Mahler;Gustav Sym [Blu-ray] [Import]

All of a sudden, in this centennial year of the death of Mahler, there are now four Mahler Seconds on Blu-Ray.
ABBADO's Lucerne performance of 19/20 August 2003 was the first to appear on Blu-Ray. There was a sound problem with the initial release, but it has been fixed. My copy forms part of the boxed set of the first seven symphonies, where the First and the Second are combined onto one disc, the Third and Fourth on another, the Fifth and Sixth on another, while the Seventh is sole occupant of another disc. It is wonderful to have all the Mahler symphonies out on Blu-ray already so early in the life of the format, and the bulk of them presented by Abbado's handpicked Lucerne players. The contributions of Berlin veterans like clarinettist Sabine Meyer and flautist Emmanuel Pahud are highlighted in the Second, and their presence is missed in the First, which was recorded later. The blu-ray sound of the Second is astonishingly better than on the prior DVD release, and reveals one of the greatest performances of this work in our time. The performance and the disc are so perfect that it would have seemed like hubris to attempt another release. Yet three fine competitors have surfaced almost simultaneously.
CHAILLY's Leipzig performance of 17/18 May 2011 formed part of the first annual International Mahler Festival, along with a performance of Mahler's Eighth. The two symphonies both require large choral and orchestral forces, so there was practical advantage to having them both while the participants were available. The chorus masters Howard Arman, Simon Halsey and Gregor Meyer were certainly busy with rehearsals leading up to the festival, as the results testify. Ten years before, Chailly produced another outstanding high-resolution audio recording of this symphony, with the Concertgebouw; it was released both as a DVD-Audio disc and in a CD boxed set with the rest of the symphonic cycle.
GILBERT's New York performance of 11 September 2011 took place on the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks. (To find this performance of the Second Symphony, search for "A Concert for New York" in Movies & TV.) In addition to the capacity crowd of 2646 people inside Avery Fisher Hall, a large screen outside in Lincoln Center Plaza accommodates a larger crowd, among whom are family members of the fallen. The conductor gives an impassioned introductory speech which has many audience members in tears, along with yours truly. In some ways the speech upstages the performance of the symphony. At least it certainly highlights the tragic and courageous aspects of the score, as opposed to the light touches, which are manifold. The performance certainly has a sense of occasion, and the choice of piece is particularly appropriate in view of the fact that Mahler himself conducted this orchestra in this piece on 8 December 1908.
BOULEZ's Berlin performance of 26/27 March 2005 makes a somewhat belated appearance on Blu-ray, after already having incarnations on DVD and HD-DVD. There is no way to compare with the latter, but the Blu-ray sound is a big, big leap from the DVD, which sounded anemic in both LPCM stereo and DTS. The LPCM stereo on the blu-ray sounds vastly better than the corresponding stereo on the DVD. To my ears the multi-channel sound on the Blu-ray is too bass-heavy (one of the microphone set-ups must have been near the basses), but others may prefer it. The occasion for this performance was the 80th birthday of the conductor, but unmentioned in the program notes is the fact that it was also near the 110th anniversary of the work's premiere, which took place right there in Berlin. So the Berliners conscientiously step into this piece as heirs to those who created it.
Of course the complete Abbado set is a must for the Mahler fan, but the other three performances of the Second are so fine that they too rise to the level of the indispensable.

This performance by Boulez has always been a yardstick against which other versions are measured. I will not try and repeat the essence of the several excellent reviews of the original dvd. I will point out some important differences between this and the competition by Chailly, Abbado and Gilbert now that we're on a level Bluray playing field.

Firstly, the improvement in both sound and video in this bluray over the dvd is mind boggling. Even though this recording is now over six years old, the picture quality is impeccable, every little detail visible. The sound is downright scary in its power (I used DTS MASTER audio). One of the biggest differences is the cellos and basses, particularly in the opening bars. The close miking here gives exactly the impact you want in this entry. Likewise, throughout the piece, because of Boulez's regard for lines and counterpoint, everything is heard in all its glorious detail. By contrast, Chailly does not bring the basses properly to the fore in this first movement - they're a bit reticent. Abbado's recording comes in second on this point. Overall, though, I thought Chailly's recording a little more refined than the others - a bit sweeter.Perhaps it's because it's newer.

Now - the singers. In this work, I like my mezzo's tone nice and syrupy (rich), but refined. Petra Lang is as good here as Anna Larsson on Abbado's disc, which is saying a lot. Sarah Connolly is also very good in the Chailly version. Diana Damrau is one of the greatest coloratura sopranos ever (listen to her as Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute - its on You Tube). Here she is perfect. Her entry in the last movement, right after the choir comes in, where her voice "floats and soars" above the chorus, is pure magic,made possible by the placement of the soloists in the front row of the choir. Chailly's singers are adjacent to him, so that effect is totally absent. Abbado's singers are placed high up in the orchestra, and here the effect is almost, but not quite as effective as Boulez's soloists' set-up.

Although I quite enjoy athletic conductors, Boulez does exhibit absolute control with his minimalist style - the barest of arm movement and eye contact. Chailly is much more animated, Abbado in between.

We are fortunate that all three versions are essentially indispensable. I have left out Gilbert in this comparison, because although his is generally a very good performance, he doesn't scale the heights like the other three - but his disc is more a celebration of an event than a pure concert, anyway. (10th. Anniversary of 9/11). See my review of this disc (A Concert for New York).

Anyone who can survive this work with dry eyes has something missing in the soul department, in my opinion.

In any event, this is a truly great bluray release, and should be snapped up by every Mahlerian, whether they have the original dvd or not!