# Mahler Farberman



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I chanced upon some Mahler symphonies last night and they are all by Harold Farberman. Knowing nothing about these recordings I did a bit of research and discovered that Mr Farberman recorded all of the Mahler symphonies (including Carpenter's version of #10) with the LSO yet only half of these are still available. Anyone know if the rest of the set is available? I'm intrigued. I've listened to two of them fully and skipped thru the rest and they are a really mixed bag (see below)! 
I acquired symphonies 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 10 (Carpenter version). The account of the First sounds a bit glassy and the tempo is very slow throughout but it has a strange charm to it (It also sounds very different to any other version I have - even Kegel's horrid version). On a quick skip thru the others, the 2nd sounds very good, the 4th sounds pretty decent but again it's a very slow account as is the 5th (again good). However, the 6th has got to be one of the best accounts I've heard for a while. It's almost Karajanesque but without the overblown Karajan sonorities. I've not listened to the 10th yet so I cannot comment on that.
Has anyone else any experiences with these accounts? I'd be intrigued to hear others' thoughts on these.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Incidentally, the Mahler 10 is the Philharmonia Hungarica not the LSO. Here's the covers


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

It's been some years since I heard Farberman Mahler. I was curious because several on another forum were giving poor Harold the boot. IIRC M6 & M7 were decent. Of course, I might have modified opine today, but too lazy to re-listen. Cheers.


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## motoboy (May 19, 2008)

I found the Second at the used cd store nearby and bought it. I thought that everything but the finale was pretty lousy, but the finale was surprisingly enjoyable! It has lots of energy and purpose similar to Mehta's. I am glad I didn't pay full price. Sorry that I can't remember why I thought it was bad. Life is getting too short to re-listen to recordings I didn't like the first time around. Mostly.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

The was a good article on these recordings in a British review magazine, but I can't remember which one. Should be Googleable


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Must be my ignorance, never heard of Mr: Harold Farberman.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Mr Farberman was a talented percussionist in the Boston SO and then left to conduct the Denver SO and the Oakland PO but he's worked all over the world with orchestras such as the LSO, the ECO, RPO and a host of other international and provincial orchestras. He championed the works of Gliere, Mahler and Ives, in particular. He was one of the first conductors to record full sets of Mahler and Ives symphonies but the Mahler has been unavailable for years apart from individual symphony reappearances on budget labels. From what I've read he was of the opinion that Mahler symphonies were played far too quickly, hence all his symphonies have a slow pace and some are especially slow. 
Quality-wise I've had a listen to all the symphonies except the 10th. The First is one of the slowest I have (if not the slowest) and is glassy (but full of inner detail) and a tad dull. As was said earlier, the 2nd is an average affair with a very good final movement. The 4th is slow and ok and the 5th is a little faster and a much better performance.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

Merl said:


> The First is one of the slowest I have (if not the slowest) and is glassy and full of inner detail but a tad dull.


You don't seem to have heard Klaus Tennstedt's early 90s First with the Chicago Symphony then (available both on CD and DVD, and I have both). It's even _slower_.

Farberman/London Symphony
1. 17:20
2. 8:11
3. 10:50
4. 22:16

Tennstedt/Chicago
1. 18:14
2. 8:27
3. 11:34
4. 22:41


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Mahlerian said:


> You don't seem to have heard Klaus Tennstedt's early 90s First with the Chicago Symphony then (available both on CD and DVD, and I have both). It's even _slower_.
> 
> Farberman/London Symphony
> 1. 17:20
> ...


Bloody hell, that's slow!!!! Haven't heard that Tennstedt / CSO recording.
Just as further info, it seems that Mr Farberman had a change of heart halfway through his Mahler cycle (he was henpecked by members of the LSO and persuaded to speed up) and decided that slow wasn't best, after a few rehearsals, so he picked up the pace for his recording of the 6th symphony and it's a really impressive account. I've played it twice and really enjoy it. The LSO play sumptuously on it. I'd be intrigued to hear his 7th, 8th and 9th.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

I did ask around a bit among my music friend ( real life) just one said ; "yes , I did hear of him and Mahler " 
It was one sentence so I suppose she spoke the truth.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

His recording of the 6th was his best Mahler recording I feel. The others were a mixed bag. While his 6 isn't my go to recording I do enjoy hearing it and it does retain a special place for me as it was the first Mahler Symphony I purchased on Compact Disc.


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