Gustav Mahler: Lieder- Symphonies No. 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 & 9 / Das Lied von der Erde [Box set]

The compleat Mahlerite will probably have acquired most or all of these recordings over the years in various other issues. For example,many of the songs on the first disc are included as fillers in the Naxos Historical issue of Fried's Second Symphony. Walter's Vienna Ninth has had numerous incarnations on CD, as have his New York Fifth and the Ferrier/Patzak "Das Lied". This Membran box is worth getting even if you already have some of the performances since all have historical interest as some of the first recordings of the composer's music. It should also be noted that all the symphonies are conducted by men who knew Mahler well.

The first disc contains the complete "Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen" with Mengelberg conducting baritone Hermann Schey(1939). Next are three of the "Ruckert-lieder," Bruno Walter conducting Kerstin Thorborg in "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen,"(1936) Kathleen Ferrier in "Um Mitternacht,"(1952) and "Ich atmet' einen linden Duft" sung by Charles Kullmann with Malcolm Sargent conducting (1938). Hermann Weigert conducts Heinrich Schlusnus in "Rheinlegendchen"and "Der Tamboursg'sell "(1931), and Grete Stuckgold is featured with an unknown conductor and orchestra in 1921 recordings of "Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht?" and "Ich ging mit Lust duch einen grunen Wald." Another version of the last song with piano by Lula Mysz-Gmeiner (1926) completes the disc.

Disc two is Mitropoulos's Minneapolis Symphony No.1 performance from 1940.
Discs three and four feature the 1924 first recording of the Second Symphony with Oskar Fried leading the Berliner Staatskapelle,filled out by the Ferrier/Walter/Vienna Philharmonic "Kindertotenlieder" from 1949.
Disc five has Mengelberg's well-known Fourth from 1939 with soprano Jo Vincent.
Disc six features Walter's New York Phiharmonic traversal of the Fifth from 1947.
Discs seven and eight feature Stokowski's New York Philharmonic Eighth from 1950 filled out with Hermann Scherchen's 1952 Vienna State Opera Orchestra recording of the Adagio from the Tenth.
Disc nine, appropriately, features Walter's historic 1938 recording of the Ninth with the Vienna Philharmonic.
The last disc has the celebrated 1952 "Das Lied von der Erde" with Walter again leading the VPO for soloists Ferrier and Julius Patzak.

Considering that in the early days of CDs the modest cost of this box would have fetched only one or two of the symphonies alone, this is an excellent bargain. It goes without saying that your first recordings of the symphonies should be in modern sound, but as a boatload of historical Mahler it's hard to beat.

Five stars for the repertoire and value.

Update,June 2011: Membran has just come out with another Mahler box which in many ways is even more attractive, although it duplicates the performances of the 5th,8th,10th and "Das Lied" : Symphonies

CD 1

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen / Songs Of A Wayfarer

I. Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht 3:43

Il. Ging heut` morgen übers Feld 3:52

III. Ich hab` ein glühend Messer 3:11

IV. Die zwei blauen Augen 5:20

Hermann Schey, Bariton / baritone - Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam - Willem Mengelberg,

Dirigent / conductor - aufg. / recorded in 1939

Fünf Lieder (Rückert), Auszüge / Five Rückert Songs, Excerpts

III. Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen 5:48

Kerstin Thorborg, Mezzosopran / mezzo-soprano - Wiener Philharmoniker - Bruno Walter, Dirigent / conductor - aufg. / recorded in 1936

II. Ich atmet` einen linden Duft (in englischer Sprache / sung in English) 2:49

Charles Kullman, Tenor / tenor - Orchester unbekannt / orchestra unknown - Malcolm Sargent, Dirigent /conductor - aufg. / recorded in 1938

IV. Um Mitternacht 6:20

Kathleen Ferrier, Alt / alto - Wiener Philharmoniker - Bruno Walter, Dirigent / conductor - aufg. / recorded in 1952

Zwölf Lieder aus Des Knaben Wunderhorn" (Brentano u. Arnim),

Auszüge / Songs From "The Youth's Magic Horn" (Brentano a. Armin), Excerpts

IV. Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht? 1:48

Grete Stückgold, Sopran / soprano - Orchester u. Dirigent unbekannt / orchestra and conductor unknown - aufg. / recorded in 1915

IV. Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht? 2:08

Lula Mysz-Gmeiner, Sopran / soprano - Pianist unbekannt / pianist unknown - aufg. / recorded in 1926

VII. Rheinlegendchen 3:34

Heinrich Schlusnus, Bariton / baritone - Berliner Staatskapelle - Hermann Weigert, Dirigent / conductor - aufg. / recorded in 1931

Sieben Lieder aus letzter Zeit, Auszug / From Orchestral Songs, Excerpt

II. Der Tamboursg`sell 4:53

Heinrich Schlusnus, Bariton / baritone - Berliner Staatskapelle - Hermann Weigert, Dirigent / conductor - aufg. / recorded in 1931

Vierzehn Lieder und Gesänge aus der Jugendzeit, Auszug /

From Songs For Voice And Pianoforte, Excerpt

Ich ging mit Lust durch einen grünen Wald 3:45

Grete Stückgold, Sopran / soprano - Orchester u. Dirigent unbekannt / orchestra and conductor unknown - aufg. / recorded in 1921

CD 2

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

1. Sinfonie D-Dur Titan" / Symphony No. 1 in D major "Titan"

I. Langsam, schleppend. Im Anfang sehr gemächlich 13:28

II. Kräftig bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell 6:12

III. Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen 10:34

IV. Stürmisch bewegt 17:32

Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra - Dimitri Mitropoulos, Dirigent /conductor - aufg. / recorded in 1940

CD 3

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

2. Sinfonie c-Moll Auferstehung", Anfang /

Symphony No. 2 in C minor "Resurrection", Beginning

I. Allegro maestoso. Mit durchaus ernstem und feierlichem Ausdruck 21:46

II. Andante moderato. Sehr gemächlich. Nie eilen 10:04

III. In ruhig fließender Bewegung 12:28

IV. Sehr feierlich, aber schlicht. Choralmäßig 6:02

Gertrud Bindernagel, Sopran / soprano - Emmi Leisner, Alt /alto - Berliner Staatskapelle - Oskar Fried,

Dirigent / conductor - aufg. / recorded in 1924

CD 4

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

2. Sinfonie c-Moll Auferstehung", Schluss /

Symphony No. 2 in C minor "Resurrection", Conclusion

V. Im Tempo des Scherzo. Wild herausfahrend 33:13

Gertrud Bindernagel, Sopran / soprano - Emmi Leisner, Alt /alto - Berliner Staatskapelle - Oskar Fried,

Dirigent / conductor - aufg. / recorded in 1924

Kindertotenlieder (Rückert)

I. Nun will die Sonn` so hell aufgeh`n 4:48

II. Nun seh` ich wohl, warum so dunkle Flammen 4:36

III. Wenn dein Mütterlein tritt zur Tür herein 4:30I

V. Oft denk` ich, sie sind nur ausgegangen! 2:52

V. In diesem Wetter, in diesem Braus 6:21

Kathleen Ferrier, Alt / alto - Wiener Philharmoniker - Bruno Walter, Dirigent / conductor - aufg. / recorded in 1949

CD 5

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

4. Sinfonie G-Dur / Symphony No. 4 in G major

I. Bedächtig. Nicht eilen 17:13

II. In gemächlicher Bewegung. Ohne Hast 8:17

III. Ruhevoll 21:24

IV. Sehr behaglich 9:48

Jo Vincent, Sopran / soprano - Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam - Willem Mengelberg,

Dirigent / conductor - aufg. / recorded in 1939

CD 6

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

5. Sinfonie cis-Moll / Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor

I. Trauermarsch. In gemessenem Schritt. Streng. Wie ein Kondukt 11:37

II. Stürmisch bewegt. Mit größter Vehemenz 12:32

III. Scherzo. Kräftig, nicht zu schnell 15:05

IV. Adagietto. Sehr langsam 7:37

V. Rondo - Finale: Allegro. Allegro giocoso. Frisch 13:54

New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Bruno Walter, Dirigent /conductor - aufg. / recorded in 1947

CD 7

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

10. Sinfonie / Symphony No. 10

Andante. Adagio 28:44

Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper - Hermann Scherchen, Dirigent / conductor - aufg. / recorded in 1952

8. Sinfonie Es-Dur Sinfonie der Tausend" / Symphony No. 8 in E flat major

"Symphony Of A Thousand"

1. Teil / Part 1: Hymnus Veni, creator spiritus"

Veni creator spiritus 5:37

Infirma nostri corporis 6:00

Accende lumen sensibus 8:10

Gloria Patri Domino 2:35

Francis Yeend, Uta Graf, Camilla Williams, Sopran / soprano - Martha Lipton, Mezzosopran / mezzo-soprano

Eugene Conley, Tenor / tenor - Carlos Alexander, Bariton / baritone - George London, Bass / bass

Westminster Choir - Schola Cantorum - Boys` Chorus from Public School, Manhattan - Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, New York Leopold Stokowski, Dirigent / conductor - aufg. / recorded in 1950

CD 8

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

8. Sinfonie Es-Dur Sinfonie der Tausend"

Symphony No. 8 in E flat major "Symphony Of A Thousand"

2. Teil: Schlussszene aus Goethes Faust II"

Part 2: Final Scene from Goethe's "Faust II"

Poco adagio. Più mosso 7:42

Heilige Anachoreten (Chor und Echo). Pater Ecstaticus 4:38

Pater Profundus 4:59

Chor der Engel. Chor seliger Knaben. Die jüngeren Engel 4:04

Die vollendeteren Engel. Die jüngeren Engel. Die seligen Knaben. Doctor Marianus 7:09

Chor der Büßerinnen 3:02

Magna Peccatrix. Mulier Samaritana 3:29

Maria Aegyptiaca 3:40

Una Poenitentium. Selige Knaben. Una Poenitium 4:48

Mater Gloriosa. Doctor Marianus 5:55

Chorus Mysticus 6:00

Francis Yeend, Uta Graf, Camilla Williams, Sopran / soprano - Martha Lipton, Mezzosopran / mezzo-soprano

Eugene Conley, Tenor / tenor - Carlos Alexander, Bariton / baritone - George London, Bass / bass

Westminster Choir - Schola Cantorum - Boys` Chorus from Public School, Manhattan - Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, New York Leopold Stokowski, Dirigent / conductor - aufg. / recorded in 1950

CD 9

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

9. Sinfonie d-moll / Symphony No. 9 in D minor

I. Andante comodo 24:39

II. Im Tempo eines gemächlichen Ländlers. Etwas täppisch und derb 15:33

III. Rondo - Burleske. Allegro assai. Sehr trotzig 11:10

IV. Adagio. Sehr langsam und noch zurückhaltend 18:04

Wiener Philharmoniker - Bruno Walter, Dirigent / conductor, aufg. / recorded in 1938

CD 10

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

Das Lied von der Erde / The Song Of The Earth

I. Das Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde Allegro pesante 8:36

II. Der Einsame im Herbst Etwas schleichend. Ermüdet 9:13

III. Von der Jugend Behaglich heiter 2:59

IV. Von der Schönheit Comodo. Dolcissimo 6:45

V. Der Trunkene im Frühling Allegro. Keck, aber nicht zu schnell 4:23

VI. Der Abschied Schwer 28:20

Kathleen Ferrier, Alt / alto - Julius Patzak, Tenor / tenor - Wiener Philharmoniker - Bruno Walter,

Dirigent / conductor - aufg. / recorded in 1952

very little information avaiable before i took a chance on this boxed set, it was so inexpensive. these are very early recordings by various artists, many live. the sound is what you expect. many very early songs, some complete cycles. mitropoulos with the minneapolis does the first, fried the second, mengelberg the fourth, stokowski the eight, walter the fifth and the ninth in addition to kindertotenlieder and song of the earth ,both with ferrier. also songs of a wayfarer complete by schey and mengelberg. i was very pleased with what i got.