new Mahler 10 recording w/ Chris Olka (Seattle Symphony)

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barry grrr-ero
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new Mahler 10 recording w/ Chris Olka (Seattle Symphony)

Post by barry grrr-ero »

Guys and gals, Chris Olka just kills it in this new recording of the Mahler 10th. I've never heard that slow, lugubrious tuba solo at the start of the 5th movement done better than this. The whole orchestra sounds incredible - obviously 'inspired' for conductor Thomas Dausgaard. You can get it as a CD or as a hi-rez download. FYI.

http://www.seattlesymphony.org/watch-li ... s/mahler10" target="_blank" target="_blank

Barry Guerrero
Chris Olka
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Re: new Mahler 10 recording w/ Chris Olka (Seattle Symphony)

Post by Chris Olka »

Barry, thanks for the very kind words! I've still not heard the cd yet. Now I'm gonna have to suck it up and buy one. Dausgaard really gets the orchestra to play.

Thanks again!
Chris Olka
Cincinnati Symphony
Mark Moore
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Re: new Mahler 10 recording w/ Chris Olka (Seattle Symphony)

Post by Mark Moore »

I was in Seattle visiting my sister and attended one of the live concerts when they were recording. I got to meet Chris before the concert, they were doing some rerecords after the performance. His playing was wonderful and he's also a perfect gentleman. I'm looking forward to hearing him again, now closer to the Midwest.
Mark Moore
University of Illinois
barry grrr-ero
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Re: new Mahler 10 recording w/ Chris Olka (Seattle Symphony)

Post by barry grrr-ero »

There's another issue that this recording - for me - addresses in a very satisfactory manner. The solo drum strokes at the start of the 5th movement: it's become popular in recent years to get a hard, sharp "thwap" on smaller drum or tenor drum, based on the notion that that's Mahler actually heard in N.Y. City. I think it sounds awful. Dausgaard reverts back to getting a nice, dark sounding 'thud' on the bass drum, but with plenty of clarity too (no sloppy ring-over in the drum). It sounds ideal to me, but everyone has to decide for themselves. Between the nice bass drum and Mr. Olka's fine tuba growls, I'm lovin' it. The other movements are great too. Dausgaard clearly knows the in's and out's of this work.
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