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Reviews: Mahler: Symphony No. 2 - Wiener Philharmoniker/Kaplan

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Reviews: 10

Review by beardawgs October 23, 2003 (2 of 2 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:
Gilbert Kaplan is the man whose life is Mahler’s second symphony. He is not a trained conductor, just a man who loves his music, or to be precise, who loves his ‘Resurrection’ symphony. We haven’t heard his earlier recording for EMI, which is apparently the best selling cd of any Mahler’s symphony. And we can see why, after living with this performance for a month now. The impact of this recording is mind-blowing. Maybe it has to do with the fact that one knows that one is listening a talented amateur conducting, but this guy is wonderful. Every detail, every shade is there, incredibly precise and accurate, the orchestra (beyond praise) responds with élan only matched by their conductor’s conviction. Trying to sample this disk won’t work – after only a couple of bars it grips you like an iron clasp and won’t let you go until you hear all of it. We could go on and on about every detail of this incredible performance, but it would take far too long. Even if you are new to Resurrection symphony look no further, it is one of the most amazing symphonies ever written and Kaplan is giving it full justice with this CD. One can easily understand how he got hooked.

The recording was made by Emil Berliner Studios (in 69 kHz, THANK YOU DG, it was about time!) and it proves that they can actually MAKE a fantastic surround recording. Presumably Kaplan himself financed at least the part of the whole venture, but we hope that DG will learn something from this experience. They can do it, only if they want to. To be honest, this symphony is also a perfect medium for MC recording, with remote and off stage brass band in the final movement, and you can really hear it all around you. The build up to the enlightening choral finale is overwhelming. It’s huge, it’s clear, it’s focused, it’s everything that a good recording should be. After hearing this, you won’t be able to listen to more and more mediocre “multichannel” recordings made in the control room with artificial lexicon effects plugged into the back channels (or should we say the latest bunch from Harmonia Mundi, more about that in the forum). This recording can be a blessing and a curse, depending from individual point of view – we love every bit of it, and cannot recommend it highly enough.

On the down side, Kaplan’s notes in the booklet are a bit mediocre, explaining in details what ‘con legno’, ‘tam-tam’ and ‘glissandos’ are, but we doubt that any Charlotte Church or Russell Watson fan will reach for this CD anyway. Also, something strange happens with the recording in the final choral build up, when the complete sound image strangely shrinks, and at least one crescendo doesn’t reach it’s peak (re-miking?). But that lasts only for some 30 or so seconds, and the dynamic range recovers for where it’s mostly needed.

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Review by Russell November 24, 2003 (1 of 1 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:
Gilbert Kaplan is, as most people know by now, a successful businessman-turned-amateur-conductor who has devoted much of his life to researching and conducting Mahler, the Resurrection Symphony in particular. He made a recording of this symphony with the LSO in 1988, and it was a respectable interpretation, though without (for me) any particular insight or distinction that placed it apart from others in an extremely crowded field. He's now recorded the symphony again, and in a "new critical edition", to boot. He's got a better orchestra in the Vienna Philharmonic (they play beautifully), and much better sound quality (see below), but I still find it a bit too earthbound and well-mannered, despite some impressive moments in spots. The final movement suffers most in this respect; I definitely missed a sense of awe and exaltation here. The first movement is the most impressive of the five--it's broadly paced, but played with convincing conviction. The tremulous mezzo soloist is a liability.

By contrast, Seiji Ozawa, with the Saito Kinen Orchestra on a Sony JSACD, is much tighter and more forthright; he moves the music along with a sense of urgency that's missing from Kaplan's performance. It's one of Ozawa's most impressive recordings, IMO, and overall one of the best Mahler 2nds I've heard.

I'm much happier with DG's sonics, which are tremendous--the best I've heard from a DG SACD so far. (I listened in stereo.) There's some question as to whether this is an original DSD recording or not, but the booklet indicates that a 96kHz, 24-bit recording is what's on the SACD layer. In any case, I heard no hint of PCM edginess. There's a wonderful spread, both vertically and laterally, with adequate depth. Also in evidence is the peculiar (to my ears) reverberant sound of the Musikverein, which I also hear in other DG recordings of the Vienna Phil. Everything sounds pretty natural (there's precious little of the stridency that often mars recordings from this source) and there's a very nice, enveloping warmth and richness. Dynamic range is huge. The loud passages can get a little congested, and there's some occasional spotlighting (due to multimiking, no doubt), but these are not serious problems. All in all, an excellent effort on the part of DG.

BTW, the sonics on the Ozawa JSACD are scarcely less impressive. It's not quite as warm or full-bodied as the DG, but it still has good weight and 'oomph' when called for, and it's got a touch more 'air' and transparency.

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Review by Chris December 18, 2003
Performance:   Sonics:  
Definitely one of the best recordings ever from this source.Many music lovers know that DGG´s recordings can sound both strident,hard and artificial. But when heard in stereo over my new Sennheiser HD 650 headphones and via the new Musical Fidelity X-Can V3 and the new X-PSU V3 power supply and my modded Xindak SCD-2 valve output SACD player I can only say that this is indeed a stunner. A bit close-miked at times yes, and also very reverberant.But also very natural ,very smooth and realistic.This is indeed very much what the Vienna Philarmonic sound like, live in the Musikverein. This was obviously DG´s first high res release, done in 24/96.And yes, it is clearly better than the Boulez Mahler "Das Lied von der Erde" which was done in 24/48.Next time I would like them them to use pure DSD

From a purely musical standpoint I think that both the old Klemperer on HMV, and the Decca Solti for that matter, are better.But the new DGG Kaplan is ,although a bit tame, not that far behind two of the best recordings ever made from both a technical and musical standpoint.
The old Klemperer is beginnning to show it´s age. Especially the massed strings sound a bit hard ,but I think it still rules as an interpretation.Elisabeth Schwarzkopf is hard to beat and neither of Kaplans soloists quite measure up to either Schwarzkopf or Hilde Rössel Maydan.
Solti´s interpretation is also more majestic and dramatic, than Kaplan´s and holds its own against the newcomer ,quite well as a recording, after all these years.
But it is at times very obviously multimiked too, and doesn´t always sound as clean as the new DG
My comparison was done from original LPs of the two classic recordings.

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Review by Dan Popp January 25, 2004 (0 of 3 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:
I bought this double-disc recording for $15. It is without a doubt the best classical SACD I own; the sonics are clear yet deep, and the power of the low end makes my small speakers sound quite large indeed. Awesome. Stunning.

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Review by sgb March 7, 2004 (0 of 1 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:
When it comes to the Resurrection Symphony, I'm something of a Will Rogers: I never heard one I didn't like. Having listened to this work in live performances two times — once with the Houston Symphony, the other in New York almost 30 years ago — and owning almost 3 dozen different recordings in various formats (3 in the SACD format), over the past 33 years, one might assume that this is my favorite symphonic work, and he/she would be right.

Kaplan's provides us a rather standard interpretation without, as Russell notes below, any distinctive interpretation or insight (newly revised edition notwithstanding). We are not bolted to our chairs by musical rapture, nor are we treated to any spiritual epiphany as we were with Walter's similarly-paced recording for Columbia. Nor are we confronted with the bold instrospection and deliberateness of Mehta's 1973 triumphant account with the very same Vienna Philharmonic. Kaplan appears to have chosen to reign in his orchestra, perhaps owing to some conductorial reluctance or apprehension. I'm most aware of this in the Urlicht. Still, I find reward in his pensive pauses that many another has overlooked.

Though I'll concede that this is among the best DGG recordings I've heard, the sound is not as thrillingly real as I had anticpated it would be from the many positive assessments other enthusiasts have given it (I listen in stereo only). There's a dry stridency to the chorus that I notice almost continuously (particularly the tenor parts, "Was vergangen, auferstehen" and "Bereite dich", in track 24), leaving me unconvinced that this is anything more than a slightly above-average sounding recording. Were the sound stage a bit more plausible, I could overlook the problems in the last movement and agree with those more generous than I have been here.

Perhaps the MTT/SFSO will be the one to hear.

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Review by Monteverdi March 8, 2004
Performance:   Sonics:
This is a thoughtful and carefully considered performance marvelously played by the VPO. Having said that, I must also add for me it lacks the spark that distinguishes the finest Mahler performances. I miss the sheer commitment I find evident in both Bernstein recordings. I look forward to Michael Tilson-Thomas' San Francisco cycle having recently thrilled to his unforgettable Mahler 6 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Disney Hall.
The DG SACD Multi-channel recording/mix is good, but I miss the sense of "limitlessness" that a DSD original recording would have given to this project.
©DAE 2004

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Review by thepilot August 29, 2004 (1 of 4 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:
This recording is not bad at all, though the transfer from PCM to DSD and the multitude of microphones twists the placement of instruments, voices and soloists too much. Three stars for the sound (let's hope that Telarc's Mahler Second with Zander wiil have the usual Telarc stunnig sound). The performance is only moderately good. True, Kaplan understands this music and has studied the symphony for many many years, but go back to Klemperer, Rattle, Walter and Solti to feel the true vision of the work, that Kaplan for all the excellence of the forces he has at his disposal only hints at. Stick with Litton if you want a good SACD Mahler 2nd, or wait for Telarc's or Tilson Thomas MTT forthcoming recordings of the work. Or better still listen to Rattle's awesome EMI CD recording through Prologic IIx and a good 7.1 setup (like Bill's).

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Review by fluffn0se January 4, 2005 (2 of 4 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:
Mahler's 2nd Symphony

I've only ever heard this symphony on the earlier Bernstein CD cycle (and the radio once or twice), which I like a lot. This interpretation seems to be almost at the same quality/level. It does seem a little less overwhelming, which I like--sometimes Mahler can be a bit much for me. However, the classic Mahler qualities still shine through and I wouldn't say it was under-complex, or Mahler-lite. The singing is overall nice, but not perfect. Sometimes the orchestra is RIGHT ON, all in a group conciousness. At other times, however, it seems like sections of the orchestra are pushing the conductor. This results in different sections of the orchestra going in different directions (clashing egos?), but it isn't really noticiable in a casual listen. In the long run, there is much more to compliment than complain about. Kaplan and the Wiener PO really have their act together, with the excellent musicianship you would expect from such a great orchestra.

Soundwise, I was impressed. This is my first Mahler in surround. I had pretty high expectations, and I wasn't disappointed. Multi-channel works EXCELLENTLY with the epicness, grandness, and precision of Mahler. Dynamics were good. I do have a few quibbles, however. The sound is not quite as open sounding as I think SACD can handle. I also think that the surround mix could have been a little better, for a piece so well-suited. I look forward to seeing what the other mult-channel Mahlers are like!

Overall, this is a beautiful recording, with good musicianship, but not always with the sublime direction a piece like this needs. I'm pleased with the purchase. It definitely isn't a definitive recording--none are.

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Review by pip440 July 19, 2005 (6 of 7 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:  
I held back from buying this until recentlty partly because of some negative criticisms in the music press and on this website; but I am glad I took the plunge because this is a superb performance - idiomatic and extremely moving. It may not be the same as Klemperer, Solti, Mehta, Abbado etc but it seems equally valid, and may well be closest to what Mahler himself desired. And the recording is stunning beyond belief. Beautiful silky strings, rich well defined bass (gorgeous cellos and basses) - and the timpani and tam-tam!! (5.0 but turns on the subwoofer at climaxes). Wonderfully airy and everything solidly in place. I didn't know DG could do as well as this in the Musikverein. Why can't they give the same sonics to the New Year's day concert (see my review)?

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Review by Sublyme Mastering December 17, 2006 (6 of 7 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:    
Overall, I found this partiicular performance and recording to be excellent! I must admit I really only purchased it on whim facing a long road trip and not having my regular Mahler 2 in my car. I found it to be probably the best sounding DG release in a LONG time. The performance is also quite nice as well. For the majority of the piece, I felt that this was clearly a good example of PCM-to-DSD conversion. However, towards the end of the Finale, I was quite surprised to hear a significant amount of distortion. In fact, the distortion is quite alarming - unfortunately, however, it is often masked by either the brass or the organ and only rears its ugly head on the most ruthlessly revealing systems.

That being said, this disc will never get played in my system again. As enjoyable as it is to listen to, I can not bear the thought of damaging my speakers over a recording. Sorry DG - next time check the meters! Crossing DSD-0 (similar to PCM 0 dBfs) is a no-no. Sure you *CAN* do it, but expect clipping and distortion! 3 Stars - 5 for overall sound - 1 for extreme clipping - averaged out = 3.

:-(

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