Review: Ozawa's Surprisingly Fine Mahler Cycle

Mahler: Symphonies Nos. 1-9, 10 (Adagio), Kindertotenlieder. Soloists, Choirs, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa (cond.) Decca

[fred]

We really can't get too much of Mahler can we?😍

[richardbois]

Kindertotenlieder. Lots of fun. Never thought I’d hear that.

[davidmayhew]

I loved it when he conducted the SF Symphony. Heard him do the 2nd and 8th. Just stupendous!

[james.t.herman]

I have the original edition of this set, in a big grey box with the original album art that's all photos of Ozawa conducting, that the label could use to sell these records in Japan. I got it in '97, and it was my first foray into hard-to-find records. Up to that point, as a collector I had been able to buy everything I wanted at retail stores here in town. But none of those stores had Ozawa's Mahler, so I had to order the set from Amazon back when Amazon was brand new. When the order arrived at my college dorm room, I opened the package to find that Amazon had gotten the order wrong and sent me an LP of some sort of techno-electronic dance music. This meant that whoever had ordered the techno dance music had gotten a complete set of Mahler symphonies on CD, instead, which seemed very funny to me. You can't dance to this music.

It was also through these recordings that I began to realize, in my late teens, that I shouldn't believe what someone says about music just because they're a "professional critic." I absolutely loved these performances (and still do), but when I read about them online or in Gramophone, they were mostly sniffed at and dismissed. I couldn't believe it. Either there was something to this music that was entirely lost on me, or I was just as qualified to judge the quality of these records as certain "professional critics." Also, I began to suspect that much of this negative critical appraisal had more to do with peer pressure, received wisdom, and the desire of critics to belong to cliques than to the music itself. It reminds me of Stephen King, imagining what his college literature professors said amongst themselves after he became a very rich, very successful writer: "Yes, regrettable... he thinks he's ONE OF US." So you earned my respect, Mr. Hurwitz, when in your reviews you actually discussed how Ozawa and Boston played these pieces, rather than just explaining that you and your buddies don't plan to let Ozawa join your country club.

[martinhaub]

I remember buying the 2nd on LP about 40 years ago and being underwhelmed. So I skipped the rest of the cycle. Then I bought the CD set a few years ago and was bowled over just how good some of them were. No. 2 still wasn't the greatest, but 3, 5, 7, 9 are superb. I hope that Boston will get another shot at a Mahler cycle. (A great Tchaikovsky set from them would be welcome, too.)

[MichaelMooreboston]

Its interesting Dave your comment on the 6th. I felt the same way when i picked up the 3/6 combo back in the day. Great performance muffled sound. I've since added my own EQ and reverb to the 6th to give it the edge it needed.

[barryguerrero]

The performances are generally 'straight forward', but it's really wonderful to hear Boston play this music so well. I remember you always liked his 9th, and so do I.

[stephenjennings]

Thank-you for your review of Seiji Ozawa's Mahler cycle. I recall my first exposure to his Mahler was Symphony No. 8 which was released by Philips very early when releases on CD were relatively new. A classical music friend of mine who bought it played it very loudly on the largest speakers I have ever seen, and it was just as well he lived in property in its own acre or more grounds. Many years later, I purchased a couple of Ozawa box sets on CD of his Philips and Duetsche Grammophon recordings. The Philips box set had the complete Mahler cycle. To cut a long story short I was backfooted when a fellow classical music lover went into a rant on how awful Ozawa's conducting was and that he was underserving of his fame. I'm pleased to listen to your comments on Ozawa's recording legacy here and in previous videos which demonstrate a more balanced view of his recorded legacy.

[armandodelromero]

Italian Decca has the box available at a really good price on Amazon!

[pawdaw]

I re-listened to Ozawa’s 8th recently and I firmly believe it’s one of the best out there. All the soloists are excellent, especially Faye Robinson and Kenneth Riegel. Great playing from the BSO. But Ozawa is the real hero; nothing is taken for granted, and he keeps the music moving - so important in the second movement. There are few 8ths that I want to hear from start to finish but this is one of them.

[richardwilliams]

I loved the Boston Symphony Orchestra recordings of Mahler s Symphonies. Reason being that I enjoyed the precise timpani playing from the late great Vic Firth

[timothygoode]

Thank you for this review. I bought this set as a bit of a punt as it was particularly cheap and was pleasantly surprised. I agree that there is not one bad performance amongst them, though I enjoyed the 2nd probably more. For me it is a performance that ticks the boxes and gets the big moments right. I agree though that it lacks that sense of wild abandon that the very best performances have, including his live performance in Japan. It is certainly on of the most recommendable sets for those on a budget. Are we going to get a detailed review of the whole Bertini Mahler set?

[scagooch]

Just listened to his adagio from the tenth. Better then i remember.

[leestamm]

I'm generally not a big fan of cycles, but I do think this is a good one overall. The 3rd is my particular favorite of this batch.

[kanishknishar]

Hello Dave, there's a new Mahler 9 from Rattle and BRSO. Are you planning to do a video on it?

[jimryon]

I have the Ozawa-Mahler cycle on Philips with the Boston Symphony. Is this the same cycle?

[MegaVicar]

Its good to hear about these; A surprise to me. I'll have to search out individual performances. What do you mean by 'subscription style'?

[janecooper]

Dave, any chance the Gabriel Feltz cycle will get reviewed., since it's come out since your big review of Mahler cycles?

[JackBurttrumpetstuff]

David, how is this on Decca? Ozawa wad signed to dg, wasn’t he! Did this appear originally on Decca? There’s a 9th, video and cd on Phillips too? I’m confused.. 😂

[petejilka]

Hmmm.. I didn't know he ever completed the cycle. I liked his Mahler First on DG though.