Search - Gustav Mahler, Michael Gielen, Freiburg :: Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 6 in a minor

One of the best ever

Tan Kar Gee | Singapore | 07/08/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had the honor to have witnessed Maestro Gielen conducting the same orchestra for a performance of this Great symphony at the Berlin Philharmonie hall in September 1999, around the time this recording was made. The experience was unforgettable - the best ever live Mahler performance I've ever witnessed.Having heard no less than 15 different recordings of the Sixth myself (I collect recordings of the Sixth as an hobby), I have no doubt this is the closest to the "Perfect Sixth" CD, if ever one is allowed to coin such a terminology. This despite the two Bernstein recordings and the Barbirolli, a favorite with many people out there, including myself, until this recording appeared. I've never been a fan of a rushed opening movement, a la Bernstein. To me, the "energico" is the most important word in the tempo Mahler ascribed to this movement "Allegro energico ma non troppo" and slowing it down as Gielen had done (as did Barbirolli and Chailly) certainly gives the movement a more solemn and grandeur feel about it (remember this movement also contains the soaring love-song for Alma - the "other" declaration of his love for Alma on top of the Adagietto).Of course, the "make-or-break" moments in this symphony are no doubt the "hammer blows" (two or three it doesn't matter to me) and many a recordings had done Mahler injustice by creating less-than-impressive "hammer blows". It should sound "woody", as if a blunt object has blown your chest "THUD!". Try listening to some other recordings (If my memory doesn't serve me wrongly, the highly acclaimed St Petersburg recording fouled up the hammer blows) and compare them with this CD, and you'll know what I mean.Besides this recording, Gielen's other Mahler recordings are Gems as well - you can read other reviews available on Amazon.In summary, if you want a recording of "Mahler's" Sixth, rather than "Bernstein's" Sixth or "Zander's" Sixth or "Mehta's" Sixth, this is the recording to have.It's only my humble opinion - I usually don't write reviews, but I find the lack of a decent recommendation for this recording an injustice to Maestro Gielens' total understanding and sincerity towards Mahler's music."

MAHLER's Sixth?

Musicus | Oslo, Norway | 07/10/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It is obviously possible to enjoy Gielen's version of Mahler's 6th. But I find it highly controversial when the reviewer below writes «if you want a recording of "Mahler's" Sixth, rather than "Bernstein's" Sixth or "Zander's" Sixth or "Mehta's" Sixth, this is the recording to have», and misleading when the editorial reviewer Dan Davis writes about «the excitement of Solti or Chailly».

The first movement is marked: Allegro energico ma non troppo. Heftig aber markig. So it must be played allegro, even energico so, but not too much, and for those in doubt, Mahler affirms the effect he wants: heftig (vehement, intense, fiery) aber (but) markig (pithy, compact, cogent).

Obviously not all conductors agree with Mahler about the first movement. With a first movement march that's among the slowest on disc, an underplayed opening, the first movement under the baton of Gielen is neither fiery nor compact. Mahler's tempo instructions are impossible to misunderstand; but as there is no worse deaf than the one who doesn't want to hear we get readings like this, in the Barbirolli-tradition, where also Chailly place himself when it comes to this first movement. So this is Gielen's Sixth, not Mahler's.

Besides, there is no similar «excitement of Solti and Chailly», because Solti is as consistently forward pushing as Chailly is consistently composed.

It is of course not prohibited to like Gielen's modus operandi. Moreover, his handling of the remaining movements is naturally less controversial, quite good indeed, and as always by Gielen & the Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra, the playing as such is superb; hence my four stars."