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Epicurus.com - Mahler: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 5; Lieder
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List Price: $17.98
Our Price: $17.98
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0028946915424
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
Number Of Discs: 2
Publisher: Deutsche Grammophon
Release Date: 2001-01-23
Studio: Deutsche Grammophon
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating: 
Summary: mahler's 5th
Comment: CD quality is good but the music not all that great. Like a lot of classical music, it is better than it sounds.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Late Christmas present
Comment: Thank you Amazon for this CD. It was well received from my brother in law who is a Mahler Fan. It did arrive sooner than promised from USA and he was delighted when it came in the early new year!
Thank you for the prompt reply I will use this service again.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Mahler-iffic!!!!
Comment: I have heard that Symphony 1 is considered Mahler's weakest but I find myself listening to this CD over & over.
Movements #2 & #3 are just beautiful to hear. Sound quality is good and it's a great value for the $.
Symphony 5 has been quoted as being 'overdone' (but nothing compared to Symphony 8). It's OK. A little too pretty for me.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Three Brilliant Mahler Works Perfectly Melded
Comment: Remember the days in the 1960s when we all waited for the next Mahler Symphony from Leonard Bernstein to be unveiled? As I recall that was the same time frame when the Solti recordings of Wagner's 'Ring' were slowly being released. So many music lovers 'found' Mahler through Leonard Bernstein and this splendid set of CDs reminds us why.
Here are perfect performances. The Symphony No. 1 "The Titan" with Bernstein conducting the 'Mahler orchestra' AKA the Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam. The response from the orchestra to Bernstein's penetrating approach is sensitive and breathtaking - some of the finest recorded sound the orchestra ever made.
On that first CD the remainder of the disc is rounded out with the still-respected partnership of Bernstein with Thomas Hampson in a performance of 'Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen', this time with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The communication among conductor, soloist and orchestra is on the highest level. This is the young Hampson when his approach feels not only secure but also very fresh. Listen to the way he uses his head tones for the higher notes in 'Die Zwei Blauen Augen': this is as close to Mahler's vision as a singer can get.
The second CD is devoted to a performance of the Symphony No. 5 again with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Bernstein is at the height of his powers here, able to rush into the heady movements with steady will and then bask in the Adagietto in as perfect a reading as any conductor has produced. This, too, is a perfect performance.
At Amazon.com's low price this is a recording that is easily accessible to every budget and one that is a must in the libraries of all those who love Mahler's wondrous music. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, October 05
Customer Rating:
Summary: THe Mahler Bargain of a lifetime
Comment: Bernstein in his later wisdom filled years gives us a 1st symphony bursting with edge of your seat tension and bombast.
Each movement is played with passionate articulate phrasing and sharp precision to reveal the wondrous worlds of nature,ghouls,enigma,struggle, and triumph.
Bernstein does have a tendency to extend certain passages out for maximum effect but he does it successfully without any sense of routine or premeditation.
This 1st sounds totally spontaneous as it is live and it feels like it but Mahler's soundworld is kept sharply intact.
As for Mahler's 5th, expect an over the top milk it till it bleeds interpretation.
Bernstein digs and digs deep to uncover all of the darkness of the 1st movements funeral march with plenty of phrasing that makes the tragedy all the more vivid but natural unforced phrasing.
The 2nd movement is off the chain chaotic madness with the vpo whipping up a storm of violence and destruction and the scherzo counterpoint and waltz schizophrenia is brought forth with precision and style.
Now the Adaggietto is done very expansively as it lasts over 11 minutes but Bernstein knows how to pace and phrase it well enough to where it doesn't drag and the climactic concluding full string fortissimo really hits your heart when it finally kicks in.
Now some people say that Mahler intended this movement to be done in a slightly brisk manner as Mahler's student Bruno Walter interpreted it at about 8 minutes but Bernstein chooses to caress every note which doesn't erase the romantic love letter concept of the movement as one critic had mentioned but it actually enhances that concept.
The final rondo movements triumphant jovial spirit is aplenty with the v.p.o. again providing technical and musical fireworks and sounding as if they're having a ball doing it.
So in this 5th expect highly individualistic phrasing and dynamics from Bernstein with emotions teetering on the edge resulting in a most compelling and convincing performance.
The Lieder performed by Thomas Hampson is simply icing on the cake as he sings with wonderful heartfelt musical eloquence with Bernstein as his trusty and enthusiastic partner.
Trully a Bargain to scoop up before they yank it like they do so often in classical.
Happy Listening.
O.f.
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