Thread: Mahler: Symphony No. 1 "Titan" (Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu)

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Post by Wartybliggens September 29, 2015 (11 of 19)
When hearing about this recording, I had a mix of the feelings described above. Negative: will I really buy another Mahler 1st after the recent Fischer one, not to mention some others? Mahler again? Oh god, more Mahler? Why not some other lesser known modern Finnish composers? Positive: if they can produce a Mahler 1st with the vivid tonal colors and verve of their recent (endlessly delicious) Sibelius recording, I will be interested. And Lintu is my hero for recording Enescu (three times!), so he gets a pass (I still wish the Enescu had also been multichannel...).

Post by hiredfox October 4, 2015 (12 of 19)
Collecting two or three versions of core repertory is worthwhile for rather obvious reasons but there are so many versions of 'classics' such as this around that newcomers are unlikely to displace the very best. Like many on here any new SACD recording is tempting to me but enough is enough unless you wish to support a particular band or label. If you do not add them to your wish list they are soon forgotten.

Post by Scott A October 6, 2015 (13 of 19)
While I personally appreciate collectors' frustration at the deluge of Mahler and Bruckner SACDs getting issued, when what they'd really like to see is some of their favorite pieces by Diamond, Thompson, Martinu, etc., I really do tire of reading the "saturated market" complaint over and over. Often, it takes up more of a review than critique of the recording at hand. Would a company like Ondine issue Mahler recordings if they thought they couldn't sell them? Orchestras often record pieces they are performing live in a particular season. I imagine there are some practical aspects to this. Folks in Finland want to go see Mahler, too, and maybe they like to support their local orchestras when they want to buy a recording. Going beyond that, it seems a bit presumptous to declare a recording unnecessary or inferior before you've heard it. I'd also consider what happened to DVD-Audio. Or remember Telarc? Have you tried to buy some out-of-print SACDs lately? Check the price for a new copy of Gardiner's Planets. Seems to me, the more SACDs getting issued, the better chances are some will still be available in the future for retrospective collecting or for new fans to the medium. Remember, you don't have to buy it, if you don't want it. That doesn't mean someone else doesn't want it very much. I'm planning on buying the Lintu Mahler disc. For my tastes, Ondine puts out a lot of high quality product, a good bit of it lesser recorded repertoire.

Post by hiredfox October 7, 2015 (14 of 19)
Scott A said:

While I personally appreciate collectors' frustration at the deluge of Mahler and Bruckner SACDs getting issued, I really do tire of reading the "saturated market" complaint over and over.

Labels are in competition for the very limited and reportedly dwindling market for physical SACD discs so of course each company will wish to cover as much of the core repertory as possible in their overall offer and extol the virtues of their offer over that of the opposition. Customers have a different perspective; the SACD tribe tends to see the market as an entity in which proliferation and scarcity can be equally annoying. Many want just the 'best' versions of a work on offer. Collectors tend to be a little more adventurous and a little more extravagant but everyone has heir limits.

The core repertory for classical music is relatively small and it is only by trawling deep into previously ignored waters that many labels can find enough space to offer something different but not always or indeed often successfully. Over a few hundred years these things have tended to sort themselves out as fickle fashion has proven to be unsustainable and becomes less of an influence.

From a personal perspective, every new SACD excites me especially if genuinely recorded in DSD and in my heart becomes a 'must have' commodity. Head must rule heart 'though when over 10,000 titles are available.

Post by diw October 7, 2015 (15 of 19)
I accept everyone's viewpoint on this issue. What I find find frustrating is that there is still plenty of "core" repertoire pieces that are regularly performed internationally, that have not been released on SACD.

Post by Scott A October 7, 2015 (16 of 19)
Yep, add in personal preferences about performances, fillers and such, and you're sure to find some pieces "under-served." Take Holst's Planets. Yes there have been two dozen SACDs. Subtract the ones that are out-of-print, the decades old performances, the crappy performances and the ones with iffy sound, and there's not much left. Ironic, considering that it is maybe the ultimate "demonstration" composition for audiophiles.

Post by bissie October 8, 2015 (17 of 19)
Scott A said:

Yep, add in personal preferences about performances, fillers and such, and you're sure to find some pieces "under-served." Take Holst's Planets. Yes there have been two dozen SACDs. Subtract the ones that are out-of-print, the decades old performances, the crappy performances and the ones with iffy sound, and there's not much left. Ironic, considering that it is maybe the ultimate "demonstration" composition for audiophiles.

No, that pride of place must go to Kalevi Aho's "Luosto" Symphony, which was originally performed by 2 orchestras on a mountain slope in Northern Finland.

I still use this for surround and sound demo purposes over anything else.

Robert

Post by wehecht October 8, 2015 (18 of 19)
bissie said:

No, that pride of place must go to Kalevi Aho's "Luosto" Symphony, which was originally performed by 2 orchestras on a mountain slope in Northern Finland.

I still use this for surround and sound demo purposes over anything else.

Robert

Absolutely!!!

Post by Luukas October 9, 2015 (19 of 19)
You can listen the sound samples of the album here: http://ondine.net/?lid=en&cid=998&oid=5678
According the short samples, this album will be an impressive listening experience.

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