Applause!

Track Listings

1. Can You Feel the Love Tonight?

2. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?

3. Schindler's List

4. As If We Never Said Goodbye

5. Little Fall of Rain

6. Tree for My Bed

7. Going Home

8. Tribute to Henry Mancini: Days of Wine and Roses/Breakfast at Tiffany's

9. Prelude in E Minor

10. Phantom of the Opera Medley

11. Somewhere, My Love

12. Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)

13. I Remember You

Applause!,Danny Wright,Moulin D'or,Adult Contemporary,Contemporary Instrumental,New Age / Meditation,Pop,Popular Music

Applause!

Tracks:

Applause
Abegg Variations, Op.1
1. Allegro [Piano Sonata in C, H.XVI No.50]
2. Adagio [Piano Sonata in C, H.XVI No.50]
3. Allegro molto [Piano Sonata in C, H.XVI No.50]
1. Allegro con fuoco ma non troppo [Fantasy in C Major "Wanderer"]
2. Adagio [Fantasy in C Major "Wanderer"]
3. Presto [Fantasy in C Major "Wanderer"]
4. Allegro [Fantasy in C Major "Wanderer"]
1. Missing Moon [Eight Memories In Watercolour, Op.1]
2. Beans [Eight Memories In Watercolour, Op.1]
03. Herdboy's Song [Eight Memories In Watercolour, Op.1]
4. Blue Nun [Eight Memories In Watercolour, Op.1]
7. Red Wilderness [Eight Memories In Watercolour, Op.1]
5. Ancient Burial [Eight Memories In Watercolour, Op.1]
6. Floating Clouds [Eight Memories In Watercolour, Op.1]
8. Sunrain [Eight Memories In Watercolour, Op.1]
Nocturne No.8 In D Flat Op.27 No.2
Reminiscences de Don Juan, S. 418 (after Mozart)
7. Tr=E4umerei [Kinderszenen, Op.15]
Horses (after pieces by Huang Hai Hwai, Chen Rao Xing and Shen Li Qun) - Arr. by Lang Lang and Lang Guo-ren
Liebestraum No.3 in A flat, S.541 No.3

Amazon.com

This is a dazzling recital, taped live at Carnegie Hall in November 2003--complete with applause. Lang Lang's virtuosity is almost frightening: the Liszt "Reminiscenses du Don Juan" is a showpiece when played "normally." Here, Lang plays it to its extremes, with soft passages amazingly soft and subtly delineated and the bigger moments heaven-thundering. And it is played so fast, and so accurately (a cascade of notes in mid-"La ci darem la mano" sounds like a waterfall), that it leaves the listener breathless--surely just what Liszt wanted. In a Haydn sonata, Lang's classical line is impeccable, but he's not afraid to shine through the music and embellish occasionally. The Schumann "Traumerei" is suitably dreamy and hushed; Schubert's "Wanderer" Fantasy, a real crowd-pleaser, is just that--beautifully played, familiar yet fresh sounding. And an encore, with Lang's father playing a two-string fiddle called the erhu, is a fascinating look into Eastern music. There's more (this is a 2-CD set), and it's stunning--and highly recommended for all admirers of great piano playing. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Worst Wanderer Fantasy EVER?.......2007-02-14

I can't believe the positive reviews this recording has gotten. Don't believe the hype folks; Lang Lang may have technique to burn, but most 1st-year conservatory students possess at least the same interpretive depth, if not more. When he isn't indulging himself in interpretive excess, then Lang Lang is playing as if he really doesn't care much at all.

His Schubert is garbage. Let him stick to playing Chinese compositions unknown to Western audiences, because virtually none of us will have any way of drawing comparisons between his interpretation and that of others. I can only assume that his interpretation of Dun Tan is the definitive version --- but I doubt it.

Pianistic Glory at its best!!!!.......2006-11-07

Wow!!
I have read several of the 'negative' reviews here and can only conclude (after viewing the DVD four times and counting) that what may be going on with these folks is something they themselves simply don't understand (about themselves!). They cannot or will not accept that here with Lang Lang, as with Evgeny Kissin (ever notice?) the world is being introduced to the next and even greater generation of pianistic virtuosos, young prodigies who can do everything that Horowitz and even Lizst ever did and more... I have no doubt those two would agree were they alive today. Karajan wept (for joy)when he heard the young Kissin perform Chopin's Fantasy in F# minor, Mehta was so taken with Kissin's performance under his baton that he could not refrain from hugging the young boy after a stellar performance... Andre Watts, not often praising his contemporaries, mused about finding the nearest bridge to jump off after hearing Kissin play realizing he was not in the same league and one other recent winner of an International Competition had to pull his car over to the side of the road, he was so taken with Kissin.... yes, I know it seems like I forgot we are talking about Lang Lang.... Lang Lang can do everything Kissin can and maybe more...Are we to believe that these aforementioned individuals are musical idiots prone to such actions?!!

Folks! accept it, embrace it and thank God for it!... just as he did when simultaneously brought Chopin and Liszt to our world in the early 1800's (they were the same age except for a year) He has now given us another Double Blast of Pianistic Glory in Kissin and Lang Lang! Pity those who can't get beyond their envy, jealously, general jadedness with life... or whatever ails them... they need help, lots of help!

As for me and many like me (BTW, it doesnt count for much but I am a pianist myself)... we are so grateful and blessed to have these 2 young men and the miracle of DVD technology to bring their concerts right into our living room!

An outstanding performance and story of a child prodigy.......2006-06-14

Lang Lang has the charm of an ebullient child as he plays the piano. I have never seen a pianists enjoy himself with such gay abandon, a delight that lured me into a space of complete attention. I sat with a smile on my face thoughout most of the performance. However, his wonderful performance air was only second to his pianism. You will gasp in awe during Reminiscenses de Don Juan. Lang Lang conveys powerful energy though the piano without losing the delicate touches and grace. The skill is a contradiction that few virtuosos have. Bravo!

Most Impressive!.......2006-05-18

When I first heard Lang Lang on the Internet, I thought he only played fast. When I heard him again (this time live), I thought, wow! He really is amazing! Lang Lang was born in 1982 in Shenyang, China. He started piano at the age of three, and played in his first public recital at age 5. He studied piano with many teachers. I love piano, too. Although I am not going to be like him, I must say that he is one of a kind. When he plays, he doesn't just play. He feels it, too, and uses his body to show his different emotions. And he's only 23!

Trust the peanut gallery? Or trust experts. Your choice ..........2006-01-05

o Lang Lang. German Echo Klassic 2004 Award Winner. Best Pianist.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echo_Klassik

o About this Carnegie Hall recording? The one given some pretty bad reviews from the peanut gallery? Well, the recording won a 2005 Amadeus Austrian Music Award. And a DVD of this recital with documentary footage won the 2005 "Music DVD of the Year" Echo Klassik Award.

Music has always been interpretive and a vital mark of virtuosity is having your own voice - Lang has his own voice and he masterfully distinguishes himself with it. Lang is a refreshing draft of fresh air in a typically stagnant arena. Technically, the kid can flat out play. Period. Interpretively, he is bold, unafraid, and lets it all hang out.

Nuff said ...

Cheers!

Average customer rating:

Applause for Applause!
Lauren Bacall !
Love it
Welcome CD edition of the original Broadway cast album
lauren

Applause (Original 1970 Broadway Cast)
Lee Adams
Manufacturer: Decca U.S.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004ZDV0
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Tracks:

Overture
Backstage Babble
Think How It's Gonna Be
But Alive
The Best Night of My Life
Who's That Girl?
Applause
Hurry Back
Fasten Your Seat Belts
Welcome to the Theatre
Good Friends
She's No Longer a Gypsy
One of a King
One Hallowe'en
Something Greater
Finale
Applause -- Charles Strouse (vocal and piano) (bonus track)
The Loneliest Man in Town -- Charles Strouse (vocal and piano) - bonus track
Smashing N.Y. Times -- Charles Strouse (vocal and piano) - bonus track
God Bless -- Charles Strouse (vocal and piano) - bonus track

Customer Reviews:

Applause for Applause!.......2006-07-13

I recomend this cd to all theater fans. Even the ones who love a great, toe tapping score. The song they sing in titled Applause can be seen in the Bonus Performances on the DVD titled Broadways Lost Treasueres. That is how I first heard of Applause. It was very entertaining!

Lauren Bacall !.......2005-07-09

Based on the classic movie "All About Eve", Lauren Bacall won a Tony for her performance in this great musical.

Best tracks include:

But Alive
Applause [Bonnie Franklin of "One Day At A Time" fame!]
Something Greater

Not all the songs are great, but totally worth the buy!

Love it.......2004-04-01

Love the CD ( I have had the vinyl recording ever since it came out), but wish it could be released on Video or DVD(does anyone out there know if this will ever happen?). I saw the television production with Lauren Bacall and Larry Hagman back in the early 1970's and saw an amateur production of it here in Melbourne as well and having always loved the whole concept of the movie, I feel that it transferred well to the stage.

Welcome CD edition of the original Broadway cast album.......2004-01-17

First... a request to people reviewing stage cast albums, Several reviews refer to these recordings as "soundtracks."

WRONG!!!!

"Soundtrack" recordings are records/cds transfered from from movies ONLY.

Live theatre does not use pre-recorded "soundtracks" - the casts perform live on stage and these "original cast recordings" are made in recording studios and designed for home listening.
PLEASE.... maintain your credibility by using the correct term!

************

Finally, after years of negotiation Decca Broadway is making the 1970 Tony winning musical APPLAUSE avaialble on Cd. Was it worth the wait? Well, yes and no. APPLAUSE is one of those late 60's musicals adapted from a hit play/novel/movie and offering lots of glitz and energy to cover up the deficiencies of the show itself.

Star Lauren Bacall provided the "star" quality though she has no real singing voice but as an actress she rises above it bringing the character to vivid life. Len Cariou sings well as Bacall's boyfriend but has very little to do.

Bacall gets the key gems and with two major exceptions any of the numbers in which she does not appear can be ignored. The first exception is the lively title song - a tribute to the power of applause. It has almost nothing to do with the plot but still stopped the show nightly. The other,is a dramatic soliloque for Penny Fuller in the (virtually) non-singing role of Eve: "One Hallowe'en." This is Eve's big moment to really show her true colours and Fuller makes the most of it. Missing from the recording - becasue it is a dialogue scene - is the following moments when Eve recieves humiliating comeuppance.

The original Lp release was done by ABC records and had an annoying "boxy" sound quality that has not been corrected on the cd. The very short selection has been filled out with demo recordings by composer Charles Strouse and a couple of the cut songs sound quite interesting. Packaging is up to Decca Broadway's usual high standards.

lauren.......2003-12-04

i have a copy of this recording on LP, and have enjoyed it for approx 25 yrs. couldn't wait for the cd. bought it the first time i saw it.
i am wondering if anyone has seen the tv production of APPLAUSE starring LAUREN broadcast circa 1974 on tv? and is there any possibility of obtaining a copy on anything? the production was FANTISTIC, to say the least!!!

Average customer rating:

Garage Rock Near-Masterpiece

Applause Cheer Boo Hiss
Land of Talk
Manufacturer: Rebel Group
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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What's the Time Mr. Wolf?
We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Writer's Block
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ASIN: B000MV8CRK
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

Speak to Me Bones
Sea Foam
Summer Special
Breaxxbaxx
Magnetic Hill
All My Friends
Street Wheels

Customer Reviews:

Garage Rock Near-Masterpiece.......2007-07-10

This is one of my favorite albums. A friend got me into this band a few months ago, and I ignored them until the song All My Friends came up on my shuffle. I was obsessed with it, and hesitant to listen to the other six songs because I was sure that they could not be as good as the one I'd already heard. That was not the case. Land of Talk is a straight-up garage band, but with enough pop influence to be listenable as all hell. Doubling as the frontwoman, guitarist Liz Powell gives the band an energy that's impossible to ignore. Even on the downtempo tracks, there's a gritty sweetness to her voice that captivates. There's no way to describe this album adequately to someone who hasn't heard it. Get it as soon as you can.

Average customer rating:

The big meeting at the summit--and it disappoints
Riveting Performance of Three Friends Playing a Live Concert
3 strong personalties, united here
Breathtaking
Astounding Fiasco

Shostakovich/Tchaikovsky: Piano Trios

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5
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Belcea Quartet ~ Debussy · Dutilleux · Ravel
Bach: Brandenburg Concertos / Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

ASIN: B00000JSAC
Release Date: 1999-08-10

Tracks:

Applause
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello No.2 In E Minor, Op.67: 1. Andante - Moderato - Poco piu mosso
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello No.2 In E Minor, Op.67: 2. Allegro con brio
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello No.2 In E Minor, Op.67: 3. Largo
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello No.2 In E Minor, Op.67: 4. Allegretto - Adagio
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello In A Minor, Op.50: 1. Pezzo elegiaco: Moderato assai - Allegro giusto - In tempo molto sostenuto - Adagio con duolo e ben sostenuto - Moderato assai - Allegro giusto
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello In A Minor, Op.50: 2. Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto -
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello In A Minor, Op.50: Var. 1 -
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello In A Minor, Op.50: Var. 2: Piso -
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello In A Minor, Op.50: Var. 3: Allegro moderato -
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello In A Minor, Op.50: Var. 4: L'istesso tempo (Allegro moderato) -
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello In A Minor, Op.50: Var. 5: L'istesso tempo -
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello In A Minor, Op.50: Var. 6: Tempo di Valse -
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello In A Minor, Op.50: Var. 7: Allegro moderato -
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello In A Minor, Op.50: Var. 8: Fuga (Allegro moderato) -
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello In A Minor, Op.50: Var. 9: Andante flebile, ma non tanto -
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello In A Minor, Op.50: Var. 10: Tempo di Mazurka -
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello In A Minor, Op.50: Var. 11: Moderato -
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello In A Minor, Op.50: Variazione finale e Coda: Allegretto risoluto econ fuoco -
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello In A Minor, Op.50: [Coda.] Andante con moto -- Lugubre
Trio for Piano, Violin And Violoncello In A Minor, Op.50: Encore. Peter Kiesewetter: Tango pathque

Amazon.com

Although these musicians have previously played together in duos, you aren't likely to hear the trio of Martha Argerich, Gidon Kremer, and Mischa Maisky every day. The friends have attempted to perform as a threesome for decades, but it took sheer luck, and a few 1998 dates in Japan, to find the acclaimed pianist, violinist, and cellist onstage together. Recorded as a tribute to Reinhard Paulsen, the late manager of Argerich and Kremer, this disc features two of chamber music's darkest pieces: Shostakovich's op. 67 and Tchaikovsky's op. 50 for piano and strings. Both composers wrote these works as elegies, and the effect of the pairing is riveting; the Shostakovich is bleak and occasionally violent (the use of Jewish melodies makes this as much a remembrance of the Holocaust as of any individual), while Tchaikovsky's epic, nearly 50-minute piece requires more patience but is even more expansive. Though the musicians haven't performed these pieces before, they have an intuitive grasp of the music--Kremer seems meant for these lyrical, personal violin passages, and Argerich is ready to unleash her fury at a moment's notice. Sonically, Maisky's cello is slightly obscured by his powerhouse peers, but he serves as a sobering backbone to these compositions. The very short tango by contemporary Peter Kiesewetter acts as an encore, a two-minute reminder that these friends know how to have fun too. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

The big meeting at the summit--and it disappoints.......2001-12-09

"Every concert must be 'ewent.'" --Mstislav Rostropovich

What is it about "Event" concerts? Whether it's the Rolling Stones' latest reunion, Benny Goodman's Anniversary Carnegie Hall Concert, or Bernstein at the Wall doing Beethoven's 9th, for some reason the assembly of Big Name talents playing Important Works frequently seems to disappoint. (Of course there are exceptions: the Modern Jazz Quartet's farewell concert; Horowitz's return to Moscow in 1986.) Still, we keep hoping the next encounter will strike fire and make the history that's expected. And it seems to me that a lot of listeners who are more interested in basking in that history rather than just listening with their ears wide open and their expectations in neutral always hear the results as "Incredible," "Magnificent," "The Greatest Recording of Anything ever!!"

That aside, I was really looking forward to this CD. I like all three musicians, though I do think Argerich is overrated sometimes and people respond more to her persona than anything else. But still, I figured her firey temperment was ideal for this music. The thing with Shostakovich that most people don't realize is, the structure is of paramount importance. (Think of all the rambling, incoherent readings of the Fifth Symphony out there.) As another reviewer here perceptively notes, the three musicians fall apart at the beginning and never really recover. This is a work of large structures, really, and they don't play it that way. Instead we get a series of unconnected episodes. And--and this is the oddest aspect of the performance I can't explain--despite all the flailing and banging away, they never really build up to a big, hair-raising finale. It's loud, it's harsh, but it sounds like sound and fury signifying nothing. Perhaps the best performance of the Shostakovich trio I've ever heard is by the Kqalichstein/Laredo/Robinson trio on Arabesque. This two-for-the-price-of-one set features searing performances of several other DSCH chamber works, major and minor, in excellent sound. And some of the other music in this set is not often heard and is positively bizarre (in a good way). This set certainly will not disappoint, and Amazon sells it, though for some reason they won't let me post a direct link here. Another fine performance of the DSCH Op. 67 trio is Kagan/Gutman/Richter, who, quite frankly, are worth hearing in practically anything anyway.

As for the Tchaikovsky, I really don't have many other examples to go on, but this one I just found boring and plodding. (Anyone with suggestions for good performances of the Tchaikovsky work feel free to email me...I'd appreciate it.)

Riveting Performance of Three Friends Playing a Live Concert.......2001-08-30

These are profound, riveting performances of Shostakovich's and Tchiakovsky's piano trios. Admittedly, Argerich leads the trio with her fiery keyboard playing, but Kremer is no less memorable for his lyrical phrasing on the violin. Maisky is just as fine on the cello, though he is often overshadowed by his friends. Both pieces are dark, somber works which are well suited to Argerich's tempestuous personality. Although the sound quality isn't as fine as a contemporary studio recording, it does come quite close. I tip my hat in admiration to Deutsche Grammophon for producing a splendid recording which celebrates a long-lasting friendship amongst three of our most exciting classical musicians.

3 strong personalties, united here.......2001-08-30

This recording, taken from two live performances in Japan, is unusual, but breathtaking. And contrary to what one reviewer on the review page said, this is not the first time the 3 have played together. It was the year before this present recording was made, in '97 in Verbier, that they played for the first time.
The Shostakovich is a very graphic interpretation, vividly portraying the anger and the pain behind the music. The three performers are very strong personalities and naturally there will be doubt as to how successful their collaboration will be in chamber music. While still maintaining their individual temperaments, the performance as a whole is a keenly united one. The interplay, the communication between the three players is impressive. Some have commented at the lack of techinical accuracy. Maybe that is so, but I sometimes think that some of these 'inaccuracies' are deliberate, to strengthen the music's drama. The Tchaikovsky is also another great Russian piano trio. It was written after the death of a beloved colleague, Nikolai Rubinstein. Incidentally, both trios on this disc were written after both composers lost dear friends. For Shostakovich, it was written in memory of Ivan Sollertinsky. And this disc is dedicated to the memory of Argerich and kremer's manager. So it is quite a deadly affair, this disc!
The Tchaikovsky is a long work - 40 minutes at least. Here it is
nearly 48 minutes! But the playing here is so impassioned and keenly felt that the impression is that it isn't that long at all. A very lyrical, yet powerfully articulated performance like this is rare. All the players are on top form for the Tchaikovsky, and from Argerich there is the strongest support you could imagine for a piano trio. The encore is a very witty 'medley' of Tchaikovsky's works (ranging from the Pathetique symphony, violin concerto, quotes from Eugene Onegin, to the Rococo Variations). Very humorous.
The sound is very vivid, and the booklet contains informative notes by David Brown, and entertaining observations by Argerich's second daughter, Annie, who describes what happened before the performances took place.

Breathtaking.......2001-06-21

It is a simply stunning performance, based on the talent of three unique musicians. Argerich is somehow the leading power of the trio, while the rest are no less worth praise for their great musicianship. Communication between the musicians adds to the superiority of this recording. Last, but not least: it is a live recording, and any sensitive person can feel that. It may not be the most immaculate perfomance ever recorded, but it has such an atmosphere that cannot be easily achieved in any studio.

Astounding Fiasco.......2001-03-01

I admire and respect all three musicians on this recording, but this is probably their worst performance ever. It was the first time Argerich, Kremer and Maisky played together, and it shows in every note. Shostakovich's Trio No 2, which happens to be one of my very favorite pieces of music, is not only technically demanding, but requires all three musiscians to carefully follow the structure of the whole piece. Argerich/Kremer/Maisky fall apart right in the beginning and never come together again. Second movement is especially awful, both technically and structurally. Technical mistakes are to a certain degree expected and can be forgiven in a live recording, but only if it has other redeeming qualities. This one has none. Tchaikovsky's trio is played slightly better, but not by much. If I rate Shostakovich as "awful", this one can be rated "bad". In general, this recording will easily make my Top 10 Worst Recordings Ever. The only fact which is more appalling than the release of this recording is it's nomination for Grammy award. I had little respect for Grammies to begin with, but that nomination was just ridiculous.

If you want to hear how Shostakovich's Trio should be played, listen to the incomparable Oistrakh/Sadlo/Shostakovich recording made in 1948. The mono sound is bad, but the playing will bring you to tears. If you absolutely must have better sound, then stick to Kagan/Gutman/Richter or Stern/Ma/Ax versions. For Tchaikovsky, my favorite is again a historic recording by Gilels/Kogan/Rostropovich. For a good modern recording, try Perlman/Harrell/Ashkenazy

Mahler: Symphony No. 6
Average customer rating:

A "Regular People" Review

sound is slightly better on SACD/CD hybrid issue

Soft and no spark

Please do not feed the romantics...

Abbado's Best Mahler Symphony Recording with the Berliner Philharmoniker

Mahler: Symphony No. 6

Manufacturer: Archiv Produktion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00092ZAM2
Release Date: 2005-06-14

Tracks:

I. Allegro Energico, Ma Non Troppo Heftig, Aber Markig
II. Andante Moderato
III. Scharzo. Wuchtig
IV. Finale. Allegro Moderato/Allegro Energico
Applause

Amazon.com

Abbado continues his Mahler cycle with this fine Sixth, a live recording that Mahlerians will want for its forwarding-moving flow reminiscent of Kubelik's excellent recordings of the work. Abbado is especially fine in the Andante, here placed before the Scherzo, unlike his first, 1970s recording with the Chicago Symphony. His refusal to linger and his molding of the Andante's melodic lines make it one of the best available recordings of this section of the massive work. The Berlin strings shine here, as they do throughout the Symphony; only the lower brass disappoint somewhat as they sound a bit lightweight when compared with Chailly's Concertgebouw Orchestra. Many will prefer Bernstein's more-overt emotionalism, but the famous hammer blows in the last movement have tremendous impact. Like many other conductors Abbado omits the third blow (which Mahler eliminated in his editing of the first version of the piece). In fact, that last movement is one of the set's highlights, well-played and abundantly detailed. In sum, one of the better Sixths in the catalogue. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

A "Regular People" Review.......2007-02-19

Mahler, by way of his symphonies has become my favorite non-operatic composer. This disc is great, it did take me a few listenings to really start to enjoy it, but the experience is greater every time. One may want to start with Mahlers 2'nd but you won't go wrong with this either.

sound is slightly better on SACD/CD hybrid issue.......2007-01-01

Abbado's Berlin remake of the Mahler 6th is Grammophone magazine's 2006 "record of the year". I wish I could be THAT enthusiastic. It is quite good, with a nice, natural "flow" from start to finish. In fact, there's little that can be faulted. Abbado performs the inner movements in andante/scherzo order, which is now the only way sanctioned by the Mahler P.C. possee (funny how nobody had a problem with it being performed scherzo/andante for four decades or so). Yet, a couple of minor oddities do exist. I like how he trims the slow movement (andante moderato) down to 14 minutes here. However, he also kind of short changes a wonderful passage that's located about six minutes into the andante, where the unison horns lead us up into the Austrian highlands, immediately followed by the cowbells first onstage entrance; which, in turn, is accompanied by a naive sounding solo trumpet. Compare the identical passage to Boulez/Vienna Phil., and you'll instantly know which orchestra is located closer to those Alps. Later on, as the loud unison horns lead us on to the slow movement's climactic passage, Mahler again sounds the cowbells - onstage. They're hard to detect here, but practically bury the horns on the recent Eschenbach/Philadelphia M6 from Ondine. I prefer Abbado's pacing, but Eshenbach nails these key signposts better. Also at that climactic passage, instead of putting all of Philly's energies into the top melodic line, Eschenbach makes certain that Mahler's rich, turn-of-the-century harmonies are very clearly defined.

The 30 minute finale goes off without a hitch either. Yet, Abbado fails to scare us much during that weird passage that's located between the two hammer strokes - the one that I affectionately dub, "the wild ride of the headless horsemen across the scared battle plains of Flounders". I'm adding much hyperbole here, but compare the very same passage to Eschenbach/Philly - yet again. Eschenbach makes the start of this section as weird and scarry as humanly possible. He takes it slow - "boom; smash; bop; wham!" - and he really brings out the percussion. Much has been made of Abbado's two hammerstrokes. Yet, a couple of odd things happen with these as well. On the first one, Abbado doubles it with the tam-tam (large gong); something that's not in any of the printed versions. On the second stroke, the bass drum is actually louder than the hammer mechanism itself (usually a large wooden mallet struck on a large wooden box or chopping block). Frankly, these minor points don't mean so much, in and of themselves. Mahler basically just wanted a non-metallic "thud" sound.

No, I think what bothers me most is something that's difficult to define. The timbre of the orchestra itself - at least on this recording - is really rather monochromatic. Everything is sort of a dark, chocolate-y sonority. The woodwinds are there, but there's no pungency or brilliance to their sound. As a result, they hardly cut through Mahler's dense textures. It's as though every instrument may as well be a bassoon. The low brass is often times too light in weight, especially the tuba. At the loudest passages, Mahler is transformed into having that sort of Brahmsian sound; where everything sounds dark and muddy, yet bright and screechy - all at the same time. It's difficult to describe, but far easier to demonstate: just turn to Eschenbach/Philadelphia. With Philly, it's as though one or two other dimensions have suddenly been added. The low strings and high strings are just as strong as those in Berlin. Yet, there's more pungency and timbral distinction from the winds. The Philly low brass is much stronger, and the trumpets have a more piercing quality. It's as though Philly were the Czech Phil. or St. Petersburg Phil. on steroids. Berlin comes across as a very good, enlarged German chamber orchestra - I don't know how else to describe the difference. Granted, some of this has to do with the difference in recording companies, and the difference in acoustics. But some of this definitely has something to do with the differences in tone production. The kind of sound that the Berlin Phil. makes is near ideal for Brahms and Richard Strauss. I'm not so sure that it's anywhere near ideal for Mahler 6. Why do I say that?

Well, let's examine the piece itself. In a sense, the sixth is Mahler's most German and, at the same time, ANTI-German work. It's really kind of a protest piece - a protest against the ever increasing militaristic direction that the German speaking world was taking at that time. As such, the symphony is predominately in minor, and the textures tend to be very dense in many, many spots (Richard Strauss, of all people, allegedly remarked that the sixth had been over-orchestrated). Low strings tend to march and growl a lot, as do the tuba and bassoons. When the high strings aren't playing a beautiful melody, they're usually doing something to just add to the general "screech" level. Horns tend to be sort of dark and muddy sounding instruments when dwelling in their middle register, which they do a lot of here. It's really only the woowinds and trumpets that provide much needed relief from everthing that is either marching, growling, or schreeching on top. I submit that you're not getting enough of that "relief" when hearing the Berlin Phil. in this music. It's not a huge issue, as they're obviously playing the piece, but you do immediately notice the difference when you switch too any number of other recordings. I've simply been using Eschenbach/Philadelphia as a reference point.

In the final analysis, there really isn't any shortage of great Mahler 6 recordings. You could really almost choose one by what your favorite orchestra is. Truth be told, if it weren't for the horrible, metallic "ping" hammerstrokes, my favorite Mahler 6 of any would be Dohnanyi/Cleveland (Decca). But for a single disc version, I recommend Boulez/Vienna Phil. (you can always switch the inner movements, if that's a big issue). For a two-disc version, I like Eschenbach/Philly or Jansons/Concertgebouw (low level recording - needs to be turned way up!).

Soft and no spark.......2006-06-07

I don't belong to those who despise Abbado in Mahler, but his grasp of the 6th is not the best. The editorial reviewer Davis writes misleadingly about an alleged «forwarding-moving flow reminiscent of Kubelik's excellent recordings of the work». The initial marching rhythm of the first movement by Abbado is in fact slower than by Sanderling, considerably slower than Tennstedt (1991 live), much slower than Bernstein (DG), much much slower than Karajan, not to speak about Bernstein NYP, Solti and Levi, which makes it meaningless comparing with Kubelik (at least on his performance on the DG-box), who is on par with Järvi, the fastest of them all. Perhaps Davis has noticed that Abbado ticks in at 22'48'', but that is achieved by speeding up later in the movement, after the cow bell section, and is still 1'37'' slower than Kubelik (DG-box).
I name this a non-starter. Much worse than the slow marching rhythm, however, is the soft sound, and the feeling of no spark. I mean, Sanderling makes this at least sound engaged, as if something were at stake. But here I feel the music is about nothing, that it doesn't really matter. It's no point comparing with excellent Kubelik. The problem with Abbado is among other things that the gruffiness crucial to this symphony is missing.
The sound quality of Abbado's recent live recordings of the 9th, the 6th and the 7th is not the best. In the 9th it makes me think of haze, in the 7th it gives me a feeling of something veiled, which can be appealing for a symphony of the night, if not of downright fog - for the 6th however, I think about filming through soft-lense, which is intolerable, because this is a symphony of struggle. In this case I cannot recommend Abbado's former recording with Chicago SO, either, even if that has a marching rhythm a little quicker than Sanderling, but the gruffiness is still missing.
Unfortunately, not all Mahler-symphonies are for all conductors. Abbado is generally good with Mahler, but not with Mahler's 6th.

Please do not feed the romantics..........2006-03-25

Romanticism pervades classical music. When the lives of composers go bad, people often look to their works for "signs" of tragedy, or proof that the music arose out of suffering or foreboding. Mozart's early death and Beethoven's deafness supply heaping doses of romanticism upon their music, whether related to it or not.

As Mahler became fashionable in the later twentieth century (coinciding with a reacceptance of German culture from the smolderings of World War II), his "Tragic" symphony again awoke that old passionate romanticism so prevalent in classical music. Mahler himself referred to this symphony as "Tragic" and soon after he completed the piece his personal life took a turn for the worse. So listeners began to look for "signs" of these tragedies in Mahler's 1905 symphony. His wife Alma helped spur such views, which remain somewhat controversial. Some critics find her unreliable while others consider her word inviolable. And many people take such romanticism at face value due to the cultural maxim that artists suffer for their art.

Regardless, Mahler wrote one of his best symphonies and Abbado and company perform it amazingly well on this CD. Apart from the first and fourth, the sixth probably stands as Mahler's most accessible symphony for newcomers. Not that it doesn't have difficulties, but it sticks closer to the classic form. It utilizes the traditional four movements. Its themes and recapitulations really stick out (much like a Beethoven symphony). And it has a sudden and shocking ending (that will surprise you even when you know it's coming). Not only that, it contains some of Mahler's best music: The trudging oscillating marches at the beginning of the Allegro and the Scherzo; The Allegro's justly famous and breathtakingly swooping "Alma Theme"; the fiery ending complete with giant hammer blows; the amazingly beautiful Andante respite. In many ways this symphony "makes sense" even to a new listener. That it ends tragically remains stultifyingly obvious. And its musical analogy of a life marching forth proudly towards glory and eventually lapsing into parody and tragedy probably also slaps many listeners in the face. In the same manner as his first and his fifth, Mahler expressed his ideas completely in music (unlike his second, third, and fourth which contained sung lyrics to emphasize the theme). So people need only to hear this symphony from beginning to end to "undertsand" it. It utilizes "tragedy" in the Greek sense, and, in that spirit, Mahler may have simply been trying to produce a cathartic purge in his audience. In other words, he produced a "Tragic" symphony as opposed to a "Comedic" one.

This recording, in opposition to tradition, places the slow Andante before the pulsating Scherzo and removes the third and final hammer blow from the finale. Mahler apparently had trouble making up his mind on the order, but the original publication put the Scherzo second and included all three hammer blows. The "correct" version remains controversial, since Mahler continued to adjust the symphony throughout his life.

Abbado and the Berliner Philharmoniker put on a tremendous show. They definitely earn the applause they receive at the end. Though probably not the definitive sixth, this recording can probably sit comfortably aside some of the best renditions of this famous work. Put it on and sate the inner romantic.

Abbado's Best Mahler Symphony Recording with the Berliner Philharmoniker.......2006-01-12

Having read most of the previous Amazon.com customer reviews has only reinforced my opinion that Abbado's latest recording of the Mahler 6th symphony is one destined to be remembered as a classic; indeed, it has been honored by The New York Times as among the finest classical CDs issued in 2005. Why should this CD be regarded as a classic? Abbado has lead the Berliners in the finest recording of a Mahler symphony by a Claudio Abbado-led Berliner Philharmoniker (or rather, in English, Berlin Philharmonic). This is a confident, richly textured performance lacking the exuberance of a Leonard Bernstein or Michael Tilson Thomas, or the disciplined fury of a Herbert von Karajan. Abbado's interpretation of Mahler's "Tragic" symphony is indeed more optimistic in note, relying mainly on brisk tempi, and more nuanced playing than on any recording of this symphony that I have heard from Bernstein or Karajan. On a more personal note, I regard this recording almost as well as the classic Mahler 7th Symphony recording which Abbado made with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra approximately twenty years ago. Mahler fans will not be disappointed at all.

Average customer rating:

Bloodless, lifeless, pointless
A Sixth That Demands To Be Heard
sounds better on this sacd/cd hybrid set
Wow, what an incredible experience.

Mahler: Symphony No. 6 [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0007V5WFK
Release Date: 2005-07-12

Customer Reviews:

Bloodless, lifeless, pointless.......2007-02-25

Abbado's previous recording of the Sixth (from Chicago) was decent but unmemorable. This one is a disaster.
First off, he uses Mahler's revision of the work, which places the scherzo third instead of second. Nobody knows why Mahler made the change - most speculation is that he was afraid of what the nasty critics of his time would say about how similar the openings of the first movement and the scherzo were - but it's hard to deny that the change makes narrative and tonal hash out of the piece. Let's see: we start in A minor and end in A major with all problems seemingly solved (or at least at bay), then we go off to the other end of the tonal world into E flat for introspection and nostalgia (because we're unhappy and need healing because of those solved problems?) then we go back to square one for the A minor scherzo and, when that winds up to a cry of horror and winds down to a whimper, we go back to the other end of the tonal world to start the nightmare finale in C minor (a hemisphere away from A minor but right next to the E flat major that the slow movement ends in). Right.
Second, the performance is bland to the point of wimpiness. There is no edge that Abbado doesn't bevel into smoothness, no harshness that he doesn't underplay or coat with plush. The epic struggles of the first movement are reduced to genteel conversation, the deep mysticism of the pastoral interludes becomes background music for pleasant chatter. The triumph at the end of the movement is subdued because there isn't much to triumph over. The slow movement sounds more lost than normal in second place because Abbado mutes its pain and aching nostalgia. The scherzo sounds almost jaunty, not demented or sinister. The finale works up some steam about 2/3 of the way through, but by then it's hard to care. The ending, which can be devastating in other hands, is matter of fact here.
If you want to be scorched by this symphony, try to find the Mitropoulos Cologne recording, most recently out on the now-vanished (thanks EMI!) Great Conductors of the 20th Century series. More available alternatives include Tennstedt, Karajan, Bernstein (Vienna, not the wretchedly played and crude NY), Dohnanyi, the slow but intense Barbirolli Philharmonia, and the poorly recorded but fiery Neumann Leipzig (not his Czech Phil remake). But almost any recording would be an improvement over this sorry issue.

A Sixth That Demands To Be Heard.......2007-02-13

My interest in the symphonies of Gustav Mahler started just prior to his becoming popular and my first recording of the Sixth was from Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. This new recording of the Sixth by Claudio Abbado was named as Record of the Year (for 2006) as well as Best Orchestral Recording. In fact, in their Award issue Gramophone declared that the Berlin Philharmonic played like gods. Well, with this kind of hype I was interested in hearing what it was all about.

The original Gramophone review by David Gutman of this recording, published back in September 2005, commented that the interpretation of Mahler's Sixth symphony has become more refined since the first recording by the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Sir John Barbirolli. Donald Mitchell points out in the booklet for this recording that Mahler, particularly in the Finale, comes close, at times, to the new Expressionist language adopted by Arnold Schoenberg and Alban Berg. So, Abbado's new recording aims toward more transparency in the music. The symphony is played with a deep intensity and attention to the details of the score; the hammer blows in the final movement (with the third omitted) are exceptionally clear. The third movement is placed before the Finale in this recording which has been the order adopted by Simon Rattle and Barbirolli. The placement of the Scherzo as the third movement was the original order that Mahler chose for the premiere but later changed the order placing the movement second. However, Mahler never seemed satisfied with the order of the inner movements. Donald Mitchell finds that the Scherzo is a good lead-in to the A minor Finale, echoing the march of the first movement and preparing us for the culmination of the "Dance of Death" in this pivotal movement.

The Berlin Philharmonic may not play like gods but this certainly is among the best recordings of Mahler's Sixth Symphony. The textures of the music are beautifully conveyed and if one has reservations, like David Gutman mentioned in his review, they go away on careful listening. Even if you already have a beloved recording of the Sixth you will want to hear the new Abbado for the excellent performance by the Berlin Philharmonic; it will join my Solti and Bernstein recordings.

sounds better on this sacd/cd hybrid set.......2007-01-01

I've decided to modify my review for this, in the SACD hybrid version.

In all honesty, I don't own an SACD player. Yet, even in plain, old two-channel stereo, hybrid CD's from Universal (DG; Philips; Decca) often times sound better. I assume that's because of the DSD upgrade - a prerequisite for SACD; so I'm told. Anyway, the hybrid version does help in clarifying some of the muddy textures that I complained about in its regular CD format (I still gave it four stars - five here).

What I've also discovered - which may really bother some foks - is that this particular performance works far better when played back in S/A order. In fact, I chose to re-burn the hybrid version back on to a single disc, but in S/A order instead. As a result, I really like my new Franken-bbado. The end of the first movement and the beginning of the scherzo are so evenly matched in terms of tempi, that the two movements make for a complete, unified Part 1. I also discovered that I wasn't nearly so bothered by Abbado's rather hasty and lightweight treatment of the first "Alpine" episode in the slow movement - located about six minutes in - when hearing the slow movement after the scherzo. And, as always, the beginning of the finale is far more shocking when following the peaceful Eb resolution of the slow movement (the finale starts on C, and settles upon A-minor at the tuba solo). Is this a case of Abbado not having adjusted his interpretation enough when switching to A/S (his earlier performances were all in S/A order)? I'll leave that for you to ponder. Regardless, in the hybrid version, this performance rates five stars.

Wow, what an incredible experience........2005-07-14

This is easily my favorite recording of Mahler's Sixth Symphony. I just got my copy of this (in SACD), and listened to it in the surround sound. I have waited for this since Abbado left the BPO after making all his other great Mahler recordings with them. I have to say that this not only lived up to my (quite lofty) expectations, but also exceeded them. Abbado's masterly is without question. His choice to record the 2nd and 3rd movements in reverse order (as Mahler did during the world premiere, and the following Vienna premiere, both with himself as conductor) work great. He also only has two hammer blows, as he used the revised version in which Mahler took out the third hammer blow due to his superstitions about it. Speaking of the hammer blows, I can't imagine Mahler wouldn't have thought these to be most effective. He wanted a dull non-metallic thud. When the recording got to the first hammer blow, I felt it in my stomach, it was that effective. I'm not sure what Mahler specified in the revised version, but in the original, it was supposed to be three hammer blows, which each a little less, as the hero was felled with each hit. In Abbado's recording, the second hit seems more powerful than the first.
The playing is both incredibly beautiful at moments, and intensely exciting in others. Abbado grabs you from the first moments of the march, and doesn't let you go until that thunderous thud at the very end.
I used to say the Tilson Thomas/SFS recording was my favorite, but I have to say that Abbado's recording has blown even that away.

Average customer rating:

"What's the point"
best single disc version so far
Mahler as a bridge between XIX and XX centuries
A triumphant live performance to crown Abbado's Berlin years
Like An Opera

Mahler: Symphony No. 9
Gustav Mahler , Claudio Abbado , and Berliner Philharmoniker
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 2002-06-11

Tracks:

Andante comodo
Im Tempo eines gemachlichen Landlers. Etwas tappisch und sehr derb
Rondo-Burleske. Allegro assai. Sehr trotzig
Adagio. Sehr langsam und noch zuruckhaltend
Applause

Customer Reviews:

"What's the point".......2007-01-25

I'll not beat around the bush. This is not and cannot be one of the best recorded performances of Mahler's ninth symphony available as stated by most of the other reviewers. In fact it should not be considered even very good.
Although most of the positive attributes expressed in reviews may in fact be true, for me, Abbado ruins the whole thing in the fourth movement when he blows through or glosses over the dramatic high point near the middle with the cymbal crash to which the whole movement builds and pivots around like it was not even there. Anyone even faintly familar with this piece should know what part of the music I am talking about. To me it is the crowning moment of the whole symphony at which the emotional tension reaches a peak and is released. It is extremely moving but Abbado sucks all the life out of it. What's the point! I don't which is worse, this or Pierre Boulez who flies through it at record speed like he can't wait to get it over with. At least with Boulez you can sense it coming. Those readers who are more technically astute in music please forgive me this vulgarrity!

best single disc version so far.......2006-12-31

I very much like the way this is proportioned, which is quite similar to how Kurt Masur did it (also on one disc). Simply put, the first and fourth movements are close to being equal in length. In other words, Abbado's first movement is done quicker than usual, yet the performance doesn't rush the zen-like, "otherworldliness" of the fourth movement. Others have made the Mahler ninth fit on single disc by short changing the last movement. Pierre Boulez, for example, does the last movement in only 21 minutes, while his first movement is close to a half-hour (and make no mistake he does a great job on the first movement). My only complaint about this fact, is that it makes the Mahler 9th very front heavy. It makes the first movement look so great and important - which it is! - that it darn near makes the remaining three movements sound like an afterthought, or just plain unnecessary. When I hear performances like that, it only makes me wish that Mahler had completed the 10th symphony instead (which I think had/has the potential to be an even greater work).

As I mentioned, Abbado/BPO is similar to Masur/NYPO, except that Abbado is even faster and more sharply focused in the Rondo-Burlesque (third movement). It's also superior to Abbado's earlier Vienna Phil. effort (two discs), which did come with a fairly decent performance of the 10th symphony Adagio. I also prefer this one to the justly famous Karajan one, but the Karajan is a completely different kind of experience. I have one complaint here, and one complaint only (soap box time): why would ANYBODY think that including applause at the end of the Mahler 9th is somehow a good idea? If anything, there should be two minutes of recorded silence, not noise. Regardless, that isn't sufficient reason to avoid hearing this one. Here are some timings for comparison's sake:

I II III IV
Abbado/BPO 25:52 14:56 12:21 25:56

Abbado/VPO 27:17 15:15 12:28 24:31

Karajan/BPO (Gold) 28:10 16:38 12:45 26:49

Bertini 27:58 15:55 13:48 28:34

Boulez/CSO 29:? 16:? 12:? 21:?

Walter/NYPO 29:15 17:35 13:00 21:00

Walter/VPO 24:49 15:34 11:17 18:16

Masur/NYPO 24:? 15:? 13:? 25:?

Of these, only Abbado/BPO, Masur, and Walter/VPO fit on a single disc. Of these, Walter/VPO is just absurdly fast with the - what should be - transcendental fourth movement. Masur is similar to Abbado/BPO, but he's just a smidgeon too quick with the first movement, and just a tad poopy with the Rondo-Burlesque. Abbado/BPO is a bit more equal with the two outer movements, and has a truly great Rondo-Burlesque. I like the Abbado. I find it musically satisfying from start to finish, and wears well for everday type listening.

Mahler as a bridge between XIX and XX centuries.......2006-08-27

In any review, it is more important to discuss whether the players convey the spirit of the music to the listener than to compare it to alternatives which may have different perspectives. This is certainly the case here. Mahler's 9th is a crucial work on the history of music. It contains dramatic elements typical of Beethoven, but also points to the future of Schoenberg, Berio, Carter, Nono and Boulez. It admits passionate readings (such as the Bernstein) and careful, score-bound interpretations (such as Karajan). But it also allows and indeed encourages freer approaches, and that is exactly what Abbado achieves in this recording. Abbado's experience with XX Century music is extensive. He has wonderful recordings of Nono, Bartok and Schoenberg. He has even recorded Ligeti and Boulez, something that Karajan never did. Abbado clearly benefits from this broader perspective to entice the Berlin Phil to produce a wonderful recording. Without resorting to extremes, he allows Mahler to whisper and shout to us his angst and his joy of living. Mahler's 9th is both a farewell to this world, as well as a celebration of the human spirit. Like Beethoven's 9th, a good recording of this symphony should leave the reader entranced. He needs to fell the weight of time in him. And that is precisely the felling I have when listening to Abbado.
This is a fundamental work in a moving rendition.

A triumphant live performance to crown Abbado's Berlin years.......2005-11-04

Glitch warning: Amazon has put this review in two places. If you are here for the Mahler Ninth under Abbado, read on. If you are here for the Mahler Ninth under Barbirolli, my review appears under the original CD issue. Sorry.

One of the crowning glories of Abbado's long career is his Mahler, which isn't altogether expected. Compared to Karajan or Bernstein, he is a naturally self-effacing condcutor, which doesn't give his musical personality an automatic match with Mahler's symphonies. He is obviously devoted to Mahler, however, and his first complete cycle had many high points; yet Abbado's tendency toward retraint and underplaying didn't always work. (I still don't feel he has a grasp of the Mahler Second, which he has recorded three times--too much is soft-pedalled and smoothed out, not enough is heaven-storming.)

For me, Abbado really came into his own with three live performances of the Mahler Third, Seventh, and Ninth. This installment, from 1999, finds the Berlin Phil. in stunning form. Abbado is at his most spontaneous, but there is no sacrifice of control; only the opening section of the final Adagio feels underdone (this whole movement is rather dry-eyed). Otherwise, this reading digs in much more than Boulez's, also on DG with the Chicago Sym. Both take 79 min. and fit the whole work on a single disc, but that's misleading. Boulez is 4 min. slower in the opening movement and 4 min. faster in the finale. Abbado's tempos are closer to the norm.

This isn't a passionate outpouring like Bernstein's, nor are there any new ideas. It's just a great night at the Berlin Philharmonie under a super-accomplished Mahler conductor. The sonics are fine, but the engineers give us a heavy mid-range that sounds congested in loud pssages, and the prominence of brass and winds compared to strings can throw the balance off (another reviewer here complains that the melodies have been made secondary and the inner voices primary--I see the point, but it's not that bad).

All in all, this Ninth goes to the top of my list, ranking as a live performance with Karajan and Bernstein, all three in Berlin, all three different in shades of interpretation and therefore uniquely wonderful

Like An Opera.......2005-10-12

Sometimes this symphony can sound like a one big funeral. I have to admit it can be very moving that way. Sometimes, however, I want to hear it as a well crafted piece of art and Abbado's version delivers just that.
This is the performance that will never lose your interest from beginning to end. Thousands of different moods and emotions are clearly materialized as if one is hearing an opera with many characters and scenes. Abbado is very specific and descriptive. His players literally sigh, sneer, weep, and rejoice with the music. Characterizations of the woodwinds and brass are truly something to marvel at (example: the flute at the end of 2nd movt disappearing like a fairy). The new-born Berlin strings are still rich in tone but not as bottom-heavy as in Karajan era. You hear much more transparency than Karajan's or Bernstein's version. When this kind of sonic quality is combined with Abbado's obsessive emphasis on singing, the emotions of the tunes come out naked. I feel that EACH orchestra member, from the concertmaster to the back of the second violins, is truly playing their heart out instead of being driven by a conductor (you sometimes feel that way in many Mahler recordings).
A very fresh performance indeed. It will spotlight many hidden aspects of this amazing work. By the way, this is the most well-recorded Mahler 9th I have ever heard.

Average customer rating:

Magnificent
"Bjorling"
Frederick's Understatement.
Remastering is not perfect
THE ultimate singing voice

Jussi Björling Rediscovered
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Umberto Giordano , Georges Bizet , Jules Massenet , Edvard Grieg , Jean Sibelius , Carl Leopold Sjoberg , Pietro Mascagni , Francesco Paolo Tosti , Giacomo Puccini , Stephen Foster , Jussi Bjorling , and Frederick Schauwecker
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Applause
Adelaide, Op. 46
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Encore: The Dream 'Instant charmant; En Fermant Les Yeux'
The Swan, Op. 25 No. 2
The Dream, Op. 48 No. 6
Diamond On The March Snow, Op. 36 No. 6
Rushes, Whisper, Op. 36 No. 4
Black Roses, Op. 36 No. 1
Enocre: Visions
Addo Alla Madre
Encore: Ideale
E Lucevan Le Stelle
Encore: L'Alba Separa Della Luce Ombra
Encore: Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair
Encore: 'Come Un Bel Di Di Maggio'
Encore: 'Che Gelida Manina'

Amazon.com

Before there were the Three Tenors there was Jussi Björling, the great Swedish tenor who died in 1960 at the age of 49. His bright, sunny tone had a slight, emotion-laden tear in it that conveyed feeling as well as, or more than, any number of sobs and effects that other tenors use. His Carnegie Hall recital of September 24, 1955 has long been available; in addition, this CD features nine never-before released selections from that recital which either did not fit on the original LP or were omitted for some other reason. He can sing at any dynamic level, the voice is always secure, and his taste and musicianship, as always, are impeccable. I doubt we'll ever hear Tosti's Ideale sung more tenderly or "Che gelida manina" sung with such poetic abandon; the newly discovered Grieg, Sibelius, and Sjoberg songs are sung with an opera singer's--rather than a Lieder singer's--style, but it's doubtful anyone will complain. Björling fans should race to hear this; for those who came to opera after his heyday (or during the reign of other tenors), this will be a stunning ear-opener. A must have. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Magnificent.......2005-09-02

Some years ago I met an elderly gentleman who'd served as a co-pilot on a B-24 bomber during WWII. During a raid on a North German site their aircraft was badly damaged and they were forced to crash-land it in Sweden. The shaken but uninjured crew was picked up by the Swedish authorities and immediately interred (Sweden being a neutral country). They were sent to a dreadful and notorious Swedish internment camp--the largest and lushest hotel in Stockholm--and given something of an expense account. It just happened to be the same hotel where Jussi Bjorling had his digs.

Through a variety of happenings, the vet ended up befriending Bjorling, who he described to me as "one hell of a nice guy" and they became drinking buddies. He and his fellow aviators had front row seats at any and all recitals and apparently became society figures in cultured Stockholm. To my wonder and astonishment, this old Regular Joe fellow, no opera fan before Sweden, told me he was the guy who taught Jussi Bjorling the song "Pistol Packin' Mama." Now wouldn't we all pay good money to have heard him sing that!!

There's nothing more terrific than a great voice attached to a great guy who'd sit and drink with downed aviators and happily learn their favorite pop songs. This disc of music is as wonderful as the guy who recorded it.

"Bjorling".......2005-01-05

In a word - superb. This brings to mind the review of Bjorling's RCA LP "Bjorling in Opera" by Stereo Review's critic George Jellinek, shortly after it's release in 1959, which he ended by saying "highly recommended, especially for other tenors".

Frederick's Understatement........2004-12-22

It was 50 years ago that I met and fell in love with
the accompanist at the voice studio where I studied
for love of singing (i.e., mine was a modest voice).
She in turn introduced me to some of the great singers
then active, or who came through, Chicago. And also, her
own teachers and colleagues, including Dr. Rudolf Ganz and
Frederick Schauwecker. One day, when the topic of melody
came up, Dr Ganz suggested that all piano students should
hear Jussi Bjoerling deliver legato melody. And when Lynn
asked Mr. Shauwecker, who little praised anyone, even a client,
how Jussi did on the trip they were just back from, she was
astonished to hear him grudgingly admit that "Jussi is singing
like an angel. It can't possibly continue at such a level, even
for him." It didn't. As we found out a couple of weeks later
when we heard this recital live, it didn't "continue", it got
better. At the time I found it the greatest listening experience
of my life. Today, 50 years later, it still is. Whatever vocal
records you have by anyone, this is better. There are no equals.
"Like an angel" is one of Frederick's understatements.

Remastering is not perfect.......2004-07-20

This CD is a recording of one Carnegie Hall recital on September 24, 1955. Many composers are represented, including Beethoven, Mozart, Bizet, Grieg and Sibelius to name a few. There is even a Stephen Foster - Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair. The accompanying literature has all the lyrics.

Jussi Bjorling is obvious a tenor in top form, but this recording forty years later omits the higher overtones of his voice. Nevertheless, this is a recording of the highest caliber that does justice to this talented man who died too young.

THE ultimate singing voice.......2004-05-22

This live concert cd contains some of the most fantastic singing ever by a human being and that goes both for the lyric and the dramatic repertoire. Why RCA have denied us this fabulous sound for all these years really beats me. I have long cherished Bjoerlings Troubadour recording with RCA, but compared to the Bjoerling sound on this cd, his Manrico sounds like a light Wiener Sänger. The sound on this cd is simply the most ravishing sound I have ever heard.

Average customer rating:

Broadway Magic: Broadway 1968-1980

Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0007ZEO0K
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Tracks:

Magic To Do
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Average customer rating:

This cd leaves some to be desired
BRAVO!
Sensational
Beautiful Heartwarming Music

Applause!
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Manufacturer: Moulin D'or
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 1995-01-06

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Can You Feel The Love Tonight?
What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?
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As If We Never Said Goodbye
A Little Fall Of Rain
A Tree For My Bed
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Customer Reviews:

This cd leaves some to be desired.......2000-12-26

On this cd Danny Wright stubbed his toe a little bit. I have other cds by him that are better than this one.

For this cd Danny choose an average repertoire and not nearly enough household name songs. I would have preferred more songs that I knew and liked, than the ones that are performed here.

Danny did a good job of playing on this project. He seemed to know his material.

Recommendation: I can not give a buy signal for this cd.

BRAVO!.......2000-01-06

DANNY WRIGHT IS A NATIONAL TREASURE! IF YOU LOVE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS ARTIST & HIS WONDERFUL PRESENTATION OF SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MUSIC EVER WRITTEN!

Sensational.......1999-09-04

This is a beautiful recording, in the car especially. We collect enchanting piano music. This fits right in with our CD's of Bradlee, David Osborne, and Emile Pandolfi.

Beautiful Heartwarming Music.......1999-08-04

Danny Wright's Applause is wonderful. I recently got married and did not want to walk down the aisle to the traditional wedding march. Instead, I used Danny Wright's piano version of the music from Phantom of the Opera. Everyone loved it! He takes popular songs that everyone knows and loves and plays them on the piano. You will know every song.

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