# Mahler 9



## Hermastersvoice (Oct 15, 2018)

A big Bruckner fan, I never cared for the symphonies of Gustav Mahler (deficiency which I believe I share with Furtwängler and John Culshaw!) As a result I only own recordings of nos 1-5 (Walter and Bernstein) - which I never play. I have now decided to confront my blind spot head on and have ordered no 9, under Ancerl. Wish me luck!


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Good luck! Mahler can be seen has writing one meta-symphony, so eventually going from 1 through 9 will be an interesting journey for you.


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

Ancerl is certainly one of the top-shelf 9ths out there. The distinctive Czech Phil sound lends such a rustic poignancy to this music, and I have never heard the Landler done so perfectly. If you are converted to the music, these are also essential listening:

Klemperer - This just may be my favorite overall. Devastating impact, overwhelming pathos. The only drawback is the slow second movement tempo.

Karajan - The BPO’s brilliant playing under Karajan is essential for this symphony even if I think it fails to plumb the emotional depths as others do.

Barbirolli - His BPO studio recording is often slammed as “too dark,” but I don’t think anyone had such a perfect grasp of the 9th’s narrative as Sir John. His Adagio is simply exquisite - even more so in a rough-sounding but jaw-dropping 1960 live recording in Torino.

Walter ’38 - Read up on the circumstances of this recording and you’ll be able to appreciate it. I think the Adagio is too fast, but if you can listen through the old sound the first two movements are absolutely masterful.


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## Hermastersvoice (Oct 15, 2018)

Thanks, guys. Yes, it was the existence of the Ancerl / Czech Phil which persuaded me to give Mahler another go. Another favourite conductor is of course Klemperer. In fact, if I was to begin collecting recordings again I’d probably begin with everything Ancerl and Klemperer did - and only thereafter add the also-rans.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Hermastersvoice said:


> Thanks, guys. Yes, it was the existence of the Ancerl / Czech Phil which persuaded me to give Mahler another go. Another favourite conductor is of course Klemperer. In fact, if I was to begin collecting recordings again I'd probably begin with everything Ancerl and Klemperer did - and only thereafter add the also-rans.


I'd agree with you. Ancerl is consistently good. Klemperer is consistently interesting, even when I don't always know where he's going. (Though as far as Mahler, I have only heard his Mahler 2.)


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## Knorf (Jan 16, 2020)

Mahler 9 has been well served via recordings! It's an intense piece of music, but has inspired pretty incredible devotion and commitment from the greatest conductors and orchestras.

Short list of great Mahler 9s:

Abbado/Berlin
Abbado/Lucerne
Barbirolli/Berlin
Bernstein/NYPO
Bernstein/RCO
Bernstein/Vienna
Boulez/Chicago 
Fischer/Budapest 
Karajan/Berlin
Klemperer/Philharmonia
Walter/Columbia


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Knorf said:


> Mahler 9 has been well served via recordings! It's an intense piece of music, but has inspired pretty incredible devotion and commitment from the greatest conductors and orchestras.
> 
> Short list of great Mahler 9s:
> 
> ...


Gotta add Giulini/CSO- outstanding


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## Knorf (Jan 16, 2020)

Heck148 said:


> Gotta add Giulini/CSO- outstanding


Ah, you're right. Not sure how I forgot that one! Bad Knorf. But that's a good dozen top choices for Mahler 9, and I'm sure others will have further nominations. I almost mentioned Neumann/Czech Phil., too, but I personally wouldn't place it above any of the dozen mentioned.


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## perdido34 (Mar 11, 2015)

Gilbert/Stockholm is a deeply felt performance. The sound is incredibly clear if you have an SACD multichannel system.


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## vincula (Jun 23, 2020)

I'm quite happy with my Gary Bertini box, but this lesser-known version with the great Hermann Scherchen's a distinct take on this complex work. Worth a few spins. It's on YouTube as well.









Regards,

Vincula


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

vincula said:


> I'm quite happy with my Gary Bertini box, but this lesser-known version with the great Hermann Scherchen's a distinct take on this complex work. Worth a few spins. It's on YouTube as well.
> 
> View attachment 138601
> 
> ...


Scherchan's Mahler is often strange, sometimes nuts, but never boring IMO. Haven't listened to this No. 9 for a while so I gave it a spin. It has a crazy Andante comodo and a slow, elegant Landler, both sounding rather strange, ok, distinct. The Rondo-Burleske is awesome, one of the more brutal. The Adagio is bitter-sweet and doesn't moan or linger, which is good, but I never liked the negativity of this movement anyway. It's far from being a favourite No. 9 of mine, but it's interesting and certainly worth hearing. The 1950 sound is awfully band-restricted, but one gets used to it.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Hermastersvoice said:


> and only thereafter add the also-rans.


I know, I should never bite with statements like this but I couldn't resist.

Please enlighten me as to your list of "also-rans"!


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## regnaDkciN (May 24, 2011)

Heck148 said:


> Gotta add Giulini/CSO- outstanding


And Haitink's first recording with the Concertgebouw.


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## Marc (Jun 15, 2007)

My personal favourites:

Ancerl / Czech PhO (I learned to appreciate this piece thanks to this recording)
Solti / London SO (especially the grim and rough first movement… wow - very expressive performance all around)
Haitink / Concertgebouw (his first [studio] recording, maybe the best 'overall' performance that I know)
Barbirolli / Berliner Phil (inspired and 'wuchtig')
Bernstein / Berliner Phil 'live' (despite the missing trombones in the climax of the finale)
Abbado / Berliner Phil 'live' (made me think of his impressive Amsterdam Mahler festival [1995] performance)

With a 'bonus' mentioning of:
Von Karajan / Berliner Phil (first [studio] recording - less 'beautiful' than the later live recording, which especially works better for the Finale imho)

Some interesting discussions and suggestions here:

Mahler 9 : Give Me Your Best Half Dozen


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## Guest (Jun 29, 2020)

Knorf said:


> Ah, you're right. Not sure how I forgot that one! Bad Knorf. But that's a good dozen top choices for Mahler 9, and I'm sure others will have further nominations. *I almost mentioned Neumann/Czech Phil., too, but I personally wouldn't place it above any of the dozen mentioned.*


I would place it above _all_ of the dozen mentioned.


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## Knorf (Jan 16, 2020)

Baron Scarpia said:


> I would place it above _all_ of the dozen mentioned.


_De gustibus non est disputandum. _I would never dispute that it is a wonderful performance.


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