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Site review by Polly Nomial November 7, 2008
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Performance: Sonics (MC): |
A fine disc of Mahler from Nott and his orchestra.
In the main, Nott gives a dramatic and inspired reading of the score that is rendered to a reasonable degree of success from the Bamberger Symphoniker. Tempo choices are uncontroversial and in general, Nott manages to draw out a great deal of tension, ranging from the rapt (at the opening in following similar passages) to the fiercely intense (in the opening of the finale for example). At the opening of the finale, the orchestra's strings are audibly at the limit of their corporate abilities and a short while later, where Nott has clearly asked for a crescendo, they are already playing nearly flat out and so it starts but doesn't go as far as one might wish. However, if one is looking for an account that doesn't treat Mahler as a "Modernist" in the way of Abbado, there is much pleasure to be gained from Nott's account. As is becoming a popular with performing Mahler these days, Nott seats the violins opposite one another and this greatly helps clarify textures and expose the detail of Mahler's score.
The sound is a little distantly recorded when compared to many other labels of similar scaled music and at a lower level. This gives a misleading impression that the recording is substandard - but it is not so. Rather, the listener is placed rather closer to the back of the hall than normal; many might well prefer this though others will miss the clarity afforded by sitting a little nearer the orchestra.
Recommended
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Copyright © 2008 John Broggio and SA-CD.net
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