The Greatest Recordings EVER! Mahler: Symphony No. 8

Mahler: Symphony No. 8. Soloists, Warsaw National Philharmonic Chorus and Orchestra, Antoni Wit (cond.) Naxos

[macanthony]

What are the chances!? Literally just got home from hearing Mahler 8 performed by the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. First time hearing the piece as a whole as well - (I'm 19 years old). Absolutely loved it though. Felt like a major life event haha!

[SoiledWig]

My first exposure to a recording by Wit was Gorecki's 3rd symphony. That's something really special, and returning to Wit for other works has always been a good choice.

[grangermacy]

Wonderful! Just listened to it. Mahler is so hard to capture on recordings. This one is spine tingling with a great sense of space. Thank you!

[GustavoLima-wptt]

It’s incredible how this performance is self recommending… It really is one of the greatest recordings ever!

[Bezart]

Thanks Dave, for validating my own judgment (LOL) of this fabulous Naxos recording! It is my fave Mahler 8 - of the recordings I've heard.

[Barbirollifan]

I got it based on your previous recommendation, but in BluRay audio. A great performance that sounds amazing, especially in this format!

[dqvissmyph]

Thank you for your presentations. I've just recently started watching. Always something new to learn; I had never heard of Lászlo Lajtha until you mentioned his Eighth. He sounds pretty good. I like your pieces to complement the Pettersson symphonies. My daughter bought me the box set for Christmas many years ago. I’ve always listened to them in isolation, never Iimagining that any other music could go with them.

[jaifarrell]

I agree that this is a great recording. I discovered it after your recommendation in a previous video. My first ever exposure to the work was through listening to the recording with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Simon Rattle. I still enjoy that recording, and I think it avoids many of the problems you describe.

[JanPBtest]

IIRC it was recorded at the Congress Hall which is this large auditorium inside the <inhale> Palace of Culture and Science (a gift from Joseph Stalin to Warsaw which everybody hates but which tourists show on YouTube with an annoying regularity). This Hall was also where Marlene Dietrich had her last concert. Last but not least, the Communist Party congresses were held there (with the likewise annoying regularity). But it does have good acoustics, but - no organ. So it must have been overdubbed and fortunately the overdub is excellent. I know that Dave does not like multichannel discs but this recording is also available in the 5.1 surround on the Blu-ray audio which brings those back balcony trumpets and voices very well. It also has subtitles (if you care to turn the TV on - optional) in the original languages and in English.

[DynastieArtistique]

What about Stokowski? Stokowski literally watched Mahler rehearse the 8th and took notes while he did, and was at the premiere obviously. Aside from that he was an absolute genius of his craft which is of course apparent in nearly everything he conducts. His Mahler 8 is incredible. The very best I think

[MusicologistJohn]

I have the Wit Mahler symphonies box. 5 of the first 7 symphonies were underwhelming (a couple of those really underwhelming). Then came the 8th and it was what I've been wanting (and expecting) from the others. Why couldn't the previous symphonies be at this level, I wondered.

[rogerchristensen]

I actually own this one, the reviews were very good when it was released. I have not listened too much to it because I have not been so fond of Mahler’s 8th. Perhaps I should try it again, it is true that Wit is very good in big choral works.

[barryguerrero]

I thank you profusely for not choosing the now dated Solti recording. It was good for its era.

[johanhendrix]

Since Dave refers to this being recorded recently, I feel the urge to post the result of trying to compile a good (thus more than decent) Mahler cycle with only recordings since 1/01/2000. The idea got into my mind after a comment on another Mahler video, I think it was the one with a Mahler cycle with conductors who recorded only one or few of his symphonies. I also restricted myself to one work per conductor. Here it is:
I Honeck / PSO / Exton
II Jurowski / LPO / LPO
III I.Fischer / BFO / Channel
IV Bychkov / CzPO / Pentatone
V Inbal / CzPO / Exton
VI Eschenbach / Philhad. O / Ondine
VII Barenboim / St.K. B. / Warner
VIII Wit / WPO / Naxos (it was on the list before this video came out)
IX MTT / SFSO / SFS
X Dausgaard / Seattle SO
LvdE Nezet-Seguin / LPO / LPO

Still a little unsure about IX (have to hear Rattle/BRSO) and quite unsure about LvdE.

Would be nice to hear some opinions...

[geraldmartin]

Rooting for the underdog when it's also the top dog. I like that.

[edwinbaumgartner]

Great that Wit is your choice. It seems strange, but this recording is superb! It would be also under mine greatest Mahler-recordings, at least.

[RobertJonesWightpaint]

Mr H - if you didn't exist, we'd have to invent you. Another guide to the best from the best: and, dammit - you just are.

[ThreadBomb]

Speaking of great Mahler 8s, has anyone noticed that Bertini's Mahler cycle is now almost impossible to get hold of?

[MartinRichard-yc]

Ozawa or Solti were my references recordings, But I guess I will add Wit to the list.

[letbrainrainonme]

This came perfectly as im about to visit a Mahler 8 concert tomorrow, with a certain Ben Palmer as conductor in Darmstadt. Im not expecting much, but hey, how often do you get the chance?