Mahler: Symphony No. 3

Michelle Deyoung - Mahler: Symphony No. 3

Mahler: Symphony No. 3

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CD Details

Artist: Michelle Deyoung
Composer: Mahler
Conductor: Haitink
Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2007-05-08
Music Label: Cso Resound
Soundtracks:

Music CD 1

Kraftig. Entschieden

Music CD 2

Tempo di Menuetto. Sehr massig
Comodo. Scherzando. Ohne Hast
Sehr langsam. Misterioso
Lustig m Tempo und keck im Ausdruck
Langsam. Ruhevoll. Empfunden

Music reviews of Mahler: Symphony No. 3

Music Review: Haitink's forth go
Rating: 3 Stars

Let's see. Another Mahler 3rd from Bernard Haitink, this time with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on their new house label CSO resound. Regardless of the merits of this performance (and, for the most part, it is a fine Mahler 3rd that lacks any real distinction), why was this recording even made? It seems Haitink has been enjoying something of an Indian Summer in his career as he is allowed to re-record the basic repertoire ad nauseam with all the worlds' major orchestras. Why he is given this privilege is anyone's guess, considering most of these remakes cannot compare to his earlier recordings.

For the LSO Live label (which seems to specializing in duplicating earlier recordings made by now aging conductors), Haitink has recorded a very fine Beethoven cycle and a pretty lackluster Brahms cycle. That the latter was only moderately successful should not be a surprise; Haitink's cycle with the Concertgebouw on Phillips already showed the conductor's lack of affinity with the music. For RCO Live label, Haitink has re-re-re-recorded the Bruckner 8th, his most lifeless performance of the symphony to date, coupled with an uninterested Concertgebouw in surprisingly bad sound. Haitink has recorded this symphony twice before, with the Vienna Philharmonic and (surprise, surprise) the Concertgebouw, both of which trump his most recent effort. Anyone interested in this usually sensitive Brucknerian's interpretations should turn to his Phillips cycle with the Concertgebouw or the various recordings with the Vienna Philharmonic on (surprise, surprise) Phillips.

Finally, here, for the CSO Resound label, Haitink has re-re-re-recorded the Mahler 3rd. I can really only see three reasons why anyone would want to acquire this release: 1) To hear Haitink's latest thoughts on the Mahler 3rd; 2) To hear the Chicago Symphony in this music; 3) To have a Mahler 3rd in SACD sound. Concerning Haitink's interpretation, his original Concertgebouw 3rd on Phillips remains one of his better achievements in his original cycle. This new release does not improve on his earlier recording and, if anything, finds the oft-square-faced Haitink at his stodgiest. Furthermore, Haitink has recorded this music with the Berlin Philharmonic on (you guessed it) Phillips in DVD format for anyone interested in visual fare, a performance that finds Haitink duplicating his earlier efforts. There goes reason number one. Concerning the Chicago Symphony, they have recorded this music before for Solti in his rough, muscular, aggressive Decca cycle. Although Solti's Mahler has aged badly, due mostly to Solti's limited grasp of the Mahler idiom, the conductor was anything but boring. His brash and wild approach certainly worked for the most part in the 3rd. Although both the minuete and finale predictably lacks the necessary sensitivity of touch, the craggy first movement sounds appropriately primitive and the scherzo is rough and ruckus. And Margaret Hillis certainly has the current chorus beat in the vocal department - Haitink's fifth movement is particularly lifeless. So, muscle for muscle, while the current Chicago Symphony has made gains in polish and balance, the older orchestra has them beat in the excitement department. So there goes reason number two. As for modern-day sound, specifically a SACD Mahler 3rd, their certainly is not a lack of greatness in this department. Despite a first movement that never takes off, Michael Tilson Thomas offers a more interesting (if not necessarily more coherent) Mahler 3rd with the fabulous San Francisco Symphony and a better sounding Michelle de Young in SACD sound coupled with the Kindertotenlieder. And Ricardo Chailly with the Royal Concertgebouw on Decca offers not only the best SACD Mahler 3rd available but one of the best Mahler 3rds period. The Concertgebouw has the Chicago Symphony beat in the playing department. While the American orchestra is famous for their brass, the Concertgebouw offers not only sumptuous string playing, the greatest woodwind section in terms of character, and big, burnished brass, but also offers an orchestral tradition steeped in the Mahler idiom. Chailly is a much more sensitive guide than Haitink has ever been and the Concertgebouw matches Chailly's excitement measure for measure. Furthermore, the Decca recording is coupled with Mahler's re-orchestration of Bach's third orchestral suite. So there goes reason three.

By no means am I attempting to say that Haitink is not a fantastic conductor, nor am I saying he is not worthy of being recorded. When in his element, Haitink has few peers, delivering razor sharp precision, perfect ensemble balance, and great energy. But when he isn't (as is the case in this recording), Haitink can sound pedantic at best and just plain boring at his worst. And considering his veritable success in Bruckner, Mahler, and Shostakovich in his previous recorded efforts, it would be nice if the Chicago Symphony recorded their new music director in music that he has not already successfully commercially recorded. This release represents all that is wrong with the classical recording industry today. For all the hubbub concerning the "death" of classical music, that this is Haitink's, what, forth go at this symphony certainly suggests the only crisis in classical music is with the classical record labels and their inability to create engaging or thought-provoking releases.

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