Your Go To Mahler Conductor

Sadly, your poll didn't list any of my favorite Mahler conductors. For living conductors, I'm most impressed with Gustavo Dudamel. His Symphony 2 is transcendent. I've also discovered the joys of Otto Klemperer, another great conductor not listed by you. I really like Chailly's 9 and 10 recordings, but I still haven't heard his others.

R1 Sorry! I thought of Klemperer. and I tried to give then "household names."

Dudamel is good.

I just saw Yannick Nezet-seguin with the Philadelphians in Mahler three and it was AMAZING. big fan

They are all so different:

Walter actually knew Mahler and was probably the closest to what Mahler actually wanted.

Tennstedt played Mahler like a fast moving locomotive

Bernstein was dramatic

There is nothing like the brass playing with Solti in Chicago.

Abbado in Berlin was incredibly posh.

MTT in San Francisco was recorded in the early 2000's, it is very introspective and somber.

Chaily and Maazel played Mahler a little too slow for my taste.

That you, C?

Voted Abbado because his BPO DG records are my imprint for M1, M5, M6 & M7, the most for any single conductor.

I'll drink to that! And one for Mahler.

Until I read this thread I thought Niles and Frasier Crane were wildly exaggerated humorous charicatures. Apparently they walk among us.

Oh dearing myself: *caricatures

MTT's Mahler 6 in San Francisco was recorded live on September 12, 2001. One of the most heartbreaking recordings, you can just hear the orchestra's sorrowfulness and mourning of the lives lost.

He IS Your Go To Mahler Conductor!

How about Bernard Haitink and the Concertgebouw? Haven’t heard those recordings in years, but I remember liking them a lot.

R12 Haitink is a very good Mahler conductor. I wanted to add him, but wasn't sure who to cut. May Kubelik?

I don't find any of Kubelik's Mahler recordings to be all that special -but he was the first boxed-set that I was able to purchase, and therefore has a special place in my heart.

Solti, Tennstedt, Abbado and some others hit the mark. (I'm counting orchestral works, including the choral symphonies, not lieder recordings, not being as familiar.)

But I put Bernstein because with most of his recordings, even with the less-than-great audio at times, because he's the Ella of conducting. The canonical sense of the work, without too much of an individualistic interpretation. I can hear the score in the works easier and draw my own (uninformed, perhaps) conclusions.

His Ninth is an excellent example. Ormandy's handy for that, too.

Otherwise with brilliant and daring conductors I can easily lose the composer because of the conductor. The music is so familiar I don't need the sparks.

R12 here. I have to say, I’m gratified that with all the low-brow stuff we discuss here on DL, we can have an intelligent discussion on high-brow stuff, too. Makes me happy.

Claudio Abbado

OP, I'm surprised that Vivian Vance wasn't a choice in your survey.

She sang in the premiere of Mahler 3

I'm thrilled that people are listening to Mahler -whoever the conductor is. The man's music has always spoken to me (or at least my inner drama queen). Like Shakespeare, he can be presented and interpreted in many ways, but the power and beauty always comes through.

If you're not listening to Mahler yet, try starting with the Adagietto from Symphony 5. Truly one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written.

Indeed

Ah, the cult of Mahler. His comeback was 40-50 years ago. I think you can give it a rest.

There are worse cults flourishing right now...

Niles, you hate Mahler! Aside from Maris, who doesn’t!?

I prefer his music to Strauss for the most part

Herbert von Karajan only recorded 4 of the symphonies (4, 5, 6, and 9) but his 9th (the live recording) is sublime and his 4th and 5th are as fine as any others I've heard.

Seiji Ozawa in Boston is very underrated cycle.

Yannick Nezet-Seguin's Mahler 1 is pretty amazing. He's not listed.

R26 - Yeah, I wouldn't consider Karajan a Mahler conductor.

Poor Kubelik hasn’t received any votes. Why do you think that is?

[quote] Yeah, I wouldn't consider Karajan a Mahler conductor.

Das ist nicht Mahler!

Sergiu Celibidache makes everything he touches turn into GOLD:

Surprisingly, my favorite Maher 1 is by Sir Adrian Boult -usually known for his interpretations of Ralph Vaughan Williams. It is absolutely wonderful -and sounds much better than other recordings from the period. It was done on the Everest label, which recorded on a wider tape (usually used for film soundtracks). I had the old LP for years. Never thought it would see the light of day on CD, but it did (a couple of times). I wish Boult had recorded the 9th and 2ndl

R30, typical american

R33, I’m quoting Bernstein directly from a documentary.

Christopher Hogwood

R32 Adrian Boult was also great in Elgar!

I think I created the perfect "Mahler Cycle," with no repeating conductor, singer, or orchestra. It is fun to search/listen to different recordings. Here is what I have so far:

1. The Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Seiji Ozawa

2. The Philharmonia Orchestra with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Hilde Rossl-Majdan, conducted by Otto Klemperer

3. Leonard Bernstein with the New York Philharmonic and soprano Martha Lipton

4. Lorin Maazel in Vienna, with Kathleen Battle

5. New Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Sir John Barbirolli

6. London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Klaus Tennstedt

7. Michael Tilson Thomas and the LSO

8. Sir Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Das Lied von der Erde: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, with James King and Dame Janet Baker. Conducted by Bernard Haitink

9. The Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Hebert von Karajan

10 Adagio. Eugene Ormandy in Philadelphia

The Klemperer recording of DAS LIED with Fritz Wunderlich and Christa Ludwig is marvelous. Such a tragedy Wunderlich died so young. What a voice!

There's a fabulous 1991 live recording of the 8th with the London Philharmonic conducted by Tennstedt with Jane Eaglen and Julia Varady.

I saw Australian conductor Simone Young conduct a wonderful performance of Mahler's Fifth at the Sydney Opera House last year (jealous, bitches?). It was superb.

Young is currently in rehearsals at Bayreuth to conduct the Ring Cycle, the first female conductor to be granted that honour.

Tár

as long as the conductor can conduct this

Houston is performing Mahler's 3rd in May

Cissy Houston died a few days ago.

R1 you took the words out of my mouth. My first choice would be Gustavo Dudamel.

My second: Claudio Abbado.

Last on the list is Bernstein.

R44 Why last? Bernstein seems to be winning, followed by Sir Georg Solti, Zubin Mehta, Claudio Abbado, and MTT

I was talking about my own preferences, R45, regardless whether he is “winning”in this poll or not.