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Seeking recommendation for Mahler 2

I just bought the Gilbert Kaplan/Wiener Philharmoniker SACD version of Mahler's Resurrection. To my ears, the performance and recording are quite uneven. Kaplan repeatedly robs the music of its natural tension and dynamics. It's a plodding performance with no sparkle or life. His own 1988 recording with the LSO was better. And the mix puts chorus in your lap in one phrase and buries it in the next. Soloists are way larger than life at times, and hidden among choral lines at others. The whole project seems over-edited and over-mixed, giving it a tweaked-sounding, unnatural arc. I'm no Mahler scholar, but I'd appreciate recommendations for a great performance and recording of the Resurrection. (Of course, if you love this version, I'd happily send you my copy!)
77jovian
abysmillard
34 posts
 
At the moment, I'm pretty happy with the Solti/LSO/Heather Harper/Helen Watts performance on London 1966 vinyl. At other times I like the Abravanel/Utah Symphony/Beverly Sills/Florene Kipleff on Vanguard 1967 vinyl or the Bernstein/LSO/Janet Baker/Sheila Armstrong on Columbia (don't know the date). I also listen to the Eschenback/Chicago Symphony/ Simona Saturova/Yvonne Naef performance on CD on the CSO label and the Bernstein/New York Phil/Barbara Hendricks/Christa Ludwig performance on DG 1986 CD.

Of the two digital versions, I think that the Eschenbach has some of the same problems that you describe with the Kaplan. The Bernstein is very nice (I don't think you can ever say that he robs the music of its drama!).

YMMV, of course.

I don't know if any of these are available on SACD, but I know that the Abravanel has recently been reissued on vinyl.
drobin07
27 posts
 
Too many choices for this, but apart from the above, you might consider the recent Fischer Channel Classics SACD and--good but not spectacular sound--Mehta with Cotrubas and Ludwig+Vienna Philharmonic on Decca from the mid 70s,

David
sibelius
256 posts
 
I've always thought a very underated M2 is Slatkin/SLSO on Telarc. Sonically it's a knockout. Any of the Klemperer M2's are also very good if you don't need a digital recording. I'm not a big Kaplan fan either.
77jovian OP
385 posts
 
Thanks for the suggestions. These will keep me busy for a couple years.

TJJ
rainer
4 posts
 
I have more than 50 recordings of Mahler, and of the many Resurrection CDs I like Bruno Walter's 1958 New York Philharmonic recording on Sony (SM2K 64447) best, followed by Otto Klemperer's mid 60 recording with the Philharmonia on EMI. I prefer these two recordings over John Barbirolli's Resurrection with the Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart (there also is one recording with the Halle Orchestra - avoid that one!) and Bernstein's New York recording. The four mentioned recorings are all 'good Mahler' interpretations of the 'frist generation' of great Mahler interpretations.
Today, Mahler is (re-)viewed slightly different, maybe too intense/dramatic/hip for my taste. Some still are able to transmit the 'mahleresque', which is required for not being lost in his long and interwoven movements. Of the more modern recordings, Fischer (on Channel Classics) has a pretty good understanding of the Resurrection (and the best sound), but I also like Andreas Litton with the Dallas Symphony on Delos, and Yoel Levi with the Atlanta Symphony on Telarc.
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