What Are You Listening To (Classical Version)?

I've always thought of Mahler's 4th as oddly fitting Christmas music... perhaps it's the very first few bars, perhaps the fact that it's in general the lightest of his symphonies... regardless, here's a fine performance (though I'm usually not overly fond of Bernstein's Mahler interpretations)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-fMmyUCBXc
 
@Kullervo I got to admit that i am not quite the Mahlerian, but I am going to try to make amends for that in the year to come. Is there any particular cycle of his symphonies you will recommend?
And since this is the main evening for my American friends, here is a work by an American composr with a most fitting theme.

Link to video.
 
I should start by telling you to avoid Gustavo Dudamel's Mahler recordings. They are not good, deviate from the score quite a bit, and he does strange things with the tempos. In general, some of the best Mahlerian conductors are Claudio Abbado, Michael Tilson Thomas, Pierre Boulez (with some exceptions,) Bernard Haitink, Jascha Horenstein, and Sir Simon Rattle.

The first symphony is quite good in any performance, really. Abbado and Bernstein are good bets.

The second symphony is best performed by Pierre Boulez, seconded by Simon Rattle with the Symphony of Birmingham orchestra.

The Third symphony... I will made the exception here of recommending Dudamel. He actually does a good third symphony. However, Abbado is equal if not superior.

The fourth symphony... the one I linked is one of the best. Abbado with the Berlin Philarmonic in general is good for Mahler, including this one, because he has Renee Fleming as a soloist.

The 5th... John Barbirolli with the New Philarmonia and Rafael Kubelik with the Bavarian symphony orchestra are excellent. A close second is Valeriy Gergiev with the World Orchestra for Peace (available on youtube.)

The 6th belongs firmly to Simon Rattle, though Abbado with the Berlin Philarmonic once again comes in a close second.

The 7th... this one's complex. Bernstein is excellent EXCEPT for his handling for the 3rd movement, which he takes far too slowly. Abbado makes a mess of the first and second movements, but does the best 3rd movement I've heard. Overall, you're best getting Michael Tilson Thomas' LSO recording.

The 8th. Horenstein. Period. Horenstein with the LSO, 1959, Albert Hall. Prepare to have your mind blasted into an alternate, wonderful dimension of beauty. But if you really, really don't want to get it (what's wrong with you?) good versions include Valeriy Gergiev at the Arena Zagreb and Simon Rattle with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.

The 9th... this one's a special piece to me. Even though I avoid labels like favourite piece of music... this one would be an exception. I am VERY fond of Claudio Abbado with the Lucerne festival orchestra. Giulini with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra also does a marvelous rendition. Despite my high opinion of Horenstein, I don't like his performance of the 9th... also, Haitnik is worth consideration for the 9th.

The 10th is difficult to handle because of the different versions of it that exist. The best one I know of is Eugene Ormandy with the Philadelphia Orchestra performing the Cooke (I) version.
 
Thanks a lot. I really appreciate your effort. Will look for those Horenstein recordings, as well as Abbado, Boulez and Haitink in the first place, all the more since I already have some of their Mahler recordings, and also keep my eys open for Rattle. Still a bit sceptic to Bernstein, I am afraid.He seems to me to be too indulgent many times, and those slow tempos of his...
Also a pity that you don't mentioned Chailly, since I actually have his whole cycle back in Norway, but as far as I have established he is indeed a bit controversial. If you don't mind I would also like to hear your opinion about Inbal, Tennstedt and in particular Norrington.
In any case, thanks again.:)
And now for something completely different. Johann Mattheson may be best known as a theoretician and the man who almost killed Handel, but he was also a useful composer. Here is his Christmas oratorio, a fine work.

Link to video.
 
I didn't mention Chailly because I have yet to make up my mind about him. However, I can say that his 1st is quite palateable (by this 40$ word I mean very good, my apologies,) as is his 7th. My issue with Chailly is that he often seems to be all style but little substance. There is often too little emotion behind his conducting, none of the passion which makes conductors like Abbado and Bernstein stand out to me. Despite his more-than-liberal handling of tempo and often instrumental balance, Bernstein always has passion in his Mahler symphonies.

Norrington and Inbal both fall into the same trap: too much style, too little raw passion. They are all consistently good, but never among my top 3-5.

By the by, the by, here is a link to the finale of the Horenstein Mahler 8th, the celebrated 1959 performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiJOcLMkLP8&list=FLRUkpnDsh2M5rVkCWd9BxRw&index=7

And here is Claudio Abbado performing the 9th with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry23OmV7gIA
 
Yes I get your point, but I got that chailly set on a real bargain prize and besides that i liked some other things he had done. I had the feeling something was missing, though. The reason I asked about Norrington is that I have difficulties with making my up my mind about him; as somebody interested in the classical era I appreciate a lot what he did for the HIP movement, and some of his work there is great, but his forays into the Romantic era seem less impressive. I once did the mistake of purchasing his version of Bruckner's 4, and to put it mildly that was not one of my best decisions concerning music. So I just wondered if he had the same dificulties with Mahler, which then seems to be the case.
I have already ordered Horenstein and will go searching for a complete Abbado cycle. I have also decided to give Bernstein a chance; if my memory serves me well, I seem to remember having watched a film of his many years ago - I believe it was entitled the Little Drummer Boy - and I assume that he does Mahler better than a lot of other music.
Anyway in the meantime I return to Bruckner and one of my favourite conductors - Otto Klemperer,here in # 7.


Link to video.

Link to video.

Link to video.

Link to video.
 
Possibly the least known of Mendelssohn's symphonies, for reasons which elude me. A very good performance, despite a somewhat controversial handling of the timpani and a slightly too slow 2nd movement.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAwNEawieDE
 
I must admit I wasn't aware he had a second concerto. This is interesting...

Contributing to your campaign, Healey Willan's interesting piano concerto. Though it's not genius, it nonetheless is very pleasant and surprisingly modern for his time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEGQUDstJy0
 
Both his concerto can be found in Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concertos, Vol. 47 together with, of all things, the one by Felix Draeseke.
And thanks for your contribution, I have only heard that charming piece a couple of times.
Tonight I am presenting a couple of symphonies by Rued Langgaard, another personal favourite of mine.

Link to video.

Link to video.

Link to video.
 
With Draeske's concerto? That seems like a bit of a clash of style... I think even Alnaes' concerto would fit in better, especially since it's of a decent length.
 
I'll wish you all a happy New Year with two pieces of music.

This one is one of the quintissential pieces of classical music, I feel. There's a good chance that somebody who gets started on classical music in adolescence or adulthood starts with this piece; Gustav Holst's 'The Planets'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApfGfCQHGWw

And this one... well, this one is special to me personally. I feel that even setting aside my personal connections to this piece, it is a highly enjoyable and beautiful piece. Shostakovich's Waltz no. 2 from his Suite for Varied Orchestra.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmCnQDUSO4I
 
Starting the new year with a great symphony by one of my compatriots, Johan Svendsen. It was this work which prompted Grieg to write on the frontispice of his symphony "should never be performed. This is understandable considering that Svendsen's is the much superior one, indeed he was contrary to Grieg a master in the great formats and we can only regret that his wife destroyed his 3rd symphony. Hope you will enjoy this fine music only half as much as I do myself.

Link to video.
 
My my, and here was I thinking I was one of the only people in the world who knew Svendsen well. Everyone I speak to, even my composition professor in college, have only heard the name but not the works. Or not heard the name at all.

In the meantime, to keep the three people interested in this sort of thing topped up on classical music, Eduard Franck's worthy cello sonata no. 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijJeG1pni04
 
I sure hope your professor will listen to you.
And carrying on with presenting music from my ancestry (my family originally emigrated to Norway from Denmark four generations ago), here are two works by the third great Nielsen - Ludolf.

Link to video.

Link to video.
 
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