Search - Mahler, Scherchen :: Scherchen Conducts Mahler, Vol. 2: Symphony No. 6; Symphony No. 8; Kindertotenlieder

Pure delirium!

Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 08/23/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
In 1960, with motive of celebrating the Gustav Mahler's centenary, Hermann Scherchen was the special guest two conduct two programs; so the Sixth was performed on 4th October 1961 at the Kongreßhalle of the Zoo at the front of Das Rundfunk- Sinfonieorchester Leipzig .. In the seond Cd we have from the Eight Symphony the Hymn 2veni Creator Spiritus" from ( October 1951 au Deutsche Staatsoper de Berlin, and finally Kindertotenlieder with Sona Cervena alto was recorded on October 1 1960 at the Kongreßhalle of Leipzig.

On the other hand it was a question of main interests since he had never recorded on LP the sixth, the expectations were enough justified.



It has been widely criticized the fast tempo employed by Scherchen, specially in the First movement apart of the cuts, the booklet contains a wide discussion about the relative concept of the tempo as signal of accurate approach of the spirit of the work. One should remark the smart reflection of Celibidache, when affirmed: "The creative act is free."



Scherchen was always and before nothing a zealous and expressionist interpreter, but gifted with a prodigious sense of what I might call a inner dynamic of the tempo, rhythmic pulsation and a vigorous outliner of color, so demanded in Mahler; he got to involve the listener in a sort of dreamy atmosphere that it seemed to be much more electrifying in his live performances, he knew to emphasize with astonishing precision each one of the multiple passages of both works, mingling pristine elegance, dark poetry, incisive introspection and sublime expression, all these factors wisely linked allowed him to conjugate and maintain the whole interest of musicians and audience.



That's why that leaving aside these minor problems of tempo, what it really matters is the final outcome, and this was his primordial achievement.



To acquire this double album means to have part of recent past of a bygone epoch of a conductor who devoted a good part of his existence to diffuse Mahler's music around the world.



The historical importance of this document is priceless.



Total time of cuts (aproximately) 25 min."