was the first recording of Cooke's 2nd performing version and released, afaik, in 1972. However, the first recording of Cooke's original completion of the M10 was by Ormandy/Philadelphia on Columbia released in 1964.

[trappy]

Hmm. I don't have a recording of Mahler 10. I've been considering Gielen/SWR, Barshai/JDP, and Sanderling/Berlin SO. None of these are among your six.

 

I highly recommend the Sanderling which I was listening to last night. Great performance (hair standing on end in places) and very good recording too.

[woodford]

how do you like the ormandy/philly recording? he's not the first conductor i think of when i think mahler, but i do like this, and they're such a wonderful orchestra.

[Bob Stern]

I haven’t listened to Ormandy in a long time, but based on my recollection and brief notes, I think Ormandy is superseded by Dausgaard. They have a similar "modern" avoidance of sentimentality, but Dausgaard is more detailed and nuanced. Of course, the sound quality is night and day.