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For many of us, Leonard Bernstein's first Mahler cycle for CBS (compiled here, remastered and cheaper than ever) has stood the test of time since it initially came out on LP in the late 1960s. Upon completing this traversal of nine symphonies (and the "Adagio" movement from the unfinished 10th), Lenny and the New York Philharmonic achieved something no one else had and proved that Mahler was, simply put, worth recording in the first place. It's still a marvelous set of recordings that belongs in every record collection.
Using the same budgeted design as on their (surprisingly pricey) Original Jacket series of box sets, Sony has unleashed a true bargain here: 12 CDs that average a little over five bucks a pop. Lenny's second cycle for Deutsche Grammophon may boast greater sonics, plenty of wonderful moments, and the complete song cycles, but it costs more than twice as much. Here, we get a younger Lenny, sounding fresh and expressive and delivering still-unparalleled interpretations of the First, Third, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth, and pretty great performances of the rest. The intensity on these discs is infectious and the price can't be beat. A must-have. --Jason Verlinde
Mahler: The Complete Symphonies ~ Bernstein Reviews
Mahler: The Complete Symphonies ~ Bernstein Reviews
| 96 of 106 people found the following review helpful:  More thoughts on a superb and importance set, By This review is from: Mahler: The Complete Symphonies ~ Bernstein (Audio CD) I'd like to add to my initial review of this Mahler set, now that I've listened to everything closely several times, and in comparison to other Mahler recordings. This is still not only the best Mahler set in terms of price, but in terms of consistency of the recordings as well and has to be essential for any Mahler lover. A quick run-down:Symphony 1: A good recording, points the way to Lenny's later DG recording which is the best. The second movement is highly Romantic and Viennese, the opposite of the minuet-trio style that seems more popular now. The third movement is Lenny at his best, and the opening bass solo is one where it is *finally* played the way Mahler intended. Symphony 2: A very willful performance in the Bernstein manner, teetering at the brink of indulgence, but he pulls it off. Very good. Symphony 3: This is a famous performance, and in general it is the very finest I have ever heard of this piece. Simply incredible, expressive and concentrated to the... Read more 47 of 56 people found the following review helpful: Just About Perfect!, By This review is from: Mahler: The Complete Symphonies ~ Bernstein (Audio CD) You can't call yourself culturally literate in music unless you have digested the Mahler symphony cycle. Mahler has gone from a little performed late-romantic to an almost ubiquitous presence on the concert stage. It is a rare symphony orchestra that doesn't program at least one Mahler symphony a season. While you might argue that other late romantics deserve recognition too, you can't argue that Mahler was probably the most important of 20th century symphonists. His influence can be found in most large orchestral music down to the present day. The Bernstein cycle was the first complete Mahler cycle recorded and, for my money, it's still the best. Though I might like other conductors a little better in idividual symphonies (Tennstadt in the 5th, Kubelik or Klemperer in the 2nd, Walter in the 9th) this is still the greatest overall cycle on record. Bernstein understands Mahler better than just about any other conductor. Perhaps because Bernstein himself is a Mahlerian mix of high... Read more 32 of 38 people found the following review helpful: The Clear First Choice, By This review is from: Mahler: The Complete Symphonies ~ Bernstein (Audio CD) Finally, Sony has given us the complete Mahler box of Bernstein's first cycle, recorded through the 1960s mostly with the NY Philharmonic. Historically, this marked a major and important point, since it served to start the surge in Mahler's popularity that continues today.There are other Mahler boxes out there, including Bernstein's second cycle on DG, Tennstedt, Solti, etc., but none can now beat the combination of fine music-making and price that comes together in this one. Overall, these earlier recordings are better than his later ones, save for Symphony #5 and perhaps #1. This early cycle contains arguably the finest ever recordings of Symphonies 3, 6, 8 and 9, and, unlike other Mahler sets, there is nothing here that is of questionable quality. Those familiar with Bernstein know his emotional approach to this music, his pushing at the boundaries of expression, but he never reaches the self-indulgent points that are riddled throughout his later cycle. This is the finest... Read more |
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