Mahler 7 Finale - Solti/Chicago

[DavidJMills]

I listened to this at Independence Pass with the JBL speakers in my 1972 volkswagon Campmobile pointed out to space and a van full of brass players in 1974!Eddie Carroll, Jeff Dodge, Laurie Frink, Marco Calori, Bryan Fenwick...flashback gotta go...

[Mike Ferries]

Not that I've heard. It won the Grammy Award that year for good reason.

[mammoth2ba]

Quite a wealth of recordings available of Chicago Symphony Orchestra playing Mahler 7:

The one bloke mentions led by Solti, Decca analog original (24-bit remastered on the "Originals" reissue) from 1971 recorded at University of Illinois Krannert Center;

James Levine's 1980 Mahler 7 recording at Medinah Temple, with 24-bit remastering, included in Levine's Mahler "cycle" (minus 2 & 8, but with a full reading of Cooke edition 10th) made with Chicago (3, 4, 7), Philadelphia (5, 9, 10) and London Symphony Orchestras (1 and 6, possibly Fletcher in 1978?).

The Levine set is bargain priced 10 CDs (no liner notes). His Chicago Mahler 3 sounds splendid in the remastered set, but is mislabeled on the set box and CD sleeve as being "Philadelphia Orchestra" recorded at Medinah Temple (Adolph Herseth is credited for posthorn solo);

Claudio Abbado in 1984, recorded with fine digital Deutsche Grammophon sound at Orchestra Hall;

and lastly (?), Pierre Boulez October 2010 live Orchestra Hall performance(s) available for online listening until December 14 at the CSO website:
http://cso.org/ListenAndWatch/Details.aspx?id=13716" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

As an inexpensive "package deal", Levine's set includes several highly regarded performances, and sounds great in 24-bit remastered sound (better than an earlier RCA/Soundstream release I own of Mahler 7 on CD). Both Levine and Abbado take just over a minute longer than Solti in the final movement. Solti's reading is indeed impressive, if slightly "frenetic" at times for my tastes. Solti's 1971 recorded sound, even with remastering, isn't quite up to Levine's or Abbado's, IMHO.

[DavidJMills]

Must interject here, Solti is /was the most supreme maestro of both Mahler and Beethoven. previous mentions frenetic, I say letting the large phrases establish the tempo not the technical counterpoint demands. Others slow down to refine the tech aspects,lose the forest for the trees.With Solti you see the grand architecture, the woodwind licks fly by as ornaments.Boulez should be banned from conducting Mahler in public.IMHO Dave in Charlotte

[doublebuzzing]

IS there a recorded performance of this movement that is AS GOOD as this one?

Bernstein New York Philharmonic on DG.

[Roger Lewis]

I've been fortunate to hear this one with Chicago twice so far. Once in Carnegie Hall - almost wet myself. And once in the concert hall at Ohio State university - almost a repeat performance on my part. All I can say is WOW!

Carnegie Hall had Mr. Jacobs driving the low bus, Ohio State was Rex Martin.

I've heard New York do Mahler 7 with Mr. Vacchiano on Principal Trumpet and, though well played, it sounded like he was playing on a tomato juice can. Mr. Novotny was on tuba and sounded great. Great trombone section.

Just my experience.

Roger

[doublebuzzing]

I've been fortunate to hear this one with Chicago twice so far. Once in Carnegie Hall - almost wet myself. And once in the concert hall at Ohio State university - almost a repeat performance on my part. All I can say is WOW!

Carnegie Hall had Mr. Jacobs driving the low bus, Ohio State was Rex Martin.

I've heard New York do Mahler 7 with Mr. Vacchiano on Principal Trumpet and, though well played, it sounded like he was playing on a tomato juice can. Mr. Novotny was on tuba and sounded great. Great trombone section.

Just my experience.

Roger

I'm actually talking about the one done in 1986 (I think) on DG with Phil Smith on trumpet. with Alessi, Harwood, Deck, etc. (I find it hard to beat that brass section).