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| |  | Spirituality | Home » » » » Mahler: Symphony No. 5 | | | | | | | Product Promotions: | | | | | Product Details: | | | Audio CD Release Date:
| October 11, 1991 | | Studio:
| Decca | | Composer:
| Gustav Mahler | | Conductor:
| Georg Solti | | Orchestra:
| Chicago Symphony Orchestra | | Number Of Discs:
| 1 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 12 reviews |
| | | Track Listing: | | | 1. | Symphony No. 5: Trauermarsch: In Gemessenem Schritt | | 2. | Symphony No. 5: Stuermisch Bewegt | | 3. | Symphony No. 5: Scherzo: Kraeftig, Nicht Zu Schnell | | 4. | Symphony No. 5: Adagietto: Sehr Langsam | | 5. | Symphony No. 5: Rondo-Finale: Allegro | |
| | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 12 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 42 found the following review helpful:
No need to hesitateAug 23, 2002
By Chosroes III
While we all know too well how Bernstein's interpretation is considered definitive, and most of us have been "brought up" on it, I would have been just as happy to have first experienced Mahler's Fifth through this live Solti recording. If nothing else, I can seriously contend that Solti brings more life into the fifth movement than Bernstein did. That rollicking, effortless upward ascent, which Mahler apparently intends to be as breezy and exhilarating as a Tiepolo ceiling, really comes through here in a way that makes Bernstein's interpretation feel cold. That's a terribly important thing too, for without that sense of warmth and movement the Fifth Symphony can come across as somehow less transcendental than its siblings. Each Mahler symphony is its own unique world, of course, but the Fifth's climax (which Romain Rolland considered, at the time, the most successful piece of music Mahler had created thus far-- though of course Rolland wasn't exactly a Mahlerian!) should feel as vigorous and lyrical as "Prometheus Unbound" Act Four-- and here it does. Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra are, in fact, stellar throughout. Beautiful.
25 of 25 found the following review helpful:
Solti's live remake of the Mahler Fifth is one of his bestJun 30, 2006
By Santa Fe Listener
Solti took the Mahler Fifth on the road with the Chicago Sym. for two decades--I heard them in Boston in the early Seventies and was flabbergasted at the orchestra's virtuosity. It was a thrilling show, and here we have it from Vienna in 1990. Solti is rarely given credit for growth. It's always assumed that he will press fiercely ahead, drive the tempo, and choose blatant showmanship over depth and emotion. But by 1990 he was no longer revving his engines at supersonic speed, and although an intense and fast-paced reading, this live concert Fifth keeps its thrills going while also letting us hear Mahler's score. (P.S.--Having heard both Solti and Barenboim live in the Fifth, I much prefer Solti.)
Solti's studio effort from 1970 has been scorned by Amazon reviewers for its garish spotlit sonics, and I agree. But here we get detailed, natural digital sound of very high quality. The brass are still prominent, but that was the CSO style under Solti. Anyway, the brass parts tend to lead the way in Mahler's score, so this is an appropriate vehicle for them--and they know it. The execution here by all the winds is stupendous.
I find no exceses in the first three movements, but in the Adagietto there is some controversy. The Gramophone reviewer feels that Solti reverses course and ladles on sentiment after giving us none up until this point. First of all, at 9:42 min., the reading is not slow or soupy. To my ears Solti shapes the melodic line much more than before, but this lovely song calls for it, and I can't fault him for finding a heartfelt reprieve from all the banrstorming. The finale reverts back to Solti's usual extroverted style, but again, it's nowhere near as driven as you might assume.
Overall I would rate this an excellent recording, wonderfully played and recorded. In addition, it's far more accurate than either Bernstein reading and has more inner life than the recent version from Berlin under Simon Rattle (EMI). Solti ended his Mahler recording career with a winner.
21 of 22 found the following review helpful:
Wonderful musicJun 01, 2003
This recording of Mahler 5 is one of the best I have ever heard. The intesity from beginnig to end is one of the most impressive parts about this performace. The other is the CSO brass section. Being a brass player myself, there is no comparison. Its a thrill to hear the principal trumpet and horn players (Adolph Herseth and Dale Clevenger) play the pants off their parts. The rest of the CSO plays with their typical flair and power, with the dark strings adding a lot to the atmosphere of the Trauermarch. The only downside to this disc is the Adagietto. This movement sounds forced and not as heartfelt as some of the other great recordings. It also takes away from the overall drive of the symphony, which is promptly resumed during the rondo-finale. Overall, I would recomend this disc to every brass player and put it right up there with Bernstein's classic and Abbado's live performance with Berlin.
7 of 7 found the following review helpful:
A Solti performance for those who don't like the conductorNov 07, 2007
By Johannes Climacus
"Listening for Enjoyment"
I purchased this recording recently in part because of the favorable reviews listed here. I was not disappointed. Over the years I have been ambivalent about Solti: his interpretations of standard repertoire are often exciting, but rarely nuanced and frequently relentless. His studio account of the Mahler fifth from the '70's (also with the CSO) has always struck me as tight-fisted and unsympathetic to Mahlerian irony. This newer live performance, vividly recorded in Vienna, is undeniably thrilling. The CSO, challenged by Solti from the first note to the last, provide some stunningly virtuosic playing (and a couple of ragged moments as well). They are clearly energized by the occasion, and play as if their lives depended on it. Solti's interpretation has deepened considerably since the earlier recording; the Scherzo, particularly, is both more uplifting and more atmospheric (with Mahler's ingenious contrapuntal textures superbly clarified). The first and second movements are appropriately gripping without any hint of vulgarity. The adagietto is leisurely but not cloying (with some gorgeous playing from the CSO strings), and in the finale Solti and his band really go for broke, leaving the listener somewhat exhausted in the end--but better that than a tepid response.
In sum, then, here is a Solti performance for those who have their doubts about him (or about the ability of the sometimes spiky CSO to provide sensuous allure). Solti recordings seem to be going for a song these days (both new and used--check Amazon's listings), and collectors who find this recording congenial might want to look up his Haydn London Symphony cycle (another of the conductor's better ventures), his Beethoven symphony cycle (much better than its reputation), his Schubert "Great" C Major (another thrilling, but also intelligent, performance), and his Handel *Messiah* (believe it or not, Solti did Baroque music particularly well--not for him limp rhythms and anemic textures). Perhaps it's time for a reconsideration of this much-maligned figure.
8 of 9 found the following review helpful:
Excellent PerformanceJul 14, 1999
This is an excellent live recording from the Chicago Symphony, while they were on tour in Europe. Solti conducted this awesome performance of Mahler 5, and all of the cheers from the audience after the finale concludes seems to support that. The brass, in particular, really shines.
See all 12 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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