Search - Mahler, Svetlanov, Russian State Sym Orch. :: Symphony 3

Wow.

Will Saar | ramapo valley, NJ | 01/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"first- after having leisendorf, martinon(!), two maazel's,bernstein(aagh), a barbirolli and the great scheren (unsurpassed) on cd, this account of the 3rd was bought only because it was 9 bucks on clearance. what an unexpected experience, then , to find the most tastefully restrained 3rd yet. knowing svetlanov's tchaikovsky, i expected all out fire and verve. its there, but under the surface, images just seething the whole way through of the first movement. the tension is cut loose at key moments (esp. in the 2nd part), only to return to a sea of calm that never loses focus in the last movement(what love tells mahler). a great recording, if at times seems low, its really the conductor holding those considerable russian forces back for when they really count. never flags!- an achievment for such a marathon symphony and a hearty source of recommendation in itself if not for the other strong points- like the masterful orchestral playing. only down point is if you're impatient, svetalov is not and he has all of 110 minutes or so so take you along. great - highly recommended. sonic quality: DDD recording, 1990's sound. no problem. great stereo image"

Deeply expressive M3 with colossal ending!

Scriabinmahler | UK | 12/27/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
We don't usually associate Svetlanov with Mahler's music, but he had left us awesome and inspired account of 3rd symphony as if he was conducting Mahler all his life! Surprisingly this performance is free from the megalomaniac excess the conductor used to indulge in, for example, in his Scriabin recordings. Every movement is thoughtfully crafted and eloquent, tender and subtle when necessary, climaxes are very powerful without distortion and exaggeration.



The ominous atmosphere and shifting moods are masterfully captured in the first movement (31:42). The second and third movements are slowly paced (11:52 / 17:11) bringing delicacy and inner beauty of the music to attention. Russian musicians, including the mezzo and choirs, have natural feeling and freedom to sing their part in most affecting way.



But the most impressive thing about this performance must be the awe-inspiring account of the last movement, which is masterfully sustained in perfectly judged tempo(23:49), that is never mechanical but musically controlled, subtle and flexible. Both strings and brass sing their part most beautifully to capture the sublimity and soul of the music. Unlike other conductors, Svetlanov builds up intensity of the three climaxes in stages, first one is restrained, second one powerful, and the final apotheosis colossal. In fact, Svetlanov is the only conductor who ends this movement with very emphatic drum getting louder and louder and achieves the same transcendent grandeur of 2nd & 8th symphony. All conductors including Abbado, Horenstein, Bernstein and Levine fail to achieve it. Recored in 1994 DDD, sumptuous and realistic sound."

Very Fine

Joseph Reader | USA | 09/18/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm no Mahler afficianado but I know what I like, and I do like this CD: Excellent music excellently played. Though the recording is excellent, it is a BIT on the cool/lean side (as opposed to my preference for lush and rich-sounding), which is why I give it less than the full 5 stars. But it is nevertheless a lovely recording and very enjoyable to hear."