Repertoire: The BEST Mahler Second Symphony "Resurrection"

You have raised my tam-tam awareness 1000%.

I only discovered these YouTube talks by you recently and have been watching a lot of them lately. Of course, no two persons' musical tastes are identical, and I do not agree with you on everything, but I have found that I agree with you on A LOT! I think your musical training, your experience in orchestral performances, your having studied the scores, and your extensive knowledge of music history, conductors, and recordings all combine to make your reviews more informative and authoritative than most. Thanks for making your reviews and comparisons of recordings available for all of us to watch. They have helped me tremendously in discovering recordings I did not previously know about and refining my CD collection.

Fischer and Blomstedt are also my favorites, although I prefer Blomstedt's version. He conducts the 2nd movement as a real slow movement and the 3rd movement as a real Schezo. The deep timpani at the beginning of Fischer's third movement sounds spectacular. You feel it throughout your whole body. I've never heard that on any other recording.

This was so helpfull! I am about to play the tamtam hoch and cymbal part next month!

I was lucky enough to experience a wonderful live performance by Tennstedt at the Festival Hall in London. Possibly the most moving performance I've ever heard of ANYthing!

The 2nd is definitely in the top 5 symphonies of all time! I was reared on Bernstein's 70's recording and it resounds in my heart.

Loved this discussion! For me, Tennstedt and the live recording with the London Philharmonic thrills and excites every time I listen to it. It is described as a very special recording and I am glad you agree, Dave!

Yesterday, I picked up two Mahler 2 performances for a dollar each at a flea market. They are Wit/Polish National Radio S. O. and Slatkin/St. Louis S. O. Lucky me !

My first encounter with any Mahler was back in the late 60's in college. I had purchased a recording of THE NINTH! at a department store and it was scratched. When I took it back, the clerk, who was very knowledgeable, did not have a replacement, but suggested another symphony with a choral ending, the Mahler 2nd. The title "Resurrection" intrigued me, so I took it home and fell in love. It was, by the way, the Bernstein/NY Phil. LP.

Thanks for the recommendations. My favorite Mahler 2nd for years were Walter and Kelmperer's. Then I heard Scherchen, the ultimate act of musical perversion, and I fell in love with it. And then the Stokowski (live BBC, 1963), came out, and my journey with the piece was over.

My first recording of the 2nd was Abbado and the CSO. It is still my favorite. I do have others, but this one is the one I go back to.

Two offbeat Mahler 2s must be mentioned: Klemperer's live Bavarian Radio recording (1965) - with the divine vocal pairing of Heather Harper & Janet Baker - is smashing in so many ways. (I prefer it to his studio effort.) Also, Abravanel did not have a virtuoso orchestra under him in Salt Lake City, but he conducts the piece straight and true - and then hits you over the head with the marvelous Tabernacle acoustics, its legendary choir, and, in the roaring finale, Beverly Sills (before international fame) soaring thrillingly above them all like a triumphant angel. Its entirety is far from perfect, but the climax is breathtaking. (And the Dolby sound is very very good.) Otherwise, it's Walter all the way for me. I enjoy your videos enormously. I do not agree with all your choices, but as a performer, music professor, and published reviewer I love a good, intelligent scrap over comparing "favored" recordings. Your videos are addictive. Thanks!

Back at the end of the last century, I was working for a tiny (just 4 of us) independent producing, recording, and editing/post-production studio in west London. One of my first editing jobs was Tennstedt's Mahler 8 with the LPO, how fabulous was that! Soon after that was Kaplan's Mahler 2... I assumed, over all these years (much though I thought it was fabulous!) that it was a dilettante's version, what with him buying Mahler's original score and baton, and being taught to conduct for this recording. I'm glad to see some comments here giving it credence. I didn't really know the music before I had to edit it, and boy, do you really learn a score, having to listen to it over and over over and over over and over! Rattle, who I haven't always liked, gave an absolutely brilliant, very moving performance of the 2nd a few days ago at the Proms, with the LSO - he used no score (in the interview before the performance, he said that he had conducted it over a 100 times, the first time as a 16-year old!) and the chorus sang it from memory too. An overwhelming Finale, I urge you to try and see the recording, it's available on the BBC iPlayer.

I compared Mehta and Fischer from these recommendations. Fischer might edge Mehta as an interpreter, but Vienna sounds so good under Mehta that it’s got to be my choice. It’s just what I’ve been looking (listening) for!

Blomstedt has been my #1 since it came out, but there's one that I will always have a fond affection for: Scherchen on Westminster.

Thank you for this channel! Just found it, and was positively stunned by the pertinence, friendliness and knowledge of your commentaries. Thank you so much, and all the best to you!

Thanks for another great video Dave! 20 years ago I bought the first Kaplan recording with the LSO but since buying Mehta, Tennstedt, Solti and Klemperer, I haven't listened to it for a long time. Gave it another go this week and found it excellent! Wonderful sound and a really vibrant performance, exciting and lovely detail. Kaplan's devotion to the work shines through.

Have you seen that the original score is on display at the Cleveland art museam? It is being temporarily displayed there as it was donated to the Cleveland orchestra. I am 21 and recently discovered my love for this type of music after being randomly recommended a video of a Bernstein performance. This symphony made me feel emotions I never knew I could feel through music, and being from Cleveland, I had to go see it in person. It is incredible!

I once heard a portion of Ormandys recording and was shocked! I hardly recognized the work. Very different. I love the added high trumpet note at the last measure of the finale in Sinopoli's version.

The Blomstedt/SFS record has always been a favorite of mine, nice to see it getting some love. The playing is perfect, the interpretation is balanced, and the sound quality is as clear as a bell. I think it also has the best recorded-quality of the off stage brass. I also put Bernstein's DG, and, the not as popular of a choice of Boulez with Vienna at the top of the list. Another great video, Dave!