Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
Symphony No 9 in D major (1909/10)
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks/Sir Simon Rattle
rec. live, 26-27 November 2021, Isarphilharmonie im Gasteig HP8, Sendling, Munich, Germany
BR KLASSIK 900205 [79]
In September colleague Michael Cookson's insightful review of this BR Klassik CD was posted. Besides offering many thoughtful observations about the performance, Mr. Cookson also provides much valuable information on Mahler's life and frame of mind when he composed this symphony. Listeners unfamiliar with this work and the tragic circumstances surrounding its composition might want to refer to his review. That said, I'm not suggesting this symphony has a program, or that you must know biographical details to fully understand its music. Like Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony though, it speaks to us with powerful emotions and I think seasoned listeners will find that this Mahler symphony has a very transparent voice, conveying its life and death struggle and ultimate capitulation to life's ineluctable finale.
Needless to say, this is a profound and conflicted work, certainly one of Mahler's greatest creations, and Rattle brings out more detail from the score in this live performance than you hear in any other recording I know of. That's mostly a good thing, as Mahler's busy orchestration emerges clearly, often allowing you to hear the music in different and intriguing ways. Yet, there are times, mostly in the first movement, when secondary lines come aggressively to the fore, thus vying with main lines and filling the sonic landscape with a wealth of detail that might challenge many listeners' ears: try, for instance, the crowded passage from about 2:12 to 2:35 in the first movement. That said, such moments are relatively few and Rattle's phrasing succeeds nevertheless because the instrumental balances are never egregiously off kilter and the discerning ear can still grasp every meaningful detail. In fact, overall Rattle more often clarifies textures in densely scored passages than muddies them.
The Andante comodo first movement opens very quietly in the rendering of the crucial rhythmic motif, which serves as a sort of fateful signal in its appearances throughout the movement. Then the harp begins tolling and the muted horn announces its pinched tones, both instruments expressing motifs that exude a ghostly character. Rattle's tempo is moderately slow, quite perfect for the lovely main theme, and, unlike most other conductors, he employs portamenti from the strings (:40 to :46) in their sort of descending sighs here, imparting a haunting aspect. In the D minor section that follows, Rattle chooses a faster tempo than is usual, but to fine effect. As listeners familiar with this symphony are aware, the main theme group and the D minor material alternate throughout this movement, suggesting to most musicologists a struggle between precious life and impending death. Rattle handles all the thematic developments with an almost unerring sense for proper dynamics and tempos.
The climax of the movement (17:35 to 17:55) comes across powerfully here, and I can think only of one other performance that delivers a bit more impact here, that of Solti with the LSO on Decca, though I wouldn't choose his account of the whole work over Rattle's. The return of the main theme and the coda are also well conceived by Rattle. The Bavarian RSO, which Rattle becomes chief conductor of in the 2023-24 season, turn in splendid work throughout, delivering one of the finest played renditions of this movement on record.
The second movement Scherzo's dance-like character has the proper sense of menace and sarcasm here, fully capturing Mahler's biting and even acid-laced wit. Rattle imparts a little more brightness and color to the music with slightly brisk tempos and clever accenting. Listen to how the strings robustly dig into the music at :16 and hear how spiritedly those shimmering trills that permeate much of the movement are played. The brass and percussion punctuate much of the dizzying festivities of this folk-like music with a sense of utter abandon. The strings too can slash away here and cuddle there, capturing Mahler's mood swings brilliantly. Again the BRSO players deliver world-class playing.
The ensuing Rondo-Burleske is rendered in the same kind of committed style. Once more the tempo is on the brisk side and Rattle imaginatively captures the tendency in the music to shift from a sense of anxiety and tumult to a feeling of nonchalance and confidence. But gradually the former elements come to dominate, though a brief sense of repose comes with the heralding of a theme from the finale that seems to quell the wild activities. But this consoling music is eventually mocked in caricatured statements of it by clarinets and other instruments and then a return to the main section brings even wilder happenings, as though a musical free-for-all seizes the reins. Rattle delivers all this in bold bright colors, with dynamics on the meaty side and accenting always deftly applied. The ending is a madcap race to the finish. Brilliantly executed!
Rattle wisely avoids the temptation to hold back the reins in his pacing of the Adagio finale unlike so many other conductors on record. Not that he rushes through the music; rather he chooses moderate tempos throughout. Also, his dynamics again tilt more toward the forte than piano side in the more animated and agitated passages. Double basses are especially noticeable in their drone-like underpinnings during the many string dominated passages. Rattle subtly builds the tension from 13:36 and the first climax (14:29-14:49) is powerful and totally convincing. The strings thereafter seem to plead in frustration as they gradually weaken and when the music desperately builds for one final attempt in the life-death struggle (17:08-18:14) the sense of disappointment turns to a gloomy serenity in the closing pages. A superb account, both in the conductor's shaping of the score and the orchestra's outstanding playing.
The sound reproduction is clear and close-up, though the timpani have a slightly spongy sound. The audience is quiet throughout the performance. As for the competition, not surprisingly there is plenty: among the classic efforts are Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony Orchestra (Sony) (Walter's 1938 effort features overly brisk tempos and very dated sound), Bernstein/New York Philharmonic (Sony), Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic (DG), Giulini/Chicago Symphony (DG) and Libor Pesek/Royal Liverpool Philharmonic (Virgin Classics). Some fine recent performances include Gustavo Dudamel/Los Angeles Philharmonic (DG) and Jonathan Nott/Bamberg Symphony Orchestra (Tudor).
On video there is an excellent performance by Paavo Järvi and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra (C Major). Those who might favor a less dark approach to this music, will certainly find the Chailly/Gewandhaus Leipzig (Accentus DVD & Blu-ray) very satisfying. I have not heard Rattle's two previous recordings of this symphony, but I suspect they would fall short of this new effort. In fact, I would rank Rattle's performance here with the best of the competition and would add that even the classic recordings of Bernstein, Giulini and Karajan have no significant advantage over Rattle's. In the end Rattle would be my top choice among newer versions and probably the equal of the classic performances on disc.
Robert Cummings
Published: November 14, 2022
