# Blind comparison : Mahler 2nd symphony



## Discobole (Mar 28, 2012)

Hi, I'm back

This has been almost 2 years since I organized my last comparison on La Mer. This time I will organize a new one on *Mahler's 2nd symphony "Resurrection".*

As usual we'll start with many versions (probably 30, I'm just finishing the pre-listenings before I confirm that), and eliminate them in several groups, movement after movement, until we keep 3 or 4 versions in the end and decide which is better. As usual too, you can start and stop participating when you wish, so that nobody gets scared about the involvement, and you can listen to as many groups as you wish.
I will organize the same listening on other forums, this has proven a great way to increase the number of participants the last times.

*Please just tell me if you wish to participate below.*
I will give all informations about how to listen to the music right when the listening will actually start (in 2 weeks or so).

*I will be happy to hear all your suggestions *about versions to put in the comparison, but *please do that in a personal message*, as I wish to keep the topic clean of any open discussion about different recordings before the listening actually starts.

Also, I was thinking about starting the first round with the Urlicht (before taking the movements in the traditional order), as I believe this is the emotional peak of the whole symphony. It is so crucial that I have never heard a good version with a bad Urlicht, or a bad version with a good Urlicht (in a way, keeping a version during the first four rounds, when it is clear that the singer will make it impossible to progress to the big finals is kind of a waste of time, imo). Also, it is kind of short, that would make the first round easier, for instance if each group has 5 versions.
Also, the Urlicht was composed before the Symphony itself, as a lied from Die Knaben Wunderhorn, so it is not at all a musical contresens...
Not everyone seems to like this idea though, so just tell me what you think about it.

There are 14 participants so far on other forums, I hope there will be many here too


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