I notice that the set by Gary Bertini has drawn rave reviews in some quarters. Any thoughts?
DavidA
It's a very good and consistent set, with no real weak performances, but none that I would rank as the "best". Very good sonics, though, and it features the best tenor soloists on record in Das Lied von der Erde. There's a little weirdness about how the symphonies are broken up, due to EMI's anti-musical insistence on cramming the most music onto the fewest discs. An additional disc or two would have made the set more user friendly - I think that this may be the only set that breaks up #4.
His 3, 4, 6 and 9 are excellent. Bertini did a very consistent set, and yet one which moves with the composer. So there's little of the Wunderhorn spirit in the later works, and the earlier Symphonies do retain a sort of rustic warmth. Brilliant orchestra, beautiful recording.
I have ripped and reordered as well. Probably the least well laid out box I have come across!
I have ripped and reordered as well. Probably the least well laid out box I have come across!
If I could only keep one set, it would be Bertini's. The sound is very good to excellent. The orchestral playing superb throughout and the conducting beyond reproach. Other than an incomplete 10th, it's terrific. Add a disk he made of some of the songs and you have a very fine Mahler collection. The way the symphonies are broken up isn't all that bad, although they really should have put #4 on it's own disk.
I was playing the 5th from this set last night. Excellent performance and possibly one of my favourite 5ths in the catalogue.
I spent a long time researching different Mahler cycles using this forum and Spotify, and I began to agree with what many here believe: it's nearly impossible to find a Mahler cycle where you enjoy every single symphony. I began to fall in love with different conductors for different symphonies, and in many cases specific movements from different recordings. This can be frustrating when trying to settle on one set to get for a good price! I started to understand the temptation to own 50 different cycles, after all many individual symphony releases cost the same as a full set!
Now all that being said, I wanted to spend my classical music recording budget on more than just a dozen different Mahler cycles (though that's a pretty tempting way to spend the budget), so I settled on Bertini's Mahler cycle, which was a bit of a risk considering that it's not on Spotify and hard to find samples of. I settled on it because I found two recordings on YouTube: one was the 5th which is my absolute favorite performance of the symphony, and the other was the 3rd, which was also a great performance though the YouTube version was a rip of the cassette tape release. When my personal set arrived, I could finally listen to every symphony and I was not disappointed! Each performance is wonderful, and once I did settle on this set, I started to appreciate it deeper, with 1 and 5 really standing out as my favorites.
My only gripe is that the first symphony is recorded live, which subjects the important quietness to audience coughing and general random noise. While this in part drives me insane, it also speaks for how wonderful the performance really is that I put up with it (though I know this doesn't bother everyone). The brisk take on the second movement has become my favorite interpretation of this movement, and in a way has ruined other performances of the first symphony in that every else feelllllssss sooooo slloooowwww. It's really incredible how much the quick pace adds to the excitement of the music here. (As a side note, if anyone has any recommendation for a recording of the first symphony that has a fast second movement and does not have the painful coughs and distractions of a live recording, I am all ears).
I could go on longer, but the simplest summary is this: the entire set is solid and if you're looking, like I was, to have a single Mahler cycle to enjoy until you can get around to spending more of your music budget on additional recordings, it's hard to go wrong choosing Bertini as an introduction to your Mahler journey.
Now all that being said, I wanted to spend my classical music recording budget on more than just a dozen different Mahler cycles (though that's a pretty tempting way to spend the budget), so I settled on Bertini's Mahler cycle, which was a bit of a risk considering that it's not on Spotify and hard to find samples of. I settled on it because I found two recordings on YouTube: one was the 5th which is my absolute favorite performance of the symphony, and the other was the 3rd, which was also a great performance though the YouTube version was a rip of the cassette tape release. When my personal set arrived, I could finally listen to every symphony and I was not disappointed! Each performance is wonderful, and once I did settle on this set, I started to appreciate it deeper, with 1 and 5 really standing out as my favorites.
My only gripe is that the first symphony is recorded live, which subjects the important quietness to audience coughing and general random noise. While this in part drives me insane, it also speaks for how wonderful the performance really is that I put up with it (though I know this doesn't bother everyone). The brisk take on the second movement has become my favorite interpretation of this movement, and in a way has ruined other performances of the first symphony in that every else feelllllssss sooooo slloooowwww. It's really incredible how much the quick pace adds to the excitement of the music here. (As a side note, if anyone has any recommendation for a recording of the first symphony that has a fast second movement and does not have the painful coughs and distractions of a live recording, I am all ears).
I could go on longer, but the simplest summary is this: the entire set is solid and if you're looking, like I was, to have a single Mahler cycle to enjoy until you can get around to spending more of your music budget on additional recordings, it's hard to go wrong choosing Bertini as an introduction to your Mahler journey.
I've been doing my own fairly comprehensive if not exhaustive survey of Mahler cycles for the last month or so, and have found that snappier performances of the second movement of the First suit me better as well. Boulez's moves along at a good clip, and that's a studio recording. Surprisingly, that recording turned out to be one of my favorite Firsts -- having never heard Boulez do Mahler before, I was put off, thinking it would be too clinical for my tastes, but I loved it. Wish I could hear Bertini's, but as others have said, it's not on Spotify and I don't want to shell out for another cycle when I have so many to listen through already. The glowing reviews upthread of the Fifth are tempting me, though.
Hey, it seems I followed the opposite path. I collected almost all my favourite performances, especially due to a huge Tennstedt imprint. Now, I even if I had the chance of ordering the two Bernstein cycles for a nice price, I had curiosity in two particular cycles. One that was constantly in my mind for how inconsistent it was, and the other set for the opposite reason. I'm talking about cycles that could rival or beat the Tennstedt recordings in matters of Sound Quality.
I've now ordered the Bertini Mahler set. I've been seeing some pictures and it seems to be beautiful from the outside, crafted in an elegant layout. I'm a person who usually never bothers for works split between cds, so I shouldn't be annoyed. What I'm annoyed about is that the other set, the Sinopoli Philharmonia I have in my hands already, features a (rather powerful) No.9 that has split movements, so the cue jumps every 3 or 4 minutes. It doesn't seem as ruined as my beloved Abbado CSO No.7.
I'll tell you what I think about this cycle when I finally have it on CD. I'm looking for terrific playing, but especially some food for thought, which I didn't have in my first and second spin of the cycle.
I've now ordered the Bertini Mahler set. I've been seeing some pictures and it seems to be beautiful from the outside, crafted in an elegant layout. I'm a person who usually never bothers for works split between cds, so I shouldn't be annoyed. What I'm annoyed about is that the other set, the Sinopoli Philharmonia I have in my hands already, features a (rather powerful) No.9 that has split movements, so the cue jumps every 3 or 4 minutes. It doesn't seem as ruined as my beloved Abbado CSO No.7.
I'll tell you what I think about this cycle when I finally have it on CD. I'm looking for terrific playing, but especially some food for thought, which I didn't have in my first and second spin of the cycle.
I got the Bertini Box on the mail today morning. Brand new. It's such an odd packaging work for the year it was released that I want to take pictures and post them here. Also, I'd like to spin it completely very soon, since the second time I challenged it along other Mahler cycles, I wrote too little.
What would you like to see from the box and what would you like me to comment about the music?
What would you like to see from the box and what would you like me to comment about the music?
Bertini EMI Mahler - Packaging
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This morning I could relax a bit more from my previous workload. I'm going to get hired soon and I should complete a video by Friday. However, I wanted to go back to those photo shootings from before, when I took pretty pictures of my CD collection. The Mahler set I just purchased is a curiosity, but it's rarely seen outside amazon and there are only a handful of pictures of the 2005 EMI set. This post will address the graphic design and packaging that carries these cds. Design is as often, from WLP Ltd in the hands of Stuart Wilson.
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This is a lightweight and glossy black box with the old EMI classics and WDR logos. I've needed a lot of tweaking to get rid of the reflections, and still my camera needed more light to take decent pictures.
The colours used are plain orange and plain red. Some pictures on the net show something more similar to blood orange, but it isn't that much to my eyes. The layout is one of the most distinctive I've seen in this age: using contrasted typographies with a serif display italic in low caps for the composer and conductor's name, and a Humanist Sans Serif in white for the names of the symphonies and orchestra. It is odd because of the strange use of light weights on the cover and the back, apart from the bigger size of the sans serif typography. The space between characters on Das Lied is really weird too. The text in the back cover is fairly visible but could have used more weight and less size in the information in white.
The space between the letters of the display typography (that who reads mahler and gary bertini) is negative. I can understand the effect the designer wanted to achieve, but the lack of ligatures between the letter r and the letters y and t create an unconfortable juxtaposition. Besides that, I really approve the choice of the display typography.
I could not leave without comment the wide spine, with more information than usual but really well displayed. Places the label, and the title in clear contrast. It then displays the number of discs and to my surprise the contents of the booklet. The only problem and I think all would notice, is that in a digital stereo set, this spine points out that the sound is in mono and stereo. Of course, the whole set is in stereo. But this was unfortunate.
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There are twelve items inside the box: 11 loose cardboard sleeves with their cds inside, and a thick booklet I'll describe below. The orange-red gradient of the cd covers is one of the most charming features of the set. In fact the only current alternative to the creativity of the front covers is the use of original cd covers from the set. You can look them up, I don't particularly like them.
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The thick paper booklet contains a detailed tracklist with the data of the symphonies, the track splitting, the date and place of recording and the producers, often being a collaboration from a WDR and a NHK professional. It is followed by an essay by Kyo Mitsutoshi written for the release of the cycle, just after Bertini's decease and describing the contrast between Bertini's style and the rest of Mahler performers. It is followed by a German and French translation of the same essay. The final section, and you may like this better, is a complete libretto of the vocal sections of the symphonies, in German, and English and French translations. There aren't too many pictures of the conductor and orchestra, just some from the Tokyo concert performances.
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The back of the sleeves (you should have seen them before on Amazon) share the same layout that characterizes the set cover, with a single conductor picture and displaying the essential information, really stylish in my taste, of the symphonies included inside the CD. All CDs are orange (plain ink) and blank/steel text. The same ornament is repeated throughout the design. It's just too old school in the present time, but it's just an item from the past.
The biggest issue for many people is the squeezing of the performances in the least amount of CDs possible. Both this set and the Sinopoli Eloquence are the only two I know that split the movements of the 4th symphony. Bertini places the final movement in the following CD and Sinopoli places the first movement apart from the rest. I kind of like the joyful song to come just after the stormy Ruhevoll. But I'm not one to complain about split symphonies. The set only splits the tracks of Symphony No.8 in small portions, like many sets do. All the rest are left on their whole.
Take into account that it would be impossible to fit Symphony No.4 just after the last movement of the No.3 like the Tennstedt Set does. The Bertini No.3 lasts for 1h and 40m. Just too long. The playing time given to CD3 in the back cover (65:22) is absolutely not the same as the booklet information (74:43).
I hope you like this essay. I think it's a set that if it was once sold as a budget edition, it now feels like a deluxe item compared to the new issues Warner and DG offer. It's really unique for the set. Though I don't know if Black would be the colour I would think for the music he plays. We will see.
This morning I could relax a bit more from my previous workload. I'm going to get hired soon and I should complete a video by Friday. However, I wanted to go back to those photo shootings from before, when I took pretty pictures of my CD collection. The Mahler set I just purchased is a curiosity, but it's rarely seen outside amazon and there are only a handful of pictures of the 2005 EMI set. This post will address the graphic design and packaging that carries these cds. Design is as often, from WLP Ltd in the hands of Stuart Wilson.
This is a lightweight and glossy black box with the old EMI classics and WDR logos. I've needed a lot of tweaking to get rid of the reflections, and still my camera needed more light to take decent pictures.
The colours used are plain orange and plain red. Some pictures on the net show something more similar to blood orange, but it isn't that much to my eyes. The layout is one of the most distinctive I've seen in this age: using contrasted typographies with a serif display italic in low caps for the composer and conductor's name, and a Humanist Sans Serif in white for the names of the symphonies and orchestra. It is odd because of the strange use of light weights on the cover and the back, apart from the bigger size of the sans serif typography. The space between characters on Das Lied is really weird too. The text in the back cover is fairly visible but could have used more weight and less size in the information in white.
The space between the letters of the display typography (that who reads mahler and gary bertini) is negative. I can understand the effect the designer wanted to achieve, but the lack of ligatures between the letter r and the letters y and t create an unconfortable juxtaposition. Besides that, I really approve the choice of the display typography.
I could not leave without comment the wide spine, with more information than usual but really well displayed. Places the label, and the title in clear contrast. It then displays the number of discs and to my surprise the contents of the booklet. The only problem and I think all would notice, is that in a digital stereo set, this spine points out that the sound is in mono and stereo. Of course, the whole set is in stereo. But this was unfortunate.
There are twelve items inside the box: 11 loose cardboard sleeves with their cds inside, and a thick booklet I'll describe below. The orange-red gradient of the cd covers is one of the most charming features of the set. In fact the only current alternative to the creativity of the front covers is the use of original cd covers from the set. You can look them up, I don't particularly like them.
The thick paper booklet contains a detailed tracklist with the data of the symphonies, the track splitting, the date and place of recording and the producers, often being a collaboration from a WDR and a NHK professional. It is followed by an essay by Kyo Mitsutoshi written for the release of the cycle, just after Bertini's decease and describing the contrast between Bertini's style and the rest of Mahler performers. It is followed by a German and French translation of the same essay. The final section, and you may like this better, is a complete libretto of the vocal sections of the symphonies, in German, and English and French translations. There aren't too many pictures of the conductor and orchestra, just some from the Tokyo concert performances.
The back of the sleeves (you should have seen them before on Amazon) share the same layout that characterizes the set cover, with a single conductor picture and displaying the essential information, really stylish in my taste, of the symphonies included inside the CD. All CDs are orange (plain ink) and blank/steel text. The same ornament is repeated throughout the design. It's just too old school in the present time, but it's just an item from the past.
The biggest issue for many people is the squeezing of the performances in the least amount of CDs possible. Both this set and the Sinopoli Eloquence are the only two I know that split the movements of the 4th symphony. Bertini places the final movement in the following CD and Sinopoli places the first movement apart from the rest. I kind of like the joyful song to come just after the stormy Ruhevoll. But I'm not one to complain about split symphonies. The set only splits the tracks of Symphony No.8 in small portions, like many sets do. All the rest are left on their whole.
Take into account that it would be impossible to fit Symphony No.4 just after the last movement of the No.3 like the Tennstedt Set does. The Bertini No.3 lasts for 1h and 40m. Just too long. The playing time given to CD3 in the back cover (65:22) is absolutely not the same as the booklet information (74:43).
I hope you like this essay. I think it's a set that if it was once sold as a budget edition, it now feels like a deluxe item compared to the new issues Warner and DG offer. It's really unique for the set. Though I don't know if Black would be the colour I would think for the music he plays. We will see.
Digital version of the front cover
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Wetransfer link for 4 different versions of the front cover. Just available for 7 days from now. 1470x1470px.
I also edited the cover of the set in case I ripped the CDs and put them on my phone. The use of four different items was really tough for me as a graphic designer. I made my choices. This has both the EMI and the brand new Warner versions. Good to see that they came up with a more iconic logo for their new sleeves. This was difficult to place on the right as they always did with EMI classics.
Wetransfer link for 4 different versions of the front cover. Just available for 7 days from now. 1470x1470px.
I also edited the cover of the set in case I ripped the CDs and put them on my phone. The use of four different items was really tough for me as a graphic designer. I made my choices. This has both the EMI and the brand new Warner versions. Good to see that they came up with a more iconic logo for their new sleeves. This was difficult to place on the right as they always did with EMI classics.
Bertini EMI-Weitblick Mahler - Music
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I've been holding my comments about the music in this box set for a long period of time, but listening to the order that arrived this week, I got new energies to post this. I'll try to develop it slowly.
This has been ranked as probably the most consistent Mahler cycle in the market, since the two Bernsteins had particular recordings that were never admired, the Kubelík DG could be helped by some live performances released by Audite, no one really considered the Tennstedt studio cycle as the one to go always, Solti is unfairly overlooked despite the weak No.9... But for some reason many Mahler listeners and scholar reviewers have been praising a particular EMI cycle for more than a decade.
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The Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra, Kölner Runfunk Sinfonie-Orchester, or now renamed WDR Sinfonieorchester, well into the 1980s and shortly before counting with the new Philharmonie (the hall that will provide some of the best acoustics caught on a Mahler record), surrendered to the ongoing Mahler fever. Gary Bertini, new Principal Conductor, started recording two Mahler symphonies in a couple studio locations around Cologne, plus a new No.4 with Lucia Popp in the new Philharmonie. Until then, Harmonia Mundi was the label which was releasing the records.
Could it be the level of detail and performance quality that convinced EMI to fund the ongoing Cologne project at the same time as the Tennstedt London cycle was recently closed. Grand, new records came from the Cologne Philharmonie well into the end of the decade. In 1991, the KRSO toured to Tokyo to perform with Bertini a complete Mahler marathon. The results and acoustics of the Suntory Hall satisfied the conductor so much that he asked NHK professionals to cooperate with the Cologne team to record some symphonies from the live concerts, though that didn't stop the label from recording remaining symphonies in studio conditions in Cologne the same year.
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This became Bertini's most important recording legacy, which was re-edited in 2005 shortly after his death and put in a bargain box set. Other live performances from him have been recorded in Tokyo, Berlin and Vienna. Is the music included, in the fullest quality possible, worth the praise?
The two previous times I had listened to this cycle, from rips, I was really pleased with the results but hardly could make one or two lines of comments about the performances. Now that I counted with a much better sound equipment (headphones, amplifier, 24bit sound from the laptop that somehow favours modern digital recordings to analogue), I gave the cycle a chance and purchased the whole thing. This should be a short breakdown of all the symphonies and the Song of the Earth live performance.
Symphony No.1 in D major
Live recording, Suntory Hall, Tokyo
November 1991 - 11/11
7.6/10
Because of the recording order and the mixed feelings of the first listen, I actually tried this recording twice. It's a well-recorded performance that would thank a bit more "colour" in the music, and that really suffers from a coughin audience in one of the most drone symphonies Mahler composed. I'm not the first to complain about this, and the member who pointed it out was close to call this performance a favourite because of the conducting approach that Bertini made, especially to the second movement. I add myself to those statements and I deeply appreciate the swiftness of the Kräftig bewegt. The conducting approach benefits a moderate pace while also speeding up in very particular sections.
The excellent quality of the orchestra is also present in this live performance, could it be the cello soloist in the Feierlich und gemessen or the whole string section in the complete symphony. Audible timpani included in the Stürmisch bewegt as well as the cymbals. I miss the audience applause, which is abruptly cut from the recording even if the cd has more room for music.
Symphony No.2 "Resurrection" in C minor
Studio recording Philharmonie, Cologne
April-May 1991 - 7/11
7.7/10
This is the first recording where I can taste the best features of the Kölner sound: clarity and detail in a very spacious acoustic that makes it up for some of the best-engineered 21st century Mahler No.2 performances. I noted down that the first movement was generally really loud. Florence Quivar sings the Ulricht sharply, not moving at all, but pristine and imposing. The colour is really charming and it becomes more alive in the final movement, aided by the resonance and the well-miked organ. Lastly, I could notice some of the playing mistakes in the end, quite more in the bells. Though off-putting, it becomes part of the music and blends with the intentions of the musicians.
Symphony No.3 in D minor
Studio recording Stollberger-Strasse, Cologne
March 1985 - 2/11
8.6/10
What to make of this? I had low hopes for the symphony on paper (recording location, mezzo choice, year of the recording... And the first five minutes of the opening were just as unimpressive as I was expecting. The brass was quite faulty in this mighty section that some maestros like Haitink or Tennstedt perform so magically. Witchcraft as I usually call it. But when that section is over is when things slowly begin to improve.
Even well into the Kräftig, the string section provides details and brilliance that are often unknown to my ears. The brass section harmonizes and stays focused. I hadn't experienced such a detailed and warm string playing in many Mahler 3rds, so I became much more interested. Harmony issues become apparent in the loud climaxes, noisier than some of the best-assembled counterparts I can think of. The best thing is that the "tension" and the "journey" of the music doesn't mitigate in the inner movements, and the details make me stay in the music longer than I imagined (yet the brass is not as fine as the other players).
In the end, the mezzo Gwendolyn Killerbrew is vocally beautiful, fitting in the silent and moving atmosphere of the second half. Also nice children choir. As for the demanding Finale, Bertini adds much more emotion than in previous movements and lets the orchestra lead the way to the listener, more than many of the most famous recordings. This Cologne performance gets some things the Haitink Bavarian Mahler 3rd didn't get later, even though the Münich-based orchestra would also improve significantly this style together with the BR engineering team. It's a full long journey (1h40m) into the nature of the composer and becomes indeed a Mahler No.3 that I didn't own yet.
Symphony No.4 in G major
Studio recording Philharmonie, Cologne
November-December 1987 - 3/11
6.1/10
Besides the pleasant string sound in the Ruhevoll, this is a performance that rarely lifts up. The Sehr behaglich is split to the other cd, and Popp sings beautifully (I still prefer the Tennstedt performance) but neither of her two recordings really grab me. This doesn't either, neither the playing or the sound quality.
Symphony No.5 in C sharp minor
Studio recording Philharmonie, Cologne
January-February 1990 - 4/11
8.2/10
Merl considered this studio release one of the most incredible recordings of the No.5. I would prefer other performers before this interpretation. The loud nature of the symphony plays against the strengths of our musicians, but Bertini covers it up with fast pace and strict control. There is no rest, it's just as intense and urgent as the symphony demands, and you have to add the extra-resonance of the Philharmonie and the details that the orchestra superbly delivers to the listener (less chances here than in others). The main issue of this performance and generally in the cycle are the noisier climaxes.
Symphony No.6 in A minor
Studio recording WDR Studios, Cologne
September 1984 - 1/11
6.4/10
The only similarity with the other performances is the detailed playing in the second half (Andante-Finale). It's a shame because no matter the lushy strings or the distant bells, the climaxes get muddier. Unpleasant brass in the loudest sections. It wanders through the music and what's worse, it communicates a sense of caution and fear of the own composition. Forgettable.
Symphony No.7 in E minor
Studio recording Philharmonie, Cologne
February 1990 - 5/11
8.1/10
The vibes, resonance, careful playing, are an evolution from No.5. Climaxes are not aggressive, and the vision of the conductor is clear and never wanders through the score, with dynamism, no rush. It levitates instead of becoming a roller coaster, just as most of this very good cycle. It qualifies as a HQ recommendation for me, and it could surprise you how well it is recorded compared to 21st century efforts.
Symphony No.8 in E major
Live recording Suntory Hall, Tokyo
November 1991 - 9/11
7.9/10
Sensational playing despite the boxier acoustics, and it's musically a great performance with no dull moment. The final climax is just as glorious as the Resurrection. So I'm really pleased even if I don't think that the symphony is as well-sung as other say, especially the tenor Paul Frey.
Das Lied von der Erde
Live recording Suntory Hall, Tokyo
November 1991 - 10/11
6.8/10
"Very particular singers". It's one of the statements I made in my comments. Both are full of stamina for me, to the point my throat almost hurts by listening to them. I don't end up liking Heppner's golden tone, and Lipovšek (mezzo) becomes a bit overdramatic to me. When it comes to the orchestra, they are in disadvantage against the score, playing loud as it says, and thus losing the chance to demonstrate how carefully they play (when they do, there's a singer between them and myself). And to ice the cake, the sound quality is not the closest or most colourful I could wish in this cycle.
Symphony No.9 in D major
Live recording Suntory Hall, Tokyo
February 1991 - 6/11
7.4/10
I don't post a better mark for this performance, but somehow I have more to say about this. This symphony was the toughest challenge for the musicians and the conductor. There were many things against them: austere darkest score for a light and detailed orchestra, boxier acoustics, crucial silent parts recorded in a concert hall. The producers preferred the tension of a live performance to the risks of a studio recording.
Bertini succeeds in portraying the dark mood and is able to keep the tension until the end. Not a gut-wretched performance by any means. The inner movements were fine and the final Adagio wasn't slow at all for me. The recording conditions were the drawback in the end. Not a winner as the previous recordings.
Symphony No.10 in F sharp minor - Adagio
Studio recording Philharmonie, Cologne
July 1991 - 8/11
7.5/10
I think that I listened to this Adagio along the No.1 or so, because I only had that time remaining. This recording was made in the Cologne Philharmonie unlike all the late symphonies, and I was still adjusting to the sound of this second part of the cycle. It's a really warm recording, could seem harmless, but the playing is marvellous. The solo instruments are very present in the soundscape. It's a constant string sound in loud volume, while the brass could sound a bit recessed to you. In the end, the music transitions from this romantic side to a more somber one, but always within a safe space. That's why it didn't end with such a high mark in my book.
[HR][/HR]
First thing I should say is that I disagree with the saying that the Bertini cycle has no duds. I strongly think that the early No.6 and No.4 stand quite behind the studio and live efforts of the 1990s performances. In fact, it's a miracle that the No.3 turned out so incredibly well. All odds were against them. Another thing I would have liked is the No.1 to be recorded in studio conditions without audience, but the risk of losing the essence of that particular performance is too scary. On the other hand, I don't think I like the famous Das Lied von der Erde, and I should only blame it to the choice of singers. Although the No.10 Adagio is a bit behind, all the rest of the symphonies are performed in an unique way that stands out from the rest of Mahler performances, especially the Flesh and Blood guys like Tennstedt, Solti and Kubelík, also Haitink, while making the quiet details of the score sound more sincere than Leonard Bernstein, since the energy and precision more like seems to come from the orchestra rather than the conductor.
All around, it's an unique cycle for its approach to the composer as it goes in an opposite direction to the rest of the maestros, and as long as you have in your collection one of his rivals as a reference, you should turn to Bertini to find out those nuances that often get lost between hectic climaxes. Only then, and if you agree with my thoughts about the No.4 and No.6 recordings, you should try to look for the Berlin live performances with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester performed in 1973 (No.6) and 2004 (No.4 with Camilla Nylund), released by Weitblick in very rare Japanese editions. Furthermore, the label fits the symphonies on each cd from the release and they would fix the EMI problem overall (only No.2, No.3 and No.9 would be split).
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Symphony No.4 in G major
Live performance Philharmonie, Berlin
February 2004
8.2/10
This is one of the last Bertini performances, a rare concert recording from the radio tapes which Weitblick acquired the copyright to release to Japan. The opening, again, doesn't give me lots of hopes, but it eventually grows on me. It's surprising because it's the same conductor but a different orchestra which is achieving a level of detail very similar to the best moments of the Cologne cycle.
At the end of the Bedächtig, I really thing that this performance is a good replacement for the studio recording. Not only that, as the clear sound improves the experience: the two next movements are also livelier. Probably they would look better if the quiet sections were quieter. Exciting journey but not as gripping as a Walter performance, but all soft sections are blissful. And in the end, I don't get a bliss from Camilla Nylund as other sopranos do, but the colour is just as good as you can get that year and her slightly monochromatic tone doesn't bother me at all compared to the sensorial journey that the orchestra provided me. You can even hear Bertini mumble in this last movement.
Symphony No.6 in A minor
Live performance Philharmonie, Berlin
April 1973
8/10
This early analogue performance has only something to do with the style that would impregnate the Cologne cycle. You can think of the urgency of the No.5 to come closer to this intense and unapologetic performance in Berlin. It's 1973 and this orchestra has no playing flaw, which makes it more incredible. The SQ is different from the Cologne cycle but surprisingly you get lots of orchestral details in the symphony. However, the DSOB colour is not the same as the Cologne. The sound is angrier, loud, yet detailed. Best thing is also that all the climaxes sound put-together and harmonious inside the general anger of the performance. The cymbal clash in the beginning of the Finale is oddly recorded, while the final bang was not that engulfing.
I was often praising the huge sound quality and how the instruments were miked. The recording of the Andante is a bit rough. It doesn't pull many comments from the liner notes' author but it's indeed anti-romantic and unsentimental, coherent inside the whole performance. The scherzo stressed me out too. So I was really tense with this music, and that meant the world to me. It's just half-way of the Cologne cycle if it wanted to be considered a "replacement", but the playing and conducting is so exciting that I don't really care.
[HR][/HR]
Although the Berlin No.6 shouldn't really count as a patch of the Cologne cycle in terms of spirit, the performing detail and thrill is more than enough to make me enjoy the symphony. No.4, for all the counts, (style, sound quality, single cd) makes for my perfect replacement. To wrap it up, I've managed, in two different editions, to compile the second consistent Mahler universe to challenge the Tennstedt London world with different weapons.
I don't think that any of these recordings alone are standouts, but the real value is the listening journey, one that for once, lets you watch the leafs closely, instead of the big trees. Get it while it lasts, but only if you want to have them all.
I've been holding my comments about the music in this box set for a long period of time, but listening to the order that arrived this week, I got new energies to post this. I'll try to develop it slowly.
This has been ranked as probably the most consistent Mahler cycle in the market, since the two Bernsteins had particular recordings that were never admired, the Kubelík DG could be helped by some live performances released by Audite, no one really considered the Tennstedt studio cycle as the one to go always, Solti is unfairly overlooked despite the weak No.9... But for some reason many Mahler listeners and scholar reviewers have been praising a particular EMI cycle for more than a decade.
The Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra, Kölner Runfunk Sinfonie-Orchester, or now renamed WDR Sinfonieorchester, well into the 1980s and shortly before counting with the new Philharmonie (the hall that will provide some of the best acoustics caught on a Mahler record), surrendered to the ongoing Mahler fever. Gary Bertini, new Principal Conductor, started recording two Mahler symphonies in a couple studio locations around Cologne, plus a new No.4 with Lucia Popp in the new Philharmonie. Until then, Harmonia Mundi was the label which was releasing the records.
Could it be the level of detail and performance quality that convinced EMI to fund the ongoing Cologne project at the same time as the Tennstedt London cycle was recently closed. Grand, new records came from the Cologne Philharmonie well into the end of the decade. In 1991, the KRSO toured to Tokyo to perform with Bertini a complete Mahler marathon. The results and acoustics of the Suntory Hall satisfied the conductor so much that he asked NHK professionals to cooperate with the Cologne team to record some symphonies from the live concerts, though that didn't stop the label from recording remaining symphonies in studio conditions in Cologne the same year.
This became Bertini's most important recording legacy, which was re-edited in 2005 shortly after his death and put in a bargain box set. Other live performances from him have been recorded in Tokyo, Berlin and Vienna. Is the music included, in the fullest quality possible, worth the praise?
The two previous times I had listened to this cycle, from rips, I was really pleased with the results but hardly could make one or two lines of comments about the performances. Now that I counted with a much better sound equipment (headphones, amplifier, 24bit sound from the laptop that somehow favours modern digital recordings to analogue), I gave the cycle a chance and purchased the whole thing. This should be a short breakdown of all the symphonies and the Song of the Earth live performance.
Symphony No.1 in D major
Live recording, Suntory Hall, Tokyo
November 1991 - 11/11
7.6/10
Because of the recording order and the mixed feelings of the first listen, I actually tried this recording twice. It's a well-recorded performance that would thank a bit more "colour" in the music, and that really suffers from a coughin audience in one of the most drone symphonies Mahler composed. I'm not the first to complain about this, and the member who pointed it out was close to call this performance a favourite because of the conducting approach that Bertini made, especially to the second movement. I add myself to those statements and I deeply appreciate the swiftness of the Kräftig bewegt. The conducting approach benefits a moderate pace while also speeding up in very particular sections.
The excellent quality of the orchestra is also present in this live performance, could it be the cello soloist in the Feierlich und gemessen or the whole string section in the complete symphony. Audible timpani included in the Stürmisch bewegt as well as the cymbals. I miss the audience applause, which is abruptly cut from the recording even if the cd has more room for music.
Symphony No.2 "Resurrection" in C minor
Studio recording Philharmonie, Cologne
April-May 1991 - 7/11
7.7/10
This is the first recording where I can taste the best features of the Kölner sound: clarity and detail in a very spacious acoustic that makes it up for some of the best-engineered 21st century Mahler No.2 performances. I noted down that the first movement was generally really loud. Florence Quivar sings the Ulricht sharply, not moving at all, but pristine and imposing. The colour is really charming and it becomes more alive in the final movement, aided by the resonance and the well-miked organ. Lastly, I could notice some of the playing mistakes in the end, quite more in the bells. Though off-putting, it becomes part of the music and blends with the intentions of the musicians.
Symphony No.3 in D minor
Studio recording Stollberger-Strasse, Cologne
March 1985 - 2/11
8.6/10
What to make of this? I had low hopes for the symphony on paper (recording location, mezzo choice, year of the recording... And the first five minutes of the opening were just as unimpressive as I was expecting. The brass was quite faulty in this mighty section that some maestros like Haitink or Tennstedt perform so magically. Witchcraft as I usually call it. But when that section is over is when things slowly begin to improve.
Even well into the Kräftig, the string section provides details and brilliance that are often unknown to my ears. The brass section harmonizes and stays focused. I hadn't experienced such a detailed and warm string playing in many Mahler 3rds, so I became much more interested. Harmony issues become apparent in the loud climaxes, noisier than some of the best-assembled counterparts I can think of. The best thing is that the "tension" and the "journey" of the music doesn't mitigate in the inner movements, and the details make me stay in the music longer than I imagined (yet the brass is not as fine as the other players).
In the end, the mezzo Gwendolyn Killerbrew is vocally beautiful, fitting in the silent and moving atmosphere of the second half. Also nice children choir. As for the demanding Finale, Bertini adds much more emotion than in previous movements and lets the orchestra lead the way to the listener, more than many of the most famous recordings. This Cologne performance gets some things the Haitink Bavarian Mahler 3rd didn't get later, even though the Münich-based orchestra would also improve significantly this style together with the BR engineering team. It's a full long journey (1h40m) into the nature of the composer and becomes indeed a Mahler No.3 that I didn't own yet.
Symphony No.4 in G major
Studio recording Philharmonie, Cologne
November-December 1987 - 3/11
6.1/10
Besides the pleasant string sound in the Ruhevoll, this is a performance that rarely lifts up. The Sehr behaglich is split to the other cd, and Popp sings beautifully (I still prefer the Tennstedt performance) but neither of her two recordings really grab me. This doesn't either, neither the playing or the sound quality.
Symphony No.5 in C sharp minor
Studio recording Philharmonie, Cologne
January-February 1990 - 4/11
8.2/10
Merl considered this studio release one of the most incredible recordings of the No.5. I would prefer other performers before this interpretation. The loud nature of the symphony plays against the strengths of our musicians, but Bertini covers it up with fast pace and strict control. There is no rest, it's just as intense and urgent as the symphony demands, and you have to add the extra-resonance of the Philharmonie and the details that the orchestra superbly delivers to the listener (less chances here than in others). The main issue of this performance and generally in the cycle are the noisier climaxes.
Symphony No.6 in A minor
Studio recording WDR Studios, Cologne
September 1984 - 1/11
6.4/10
The only similarity with the other performances is the detailed playing in the second half (Andante-Finale). It's a shame because no matter the lushy strings or the distant bells, the climaxes get muddier. Unpleasant brass in the loudest sections. It wanders through the music and what's worse, it communicates a sense of caution and fear of the own composition. Forgettable.
Symphony No.7 in E minor
Studio recording Philharmonie, Cologne
February 1990 - 5/11
8.1/10
The vibes, resonance, careful playing, are an evolution from No.5. Climaxes are not aggressive, and the vision of the conductor is clear and never wanders through the score, with dynamism, no rush. It levitates instead of becoming a roller coaster, just as most of this very good cycle. It qualifies as a HQ recommendation for me, and it could surprise you how well it is recorded compared to 21st century efforts.
Symphony No.8 in E major
Live recording Suntory Hall, Tokyo
November 1991 - 9/11
7.9/10
Sensational playing despite the boxier acoustics, and it's musically a great performance with no dull moment. The final climax is just as glorious as the Resurrection. So I'm really pleased even if I don't think that the symphony is as well-sung as other say, especially the tenor Paul Frey.
Das Lied von der Erde
Live recording Suntory Hall, Tokyo
November 1991 - 10/11
6.8/10
"Very particular singers". It's one of the statements I made in my comments. Both are full of stamina for me, to the point my throat almost hurts by listening to them. I don't end up liking Heppner's golden tone, and Lipovšek (mezzo) becomes a bit overdramatic to me. When it comes to the orchestra, they are in disadvantage against the score, playing loud as it says, and thus losing the chance to demonstrate how carefully they play (when they do, there's a singer between them and myself). And to ice the cake, the sound quality is not the closest or most colourful I could wish in this cycle.
Symphony No.9 in D major
Live recording Suntory Hall, Tokyo
February 1991 - 6/11
7.4/10
I don't post a better mark for this performance, but somehow I have more to say about this. This symphony was the toughest challenge for the musicians and the conductor. There were many things against them: austere darkest score for a light and detailed orchestra, boxier acoustics, crucial silent parts recorded in a concert hall. The producers preferred the tension of a live performance to the risks of a studio recording.
Bertini succeeds in portraying the dark mood and is able to keep the tension until the end. Not a gut-wretched performance by any means. The inner movements were fine and the final Adagio wasn't slow at all for me. The recording conditions were the drawback in the end. Not a winner as the previous recordings.
Symphony No.10 in F sharp minor - Adagio
Studio recording Philharmonie, Cologne
July 1991 - 8/11
7.5/10
I think that I listened to this Adagio along the No.1 or so, because I only had that time remaining. This recording was made in the Cologne Philharmonie unlike all the late symphonies, and I was still adjusting to the sound of this second part of the cycle. It's a really warm recording, could seem harmless, but the playing is marvellous. The solo instruments are very present in the soundscape. It's a constant string sound in loud volume, while the brass could sound a bit recessed to you. In the end, the music transitions from this romantic side to a more somber one, but always within a safe space. That's why it didn't end with such a high mark in my book.
[HR][/HR]
First thing I should say is that I disagree with the saying that the Bertini cycle has no duds. I strongly think that the early No.6 and No.4 stand quite behind the studio and live efforts of the 1990s performances. In fact, it's a miracle that the No.3 turned out so incredibly well. All odds were against them. Another thing I would have liked is the No.1 to be recorded in studio conditions without audience, but the risk of losing the essence of that particular performance is too scary. On the other hand, I don't think I like the famous Das Lied von der Erde, and I should only blame it to the choice of singers. Although the No.10 Adagio is a bit behind, all the rest of the symphonies are performed in an unique way that stands out from the rest of Mahler performances, especially the Flesh and Blood guys like Tennstedt, Solti and Kubelík, also Haitink, while making the quiet details of the score sound more sincere than Leonard Bernstein, since the energy and precision more like seems to come from the orchestra rather than the conductor.
All around, it's an unique cycle for its approach to the composer as it goes in an opposite direction to the rest of the maestros, and as long as you have in your collection one of his rivals as a reference, you should turn to Bertini to find out those nuances that often get lost between hectic climaxes. Only then, and if you agree with my thoughts about the No.4 and No.6 recordings, you should try to look for the Berlin live performances with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester performed in 1973 (No.6) and 2004 (No.4 with Camilla Nylund), released by Weitblick in very rare Japanese editions. Furthermore, the label fits the symphonies on each cd from the release and they would fix the EMI problem overall (only No.2, No.3 and No.9 would be split).
Symphony No.4 in G major
Live performance Philharmonie, Berlin
February 2004
8.2/10
This is one of the last Bertini performances, a rare concert recording from the radio tapes which Weitblick acquired the copyright to release to Japan. The opening, again, doesn't give me lots of hopes, but it eventually grows on me. It's surprising because it's the same conductor but a different orchestra which is achieving a level of detail very similar to the best moments of the Cologne cycle.
At the end of the Bedächtig, I really thing that this performance is a good replacement for the studio recording. Not only that, as the clear sound improves the experience: the two next movements are also livelier. Probably they would look better if the quiet sections were quieter. Exciting journey but not as gripping as a Walter performance, but all soft sections are blissful. And in the end, I don't get a bliss from Camilla Nylund as other sopranos do, but the colour is just as good as you can get that year and her slightly monochromatic tone doesn't bother me at all compared to the sensorial journey that the orchestra provided me. You can even hear Bertini mumble in this last movement.
Symphony No.6 in A minor
Live performance Philharmonie, Berlin
April 1973
8/10
This early analogue performance has only something to do with the style that would impregnate the Cologne cycle. You can think of the urgency of the No.5 to come closer to this intense and unapologetic performance in Berlin. It's 1973 and this orchestra has no playing flaw, which makes it more incredible. The SQ is different from the Cologne cycle but surprisingly you get lots of orchestral details in the symphony. However, the DSOB colour is not the same as the Cologne. The sound is angrier, loud, yet detailed. Best thing is also that all the climaxes sound put-together and harmonious inside the general anger of the performance. The cymbal clash in the beginning of the Finale is oddly recorded, while the final bang was not that engulfing.
I was often praising the huge sound quality and how the instruments were miked. The recording of the Andante is a bit rough. It doesn't pull many comments from the liner notes' author but it's indeed anti-romantic and unsentimental, coherent inside the whole performance. The scherzo stressed me out too. So I was really tense with this music, and that meant the world to me. It's just half-way of the Cologne cycle if it wanted to be considered a "replacement", but the playing and conducting is so exciting that I don't really care.
[HR][/HR]
Although the Berlin No.6 shouldn't really count as a patch of the Cologne cycle in terms of spirit, the performing detail and thrill is more than enough to make me enjoy the symphony. No.4, for all the counts, (style, sound quality, single cd) makes for my perfect replacement. To wrap it up, I've managed, in two different editions, to compile the second consistent Mahler universe to challenge the Tennstedt London world with different weapons.
I don't think that any of these recordings alone are standouts, but the real value is the listening journey, one that for once, lets you watch the leafs closely, instead of the big trees. Get it while it lasts, but only if you want to have them all.
Can I assume, Granate, that you listened to every bar of the Bertini cycle rather than sampling?
I will confess it has been a long time since I listened to Bertini's Mahler cycle. But I do remember being more impressed/moved by his 4th and 6th than you were, and less so by his 5th. Perhaps I should revisit....
A Korean person uploaded the Berlin recording of Symphony No.4. I post it so you can listen and find out if I was right praising this recording. I consider it worthier than the studio performance, and still one of the best performances I've ever listened to.
Granate - (Bertini) - Very nice, and so well-played! Well, if a person retains a certain affection for Walter, or Szell, or Horenstein, then there it is, in a sense. Also, if a conductor maintains a sane ... yet flexible ... in this most-flexible, (maybe) most-lyrical of Mahler Symphonies, I don't see how a talented person/conductor can go WRONG. Well, opinions only ... and thanks!
Second part of this double CD. Here is Symphony No.6 conducted in 1973, certainly not as "well-recorded" as the studio version in Cologne, but an interpretation that really excites me.
I must confess to never having greatly liked the set. I did like Bertini's 1st but found many of the performances a little lacking in character. I suppose the 1st responds better than the others to Bertini's straightforward approach but feel that most of the performances are just a little ordinary. This opinion is based on comparison with performances I prefer: for each of the symphonies there are several accounts I would listen to before turning to Bertini. This is not about my preferring one approach over others - I often enjoy Bernstein and Kubelik, for example - but rather my inability to identify a personality (except "straightforward") in Bertini's work. To take my examples of Bernstein and Kubelik, both are very different and yet both overflow with personality.
Absolutely agree Enthusiast. In the end I also prefer to enjoy on the run more "hectic" performers of the likes of Tennstedt, Kubelík and Bernstein. But what I love about this set is how it shows Mahler's music is way more than a succession of tuttis and climaxes, and that a Mahler conducting approach can be musical and balanced at the same time, that the continuous but underlying phrasing can be a "vision" of his music.
Either Symphonies No.5, No.6 (from Berlin) and No.7 have equally exciting approaches, but to certain extent that do not usually rival the best Lenny/Tennstedt/Kubelík moments. That's why I left the Bertini box at home again and brought my Tennstedt CDs. But those three still have lots of music inside that these other three conductors do not often play with care because these are not extracts that audiences find memorable.
And I am turning more and more times to that No.1 thanks to Bertini's conducting.
Either Symphonies No.5, No.6 (from Berlin) and No.7 have equally exciting approaches, but to certain extent that do not usually rival the best Lenny/Tennstedt/Kubelík moments. That's why I left the Bertini box at home again and brought my Tennstedt CDs. But those three still have lots of music inside that these other three conductors do not often play with care because these are not extracts that audiences find memorable.
And I am turning more and more times to that No.1 thanks to Bertini's conducting.
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