| Site review by Castor June 25, 2006
|
Performance: Sonics (MC): |
At 88 minutes this is certainly not one of the swifter versions of this symphony. Solti (79.56m), Rattle (78m), Inbal (77.55m) are more representative of the norm. Total timings, however, should not be used to judge the quality of this excellent performance which never seems slow thanks to the assured way Nagano paces the music from its joyous start to sublime end.
The opening of Part 1 with choir, organ and orchestra in full cry, immediately establishes the superb quality of the recording made in the Philharmonie Berlin. As there is no audience present, this sometimes-problematic acoustic is shown to its best advantage and throughout there is a sense of space and air around the performers.
The soloists, orchestra and choir are beautifully terraced within the sound stage while the massive dynamic range is captured by the engineers with no sense of strain, even in the loudest climaxes. The weighty organ pedal notes are cleanly reproduced, adding to the recording’s sense of scale.
The soloists, as in most other recordings, are of a somewhat variable quality. Sylvia Greenberg sounds rather tentative and lacking in power in Part 1, not a match for either Heather Harper (Solti) or Christine Brewer (Rattle), while Robert Gambill does at times force his attractive voice too much and sounds effortful, particularly as Doctor Marianus in the second part of the work.
Part 2, a setting of the final scene of Goethe’s Faust, begins with a long orchestral introduction. Here Nagano’s fastidious ear for detail and control of dynamics is most impressive, although I could have done without his vocal exhortations from 4.56 and in a couple of other places later on. His attention to Mahler’s tempo markings is exemplary. To give one example, Mahler marks the orchestral passage before ‘Dir, der Unberührbaren’ [track 8], Adagissimo, and this is exactly the way Nagano conducts it to absolutely ravishing effect.
Some of the best singing in Part 2 comes from Sophie Koch and the veteran Jan-Hendrik Rootering, but in general all the soloists are impressive here.
The contribution of the three choirs is magnificent throughout the whole symphony, with accurate full-bodied singing and clear diction. The vindication of Nagano’s spacious interpretation is illustrated in the moving final Chorus Mysticus ‘Alles vergängliche ist nur ein Gleichnis’ which here makes an unforgettable impact.
The quality of the surround sound is outstanding with the rear channels used not only for adding ambience, but to reproduce the extra brass called for at the end of each part of the symphony, an effect not fully achievable in two-channel stereo.
On CD, Solti’s hyperactive version, with his almost unmatchable line-up of soloists, certainly still packs a punch, but the engineering now sounds somewhat artificial and contrived. Rattle is certainly exciting but drives the music too hard, and his disappointingly cramped recording does not do justice to the work’s sonic qualities.
The two SACDs are supplied in a slipcase with a lavish booklet that contains an excellent essay on the work, full texts and translations and some interesting photographs taken prior to the first performance in Munich.
This is a very recommendable purchase.
|
Copyright © 2006 Graham Williams and SA-CD.net
|
|
| Review by J.B. November 3, 2005 (12 of 12 found this review helpful)
|
Performance: Sonics (S): |
Vision and Beauty
As I said in my earlier, lengthier review for Amazon, I really think that this is a performance of truthful vision and of often staggering beauty, not least because of the truly magnificent, full and spaceous recording. The most endearing quality, in my very personal opinion, is its relaxedness, which I like very, very much. For me it truly underlines its deeply Romantic source material. But at the same time, this performance is never, ever boring. Well, yes, indeed it does seem slow - sometimes very, very slow - compared to for example Sir Simon Rattle's recording with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (on EMI). Some commentators - mainly those endeared with Rattle's quickening and freshly alive (more classical?) approach - find this performance lacking in coherence. This is not true: the coherence in Nagano's approach IMHO lies mainly in its quality to let the music breath freely and to let it unfold on itself (for as much such a thing is possible; but then again, this is my rather personal feeling about Nagano's steering). The music is allowed to bloom, helped enormously by the recording.
In the end it's all a matter of tastes, so I would like to say: if you really love Mahler's Eighth Symphony, you should maybe buy BOTH albums and compare ... and cherish.
|
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
| Review by jlaurson October 10, 2007 (3 of 3 found this review helpful)
|
Performance: Sonics (S): |
Kent Nagano's latest Mahler recording is now available in the U.S. and should bring the warm rain of Mahler-8 (re-)issues to a halt until Michael Tilson Thomas finishes his cycle with the garishly divine Symphony of a Thousand. Prior to Nagano, Sir Simon Rattle's recording with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra was hailed to the high skies in The Gramophone by Edward Seckerson. I was going to review it, but in stark contrast to Mr. Seckerson, I found it relatively unspecial and, if anything, a bit rushed in the first movement as well as lacking heft and mysticism in the second. In the same review Seckerson also tore apart the Nagano recording in the same over-the-top way with which he praised the Rattle 8th, so that, even before hearing either account, I felt that the review was probably a tad lopsided. I put the Rattle review off until the Nagano recording came out in the U.S. and bought myself two other live recordings of Mahler's 8th to compare for myself, meanwhile. The two were Kubelik's re-released live recording on an Audite SACD and Neeme Järvi's 8th on BIS. The latter is not what might come to mind for great Mahler, but it was highly recommended.
To have thought Mr. Seckerson's review "a tad lopsided" was, as it turned out, a mild understatement. To be sure, the Rattle recording is very fine - and I'd compare it to the famous Solti recording. (That, for most, would be some of the highest praise available. Not so with me, as I don't particularly think that the "epic" Solti recording is "all that," either.) The contributions of vocalists Brewer, Isokoski, Banse, Remmert, (Jane) Henschel, Villars, Wilson-Johnson, and Relyea are certainly more than adequate, but not spine-tinglingly exceptional. The same can be said about Nagano's Greenberg, Dawson, Matthews, Koch, Manistina, Gambill, Rother, and Rootering - the latter a better Pater Profundis than Mr. Releya. But I find Nagano's recording not only not worse (forgive me for the triple negatives) but indeed better than Rattle's. Everyone knows that Gramophone has a pro-British and pro-Rattle bias... but, difference in taste acknowledging, this is silly. Did Nagano shoot the editor's dog?
For once, I could not agree more with David Hurwitz's review on Classics Today, being usually rather sceptical of their reviews. He, too, hears the heft, the mystery in this work that is so utterly lacking from other performances.
"No other performance captures more of the music's mystery and sensuality, revels in the rich details of its orchestration to such a welcome degree, or offers such a clear and characterful distinction between the work's two parts. [...T]he atmosphere is palpable[...]"
That is perhaps one step further than I would go (I still think that the Ozawa recording has the edge on mystery and unearthly shimmer - especially in the Chorus mysticus), but it's very close to how I feel. Nagano does offer that shimmer, that deeper, more mysterious feel, a sound from other spheres - whereas Rattle offers sound from Birmingham Symphony Hall. The prominent organ in Nagano - never overwhelming but far more present than in many other recordings - is a much appreciated touch, too. At 88 minutes (the time it takes him for the second movement is well spent!) it comes on two CDs and is - much to its detriment, I think - not priced at a single disc's cost but at over $30. A major mistake on the part of Harmonia Mundi - given that much of the competition comes at the full price for one disc or less.
Before the positive impression, the first listen on inferior headphones was a shock. The choir, further back than in most recordings, sounded muffled to the point of being inaudible. Set back it is, though fortunately not nearly as badly captured as the ten-dollar headphones suggested. On speakers and Sennheiser headphones alike, it was a very different story.
Speaking of sound: on that plane, the Neeme Järvi recording can compete with any, live or studio. It is clear, brilliant even, yet not too bright, and it lets in plenty of light. At just about 70 minutes it is the fastest performance I know of - and it is proof that speed has little to do with whether a performance is great or not. I don't hesitate including Järvi's 8th among the great performances on record. The singing is very capable, again, and the orchestral contribution outstanding. Crisp it might be, but it transmits a sense of greater meaning, of a truly special occasion. Actually, it was performed for a special occasion, namely in honor of the victims of the M/S Estonia tragedy. Perhaps that explains the flawless playing of the orchestra - more than astounding for a one-off performance.
Speaking of such a performance, Rafael Kubelik's 8th on Audite was also captured on one night (June 24th, 1970, to be precise). There are truly glorious moments in it, especially among the chorus and the singers, which surge without bounds. Martina Arroyo, Erna Spoorenberg, Edith Mathis, Julia Hamari, Norma Procter, Donald Grobe, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, and Franz Crass certainly help. Vocally, this may be the most impressive 8th yet - unfortunately repeat listening is marred by some flat woodwinds and off brass. The first time it is hardly noticeable, but knowing the moments of slight failure has me cringe in anticipation. It's not a debilitating flaw, but a flaw nonetheless.
Among these four, although none are 'must-haves', Järvi comes out the unexpected 'victor' - but the more I listen to Nagano, the more I cherish his recording. Especially with Ozawa still out of print, this might be worth thinking about, despite its price.
|
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
