Cheap Mahler: Symphony No. 9 (Music) (Gustav Mahler, Claudio Abbado, Berliner Philharmoniker) Price

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Customer Reviews of Mahler: Symphony No. 9

Superb
An exceptional, beautiful recording of Mahler 9, live in Berlin. A rival to the famous live Mahler 9 from von Karajan - a recording not without it's flaws. This new one under Abbado really stands out from the opening moments, a wonderfully judged tempo, then the release of the first two note motif just like a sigh, which I find proper. Abbado lets the music both unfold and then run riot in the more chaotic passages. I believe this to be correct; the music as written expresses a very free, unstructured, improvisatory quality in important moments of the 1st movement, the material, the phrases themselves being structurally important in the rest of the piece. This is a fully successful execution of the ideas Benjamin Zander describes so well on his Mahler 9 recording but does not convey as easily in the performance.

This is a real 'book-ended' symphony, with the first and last movements holding the most powerful meanings and the middle two offering respite and intrigue. Here Abbado seems to just let the orchestra play, and play they do. Breathtaking music-making!

The finale features some of the richest string sound I have ever, ever heard on a recording, the beauty of the sound and weight of the emotions are almost overwhelming, climaxes are full of grit and strength and unfold naturally from the music. The line moves and moves and moves . . . in the closing pages, Abbado still allows the music to breathe, one simply waits and the pauses last just as long as can be right, the music as soft as it should be, the notes speaking for themselves, no need to add to what Mahler has to say, really exceptional. There is an extended silence before the applause begins, almost 20 seconds, and I do hope that is as it was in the concert, because THAT is how you will be feeling at home, listening to this. Buy it.

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A powerful performance
A powerful Mahler Ninth

Having found some of the earlier Abbado Mahler recordings to be solid but not especially inspired, I wasn't expecting much of this one. It turned to be a superb performance (as is Abbado's new Mahler Third with Berlin).

This is a visceral reading, battering the listener with waves of sound. It is a pretty savage performance, though hardly lacking in the lyrical side. Rather, Abbado and Berlin play everything to the hilt, creating an emotional roller coaster that seems very right.

Of course, the Berlin Philharmonic is an orchestra that can respond brilliantly to almost any demands that are placed on it. Even in this live performance, the orchestra's intensity and accuracy never flag, no matter how hard Abbado drives them.

Perhaps because it was recorded live, some balances are just a little off and the sound lacks some power at climaxes. But there really is a spontaneity here that you rarely hear in studio performances.

The Mahler Ninth has fared well on disc. Though it would seem to be one of the most challenging Mahler symphonies to realize successfully, it brings out the best in a lot of conductors and orchestras. Abbado is yet another excellent recording, joining Klemperer, both Karajan recordings, the Horenstein Vienna Symphony and London Symphony recordings, Kubelik, and Boulez among my favorites.

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An equal to Karajan
This Mahler 9th may be equal to Karjan's great (2nd recording) of the work. I have to say was well as the Berlin Philharmonic played for Karajan, they play even better in this recording. Examples of this are found all over the place but to hear playing that is great beyond belif, listen to movments 2 and 3. How Abbado does the opening of the last movement is unique and it does work very well. I liked it alot. This is a classic. Thanks to DG for issuing it.

Greg