# Mahler's 9th symphony



## Clouds Weep Snowflakes (Feb 24, 2019)

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Any opinion(s)? I watched it earlier this month by the philharmonic orchestra here (people 35 or under get tickets for really low prices here), quite the musical art; not to mention I was born on the same day and month as Mahler  ...


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

I like the 9th and it's amazing how many different recordings of the work there are. The last movement is particularly nice. I have the first recording (Bruno Walter / Wiener Philharmoniker, 1938), which I assume is pretty authentic as Walter conducted the 1912 premiere. The first studio recording (Hermann Scherchen / Wiener Symphoniker, 1950) is also noteworthy. Of later recordings, John Barbirolli's 1964 recording with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Rafael Kubelik's 1967 recording with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks and Wyn Morris' 1978 recording with the Sinfonica of London are also favourites. Any others that anyone else would recommend?


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

In my collection I have 
Bernstein / BPO
Guilini 
Klemperer
Barbirolli / BPO
Kubelik
Tennstedt
Karajan (1982)
Abbado / BPO

Out of them all I think Karajan just about tops but others are very good too


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I think the opening page and the closing page of the symphony are especially remarkable. Whenever I meet a cardiologist, I try to find a way to introduce them to the opening of Mahler's 9th, because it sounds like a musical depiction of heart murmur with slight afibrillation.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Giulini/CSO is tops, a great performance...
Walter/ColSO, and Boulez/CSO are very fine also..


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

chill782002 said:


> Any others that anyone else would recommend?


Stacks of recommendations here........

Mahler - 9th Symphony - recommended recordings?


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## NLAdriaan (Feb 6, 2019)

I have and heard a lot of Mahler 9's. I was in the audience of the quite highly acclaimed Bernstein DG recording with the Concertgebouw and heard Haitink twice live, also last year in a very strong reading.

But frankly, the only recording I really cannot do without is Karajan Live 1982. The concentrated playing, the tension in the air, the instrumental excellence is unsurpassed. Forget all your thoughts about the man. Nearing the end of their 'lifelong' collaboration, Karajan and BPO have reached a new level in this single recording. Highly recommended.


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## Bourdon (Jan 4, 2019)

NLAdriaan said:


> I have and heard a lot of Mahler 9's. I was in the audience of the quite highly acclaimed Bernstein DG recording with the Concertgebouw and heard Haitink twice live, also last year in a very strong reading.
> 
> But frankly, the only recording I really cannot do without is Karajan Live 1982. The concentrated playing, the tension in the air, the instrumental excellence is unsurpassed. Forget all your thoughts about the man. Nearing the end of their 'lifelong' collaboration, Karajan and BPO have reached a new level in this single recording. Highly recommended.
> 
> View attachment 116936


Indeed a great recording,have you heard this one?


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

I have several of the versions mentioned and they are all very fine, including the Karajan. Let me put a plug in for a personal favorite, Karel Ancerl and the Czech PO on Supraphon.
I am a Primary Care Physician, and had bypass surgery 4 years ago. I recently was told that I heard a new heart murmur and it turned out to be nothing, but this music was very much in mind during the stressful period as yes, Mahler does do a very good job of depicting Atrial Fib and the sense of dread that it produces


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## Littlephrase (Nov 28, 2018)

Here Barbirolli/BPO is the best for me. The 9th represents, along with Das Lied von Der Erde, the peak of Mahler’s art. If only he lived to orchestrate and finish the 10th...

I’ll be seeing a performance by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Alsop in June.


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## NLAdriaan (Feb 6, 2019)

Bourdon said:


> Indeed a great recording,have you heard this one?


I heard Haitink conducting the 9th with the concertgebouw orchestra last year. It was the concert after which he fell on stage. But the 9th he conducted was really something else. When he directed the 8th right before he left the Concertgebouw orchestra, there were a lot of sentiments to be heard in the music. When I heard Bernstein conduct the 9th around the same time in Amsterdam, I would name it theatrical, part of the show. After his sometimes emotional driven Mahlers from the past (all within reason though) Haitink now went for pure clarity and he let the music speak for itself. Great insights and clear lines. With the great concertgebouw orchestra, this was a refined treat. I didn't hear this recording yet, but I expect that it resembles some of the concert I heard, however this recording was released already 7 years ago and Bayerischen RF is not as refined as the Concertgebouw orchestra. So Haitink only may have developed his views further and shaped the concert accordingly. Quite an accomplishment, to conduct like he does at the age of 90. No signs of wear or tear in his music, still a developing view.

The Karajan live recording is of another intensity, incomparable to Haitinks concert I heard last year. For both is a lot to say. And frankly, you must be quite a donkey to ruin this music. But to stand out in it, requires a special understanding and skill and of course a great orchestra.


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## Bourdon (Jan 4, 2019)

NLAdriaan said:


> I heard Haitink conducting the 9th with the concertgebouw orchestra last year. It was the concert after which he fell on stage. But the 9th he conducted was really something else. When he directed the 8th right before he left the Concertgebouw orchestra, there were a lot of sentiments to be heard in the music. When I heard Bernstein conduct the 9th around the same time in Amsterdam, I would name it theatrical, part of the show. After his sometimes emotional driven Mahlers from the past (all within reason though) Haitink now went for pure clarity and he let the music speak for itself. Great insights and clear lines. With the great concertgebouw orchestra, this was a refined treat. I didn't hear this recording yet, but I expect that it resembles some of the concert I heard, however this recording was released already 7 years ago and Bayerischen RF is not as refined as the Concertgebouw orchestra. So Haitink only may have developed his views further and shaped the concert accordingly. Quite an accomplishment, to conduct like he does at the age of 90. No signs of wear or tear in his music, still a developing view.
> 
> The Karajan live recording is of another intensity, incomparable to Haitinks concert I heard last year. For both is a lot to say. And frankly, you must be quite a donkey to ruin this music. But to stand out in it, requires a special understanding and skill and of course a great orchestra.


There is also this portrait in music.










Do you have knowledge or the live recording of the ninth with the Concertgebouw Orchestra is released on CD?


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## Clouds Weep Snowflakes (Feb 24, 2019)

First I want to thank anyone that commented here, it's a bit surprising to see so many comments!
If I like this piece (and I do), what else would you recommend for me (Mahler or otherwise)?


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Mahler's 10th - in the Cooke edition and then of course Das Lied von der Erde.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

NLAdriaan said:


> I have and heard a lot of Mahler 9's. I was in the audience of the quite highly acclaimed Bernstein DG recording with the Concertgebouw and heard Haitink twice live, also last year in a very strong reading.
> 
> But frankly, the only recording I really cannot do without is Karajan Live 1982. The concentrated playing, the tension in the air, the instrumental excellence is unsurpassed. *Forget all your thoughts about the man.* Nearing the end of their 'lifelong' collaboration, Karajan and BPO have reached a new level in this single recording. Highly recommended.
> 
> View attachment 116936


Yes great recording. I must confess Karajan is not the only conductor I 'forget about the man' but he usually is singled out. There are many other conductors whose lifestyles and behaviour make me want to 'forget about the man' and enjoy the music.


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## Clouds Weep Snowflakes (Feb 24, 2019)

Wasn't Karajan originally of Greek descent? Admittedly, he would look dark for an ethnic German...


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Yes, he was of Greek heritage, but he was born in Salzburg - an Austrian through and through. I couldn't care less about what kind of man he was. Petty, ambitious, cruel, conniving. I don't care who he slept with, who he cheated on. It just doesn't matter because A) I'm not perfect and B) it's none of my business. In the US (and probably elsewhere around the world) we're in the midst of the stupid, wasteful re-evaluation of great people from the past, and if they don't pass muster by our contemporary standards, then they must be removed from history. The latest is the great singer Kate Smith. I know people who will not listen to recordings by James Levine - because he might have molested young men. For years I've encountered people who won't own any recording by Karajan because of his Nazi affiliation. If we had to eliminate from our culture everyone who ever did anything that might offend us now, we would have a very, very small culture left. HvK was a great musician, great conductor and huge driving force in 20th c music. We should be grateful that someone of his caliber was around and left us such a great legacy. That last recording of the 9th is a stunner and makes me sad that he came to Mahler so late and didn't get much Mahler from him. Our loss.


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

Clouds Weep Snowflakes said:


> First I want to thank anyone that commented here, it's a bit surprising to see so many comments!
> If I like this piece (and I do), what else would you recommend for me (Mahler or otherwise)?


Any of his other symphonies really, although the 1st, 3rd and 7th are my favourites apart from the 9th.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

Walter and the CSO (friend & colleague of Mahler) 
Barbirolli and the BPO (highly sympathetic Mahler interpreter)
Zander and the Philharmonia (underrated)
Karajan and the BPO (where he finally got Mahler right)


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