Gustav Mahler Bernard Haitink Kees De Wijs - Mahler The Symphonies (63 tracks) +Album Reviews

Good but no bargain

Arnout Koeneman | the netherlands | 05/27/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When you buy a cd box set you know it's not very likely every disc in the box is going to be wonderful.

So, to get this thing out of the way: you're not getting the best performance of every single symphony.

The discs I like the most are symphony no. 2, 3, 4, 7 and 9.

The 9th is phenomenal, the orchestral playing, sound, tempi...near perfect to my taste, I never heard a better performance, only Boulez comes close in the first movement.

The 3rd is my favorite too (for now), together with Bernstein's recording on Sony.

I am not that fond of Horenstein's reading, why everyone and I mean EVERYONE mentions that recording as their favorite never ceases to amaze me.

Haitink's reading is the most dark one I ever heard in the first movement, the contrast between the dark passages and the brighter, gentle ones are superb in Haitink's recording...it could be the sound of the recording, not specifically Haitink's conducting, but nonetheless it is great.

Bernstein is better in the march themes of the 1st movement, where he goes completely mad and his second movement is much more imaginative and colorful than Haitink's, but overall I can't pick a favorite, they both are excellent.

(Haitink's live recording with RCO - Christmas box - is great too)

The fourth is not my favorite, Kubelik's recording is, but it is the most balanced, in sound (beautiful played, but not too refined) and pacing I know, therefore it is my reference recording, not my favorite necessarily.

The second is solid, but without the sparkle his excellent live recording with the RCO has which is my favorite at the moment, along with Kubelik's DG recording.

The 7th is bettered by Haitink in his second recording in the 80's and especially his live recording with the RCO, but still this recording is better than the usual suspects in this symphony: Bernstein , Abbado and Gielen.

Boulez is actually very good.

The 5th on this box is rather plain, nothing special.

I prefer Boulez, Barshai and especially Haitink live with the RCO.

You'de never imagine Haitink giving such a passionate reading, the tension in the 2nd movement, the constant forward moving drive is breathtaking.

To summon up: two symphonies of this box belong to my all-time favorites (3 and 9) and one is almost my favorite (4)

You can buy the 3rd, 4th and 9th seperately, you don't need to get this box for them.

The 3rd is re-released on Universal Classics - the Originals with "Das Klagende Lied"

The 4th is maybe harder to get, on Philips Solo and Philips Silver line

The 9th you can buy with Das Lied von der Erder on Philips Duo or with Des Knaben Wunderhorn.

Although this box is really very good, it is pretty expensive when you compare it with other box sets

For instance: Gardiner's Bach Sacred Vocal Works, you can get for $45, 9 cd's

Haitink's Christmas Box (with Mahler symphonies performed live) $45 9cd's

(you still can buy this excellent box at Kuijperklassiek, it never really was a limited edtion)

Just with any other Universal Music cd boxes you get cheap cardboard cd-sleeves which are wrapped extremely tight round the discs, you need to use force to get a cd out of it.

If you're lucky you get an older box, where the cd-sleeves are made of (thinner) paper.

85 dollar isn't cheap and although the performances are great I expected more attention to the package itself...how the cd's are wrapped in those cheap sleeves is like telling me: "well hey you must be lucky to get 10 cd's for only $85"

If it were new records they would be right, but these records have made their money in all those years...my advise would be to buy the Christmas box or the 3rd, 4th and 9th seperately.

"

Consistent if not always revelatory

Paul Bubny | Maplewood, NJ United States | 11/17/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This boxed set collects what was one of the first complete Mahler symphonic cycles, taped between 1962 and 1971. With one or two exceptions, the performances here don't come close to the finest ever set down on tape, but Haitink's more thoughtful approach is a corrective to the hyped-up drama of Bernstein and Solti. And he's got the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, whose Mahler tradition dates back to guest appearances by the composer himself, at his service.

Haitink's 1969 recording of the Ninth would be near the top of my shortlist of the finest recorded Ninths. In balancing the work's many elements, Haitink may excel everyone else. Another highlight is the Third Symphony, which is a "contender" even if it's overshadowed by the Jascha Horenstein recording. (In fact, the two conductors' basic approaches are not that dissimilar to one another. Horenstein does not set out to make this a "blockbuster" either, and arguably Haitink's orchestra is more idiomatic sounding than the London Symphony.)

Existing on a slightly lower plane, but still recommendable, are the oldest recording of the cycle (the 1962 First Symphony, fresher sounding than the remake of 10 years later) and the first of three recordings Haitink has made of the Fourth symphony. This set's Fifth and Seventh Symphonies may be a little on the sober side, but they are cohesive (which can't always be said about performances of these works).

The set's peformances of the Second and Sixth Symphonies are too "sane" to make the full impact Mahler intended (reportedly, Haitink's concert performances of both works have generated more heat), while the Eighth here is simply dull. It's even dull-sounding, requiring a volume boost to avoid loss of detail.

On balance, one of the better introductions to Mahler's world in sound, but aside from the Ninth and Third, you may find your needs eventually outgrow what this set can provide."

Excellent Mahler from Netherlands

HZBogani | Venezuela | 09/13/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Bernard Haitink may not be the most popular Mahler conductor, but for me, is one of the best ever. Just listen to the symphonies number three and seven. These symphonies are amazingly well played by the Concertgebouw Orch. Haitink Keeps a perfect pace during the whole third, The performance is a powerful, insightful, and an incredibly detailed one. Listen in the first movement of the third, the posthorn solo and you will understand why i wrote this review. Haitink of course is very controled in his approach but this work perfectly because everything is so articulated and clear. The average sound is very good.

The seventh is equally good as the third. Symphonies 1,5,8 are good performances but there is nothing special i could say about. I think Bruno Walter in #1, Barbirolli in #5 and Solti or Bernstein in #8 are the stars.

Symphonies 4,6,9 are great, especially the ninth and the sixth. Honestly i dont like the singers of the second. but is a decent account of the symphony.

Buy This Box Set if you want to have one of the best Third and Seventh (possibly Ninth) in the catalog, the overall quality of interpretation in the set is good to very good.

"

Better than its reputation

L. Johan Modée | Earth | 03/11/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This box collects Bernard Haitink's early contributions to the Mahler boom. The recordings where made in 1962-1971.

Some reviewers have repeatedly claimed that Haintink's Mahler interpretations are dull. I don't agree. Among the three classic cycles - the other two are Kubelik's and Bernstein's - I would rank it before Bernstein, but second to Kubelik's. The reason is simple: there are more gems in this box than in the Bernstein counterpart, and the recording quality is much better.

The third, seventh, eight and ninth symphonies are exceptionally good. In particular, the ninth is even better than both Kubelik's and Bernstein's. The first, second, and fourth symphonies are better than many other recordings of these works, while the fifth and sixth both lack the essential sardonic character - they are simply too much "middle of the road". But they are nonetheless better than those in the Bernstein set, which are more or less forgettable.

Choosing between Kubelik, Haitink and Bernstein, I recommend Kubelik as the first choice. His Bohemic, sober and consistent cycle stood the test of time; actually it is even more widely appreciated now than it was in the seventies. The Bernstein cycle, by contrast, only the third, fourth and seventh attract repeated listening as really great interpretations. So the Haitink cycle, boasting the excellent Concertgebouw orchestra and very fine sound as well, is still worth a serious consideration.

"

Tasteful Mahler from The Netherlands.

Spartro1 | 06/26/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bernard Haitink is one of the finest conductors in the world today, and he shows it it this set of Mahler symphonies, recorded from 1962 to 1972. They were recorded around the same time that Leonard Bernstein was making headway with the New York Philharmonic in these works. However, Haitink has several advantages over Bernstein.

1. The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra was recently voted the best orchestra in the world by Gramophone magazine, and they certainly live up to that title hear. The brass are strong, but not obnoxiously so ala Chicago, and they play 1000 times better than NY. The low brass in particular shine. The strings are rich and sumptuous, but never soupy or thick. The woodwinds (especially the clarinets) outdo themselves with each work. The RCO has a very rich Mahler tradition, and they hold that tradition up here beautifully. One thing I found very interesting is the fact that the woodwinds sit reversed. For example, the clarinets are normally to the left of the conductor, but are instead to the right.

2. The sound that Philips gave Haitink was very generous. The low to mid-range in particular is strong, so there is an excellent sense of foundation here. Even though the recorded sound is a bit distant at times, it remains intricately detailed. Philips is a recording company that consistently produces sonically impressive achievements.

3. Haitink himself is excellent. His pacing of each work is spot on, with climaxes making a most thrilling impact. He doesn't milk the music for all its worth, saving it up for the big moments. Also, he doesn't make Mahler a neurotic, crazed prophet. This is Mahler, the man about Vienna, refined and tasteful. I like this approach A LOT more than Bernstein, who searched every little phrase for some hidden meaning. He can also drive like Solti, but it is never constant and ruthless, He actually takes the time to stop and let the beauty of a violin part to shine through.

4. Haitink treats each symphony with equality. They all have the same sense of discovery that Bernstein created in his recordings. The First is like gazing at the Dutch countryside, with its windmills and tulips. The Sturmisch bewegt movement in particular is well played, and the horns at the end cover themselves in glory. The Second symphony receives a very strong reading, and it compares in many ways to the Mehta recording from 1975 (see my review there too.) The Third here, along with the 7th and 9th, are the main reasons I purchased there recordings. It is the most balanced recording of work that I have ever heard. Only Barbirolli can even begin to come close. The 4th, while not my favorite Mahler symphony, jangles lightly on the breeze and has appropriate moments of darkness and light in it. Bernstein is actually the better in this piece. The 6th is good, sometimes incredible, but I feel like Claudio Abbado's live account with Berlin is consistently spectacular. Not that Haitink and the RCO are bad, I just prefer Abbado. He has a better command of the structure of this sprawling work. The 7th here left me asking for more! Haitink brings this work together very well, making it music for music. This recording ties with Abbado live in Berlin for my favorite recording of the work. The 8th here actually sounds very routine, with Tennstedt and (gasp) Solti having the better renditions. Lastly, we have the 9th and the Adagio from the unfinished 10th. The 9th here is not all death and despair. It is a portrait of a man remembering a full life, even if it was a short one. The final measures are not the dying breaths of a soul, but a transcendence to a higher plane of existence. Rather than ppp, he has the strings play p. The 10th is a gut-wrenching account, and can stand with Bernstein's NY Phil recording from the 1970s.

With this set, you get possibly the best performances of the 3rd, 7th, and 9th on record, with a very strong 1st, 2nd, and 6th. On the whole, a most excellent set. Don't hesitate to purchase.

Bravi tutti!"

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