Heeere's Klaus!

From July 4, 2011:

This is a live recording from Royal Festival Hall made in 1991. You'll see from the other reviews here that while Tennstedt is universally admired as a Mahler interpreter, there is some controversy about whether his live recordings are more successful than those done in the studio. I come down more on the studio side myself. I acknowledge, though, that there can be some thrilling moments in a live Tennstedt recording, as there were in the 6th Symphony recorded with the LPO the same year as this one; and as there are occasionally in this disc, newly released on LPO's own label. Tennstedt often "milks" a phrase for maximum effect, while losing sight of the longer arcs of the Symphony. His highly emotional approach seems cranked up in these live recordings, while the studio recordings often have more discipline, though they still have real passion.

The sound on these CDs is better than you might imagine from a television recording of this vintage. The soloists mainly acquit themselves well, and the choral singing from the LPO Choir, Eton College Boys' Choir and the London Symphony Chorus is excellent.

If you like your Mahler with a touch of Jack Nicholson in the Shining, this might be your cup of tea.

Dimitri Mitropoulos's final performance

From June 15, 2011:

Dimitri Mitropoulos's Mahler from his time with the New York Philharmonic was somewhat over-shadowed by his replacement Leonard Bernstein. But Mahler recordings conducted by Mitropoulos from New York and other orchestras are of very high quality. Recordings of the 1st, 5th, 9th, & 10th Symphonies have probably the highest reputation.

Mitropoulos's surviving New York recording of the 3rd Symphony was severely cut to fit into a radio broadcast schedule. Luckily, there exists a recording with the Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester of a full, live, performance of the 3rd Symphony from October 31, 1960. It definitely trumps the New York recording, and perhaps deserves a place among Mitropoulos's best Mahler. This new disc from ICQ Classics is the first CD release of this performance.

The recording has some significant historic interest, since it represents the very last performance by this great conductor. Mitropoulos suffered a heart attack during the long first movement, and, refusing medical attention, conducted the remainder of the work from a chair. He died three days later, while rehearsing the same work in Milan. I find it very moving to listen to this music, written by someone who lived much of his life with serious illness, and whose preoccupation with death played such an large role in his music.

The Koln orchestra shines in both the Mahler Symphony and Debussy's La Mer, which was recorded a few days before the Mahler, and which nicely fills out the second CD of this set. It's great to have this music available, not only for its historic significance, but for the music itself. This is music that can be appreciated by any Mahlerian, and not just a hard-core Mitropoulitan. The sound is very good: warm and full, with the excitement that comes with the best live recordings. This is very highly recommended!