Search - York Holler, Gustav Mahler, Semyon Bychkov :: Mahler: Symphony No. 3

What this recording tells me...

L. Johan Modée | Earth | 03/11/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...is that Mr Bychov now have entered the Mahler recordings hall of fame, because this is an absolutely stunning interpretation of Mahler's third symphony.



But first, I want to give some credit to the orchestra. As most music lovers now know, the WDR symphony orchestra in Cologne has already established itself as an amazingly musical live orchestra. The performances under Barshai (a brilliant Shostakovich cycle, Brilliant Classics) and Bertini (an equally outstanding Mahler cycle, EMI) are impeccable, both in terms of technique and passion.



Under Bychkov's baton, they perform even better than for Bertini. Comparing Bychkov's third with Bertini's, the former - which is a live recording - is clearly superior. Because it is simply more exciting. In the first movement, the woodwinds are as excellent as those in Kubelik's classic Bayerische Rundfunk Mahler cycle (DG): perky and prominent. The horn department is also magnificent. And Timothy Beck's trombone solo in the first movement... well, not since Barbirolli's Hallé recording (BBC) we have heard this sort of raw, robust, vulnerable, tense, de profundis trombone sound. It's just outstanding. The second movement is delivered as a true minuet, perfectly paced. The third movement is almost as wild and brutal as Horenstein's (Unicorn) jungle. But Bychkov's orchestra is better, more balanced. Perhaps even too balanced here... nonetheless, this is also a powerful performance, and Peter Mönkediek's posthorn solo is very fine as well.



Marajana Lipovsek's performance of the "O Mensch" call in the fourth movement is fine too. She's not as impressive as Larsson for Abbado (DG), but provides a moving perspective nonetheless. As many other contemporary interpreters (e.g., Abbado, Gielen, Rattle), Bychov observes the "Hinaufziehen" glissandos for the oboe solo. (In my view, this must be the correct way of playing these passages - the word means "drawing up" or "pulling up". At least, it sounds very convincing - a simple legato does not make the same "natural" effect.)



The two remaining movements - the angels' song and the finale - are perfectly coherent with Bychkov's sober vision. The timing 25.36 for the final movement is not too much (cf. Bernstein's DG version, more than 28 minutes). It never becomes too sentimental; it remains at a sober distance all the way up to the glorious final chords.



York Höller's "Der Ewige Tag" is an eccentric fill-up. But it adds no extra value to Bychov's splendid interpretation of the third.



Sound quality is in first demonstration class, and the audience is barely audible.



Grab it now. Avie is a small company, you'll never know for how long this jewel will stay in the catalogue. I recommend it warmly."