Gustav MAHLER
Symphony No.2 in C Minor
"Resurrection"
Petra Lang (Mezzo), Heidi
Grant Murphy (Soprano)
Dallas Symphony Chorus and Orchestra
Conducted by Andrew Litton
Delos SACD 3237 (2
CDs)
[82.55]
Crotchet
AmazonUK
AmazonUS
I have already reviewed Andrew Litton's previous Mahler recordings with the
Dallas Symphony Orchestra. The Fifth on Dorian (DOR-90193) was a re-issue
and most disappointing. I also had reservations about the newer Third that
is part of this continuing cycle from Delos (DE 3248). So I approached this
Second with some apprehension. However, one thing I've learned about Mahler
performances and recordings is that you cannot predict from one work how
well a conductor will do with another.
Under Litton the first movement of the Second has a steady, very focussed
opening with each note precise and then a tough, truculent feel as the exposition
strides out. However, it seems to just arrive rather than leap out, grab
you and shake you, as it should. There may be a number of reasons for this.
The brass could be a bit wilder right through the movement, for example.
They give us a very schooled and cultured response that in the spacious acoustic
seems rather inhibited. Maybe in the flesh they have more impact. In the
Exposition itself Litton is prepared to spread himself but not too much and
that is a gain. The lyrical rising theme at the first development (117-128)
has purity and poise that marks it out from the previous material but I wish
the strings were balanced closer because the sound picture is generalised
with a feeling of the listener being seated further back throwing space around
the orchestra. This will prove an asset in some later passages but not in
others, as is the case here. Then note at the end of first development (253)
how Litton is almost skittish and then how he almost fails to allow the opening
of the second development to really tell. This particular "way point", when
we are plunged back into depths of grim questioning after glimpsing sunlit
uplands, should be like an earthquake and isn't quite here. This nagging
propensity to slightly underplay the big, dramatic, nodal points emerges
as a shortcoming in this recording. At 270-294 the slow climb to the crisis
recapitulation is well analysed by Litton, however. This is not a conductor
who has embarked on this symphony unprepared, I do assure you. He has a real
feeling for light and dark and he can make you aware of instrumental colour.
The plunging climax (318-320) is delivered true and clean with weight for
the great chords at 320-328 and here the recording distinguishes the parts
well though other interpreters, notably Rattle on EMI (5 66867 2), make the
awesome brass chords even more overwhelming than this. Litton then negotiates
the rest of the movement with a nice line in awed creeping from strings and
woodwinds. Though the movement might lack the last few pounds of passion
and drama this is still a fine, intelligent approach especially strong on
the lyrical passages though, as I say, shorter on drama and abandonment.
There is elegance and poise in the second movement with a nice minuet feel.
Then at 133-209, marked Energisch bewegt by Mahler, Litton
gets moving admirably. He uses a touch more rubato in the final part than
some but not excessively and the orchestra is clearly with him producing
some lovely sounds. The feeling I have been getting of a softer-grained feel
to this performance is confirmed with the third movement. There is some bounce
to the rhythms but I so miss the "off-the-wall" weirdness of a Klemperer
here but then I do that quite often. Litton misses the "dirty" end of the
music too much, as I feel he did in the Third. There is spite and bile woven
into this but, as with his recording of the Third Symphony, Litton reminds
me of a Rugby player determined to get to the end of the match without a
speck of mud appearing on his shorts. The brass explosions don't impact as
they can and should, well though they are played, but I must say the solo
trumpet at the centre plays with fine vibrato and I had not really noticed
the harp quite so well here either so well done to the production. The cry
of disgust that climaxes the movement again doesn't quite strike home, though
as the music winds down I was impressed again by Litton's feel for colour.
There is a wide and deep opening to the last movement. In moments like this
the recording really delivers. The passage 43-97 where Mahler carefully assembles
his material like a set of building bricks finds Litton superbly aware of
the fantasy inherent. In fact this passage confirms for me Litton's strength
in that department which makes me look forward to hearing his Fourth Symphony.
The feeling I have is that the performance does improve from here on with
a greater sense of abandonment, less the feeling of not wishing to offend.
When the "On glaube" material comes at 97-41 though there is sufficient
pleading quality I could have done with more drama, still more caution thrown
to the wind. Some excellent deep brass then prepare for the great outburst
162-190 which really storms the heights with the recording catching the whole
spectrum superbly. This is followed by the two great percussion crescendi
that fill out the large acoustic space and in the great march we can at last
hear the virtues of the spacious soundstage at its very best. I'm convinced
this has hidden some of the intimate music before but now really comes into
its own. What a superbly truculent march Litton and the orchestra give us
here, really digging in for the long haul, nearer to Klemperer. Full marks
to Litton from me for realising this is a marathon not a sprint. The collapse
at 324 is huge and the tension sustained well through the passage that follows
with the off-stage band excellently placed to make the novel effect Mahler
surely intended. Litton keeps this passage pressing forward so when the second
clinching climax-collapse arrives we are ready and grateful for the respite
that arrives.
Again the brass are well-placed off-stage for the fanfares in the Grosse
Appel and again Litton's sense of fantasy is well to the fore with his
filigree painting of the bird flutes around them as good as any you will
hear. The chorus is then not indulged and they nobly sing their first entry
placed perfectly in the sound stage. The two excellent soloists are well
positioned too and, like the chorus, sing superbly. Again Litton's sense
of colour is to the fore and, all in all, the performance from the percussion
crescendi onwards has certainly taken on a new dimension, which does sometimes
happen in recordings of this work. The conclusion begins with a real flourish
and builds to a grand and noble climax with the organ beautifully in the
texture sustaining and crowning at the same time for a fitting peroration.
In fact I haven't heard the organ contribution in Mahler's Second better
than this.
I enjoyed Litton's recording of Mahler's Second more than I did his Third.
I could have done with less a sense of "containment" for Mahler's most audacious
conception, especially in the first and third movements, more feeling of
a "live" performance since this is a work that invariably benefits from the
"live" experience. In fact the liner notes tell us that this is "live", but
four different dates are given so I presume four different performances were
edited together to make one to issue. I would suggest to Delos this is stretching
the definition of "live" beyond breaking point even to the extent that what
we have is to all intents and purposes actually a studio recording in all
but name. At no time was I aware of an audience present, or of an orchestra
showing signs of stress, or of a conductor taking chances. Certainly not
that ineffable "something" that "live" performing brings. Perhaps the idea
of recording like this was to take away all the vices of "live" recording.
The problem, for me, is that all the virtues are missing too. In which case
why not just record it under studio conditions and leave it at that? Maybe
one "live" performance "warts and all" would have given us that sense of
"all or nothing" the work benefits from: the kind of numbing experience it
can certainly give, even on record, and which I'm sure Andrew Litton and
his excellent orchestra is capable of.
A fine and well-recorded new version, beautifully played, short of the greatest
in a competitive market. For true greatness go for Klemperer "live" in Munich
on EMI
(5
66867 2), Walter "live" in Vienna in 1948 on a Japanese CBS/Sony release
(42DC 5197-8) and Rattle in a magnificent studio recording on EMI
(CDS
7 47962 8) which also has marvellous sound and a greater sense of being
"live" than Litton's. Do not overlook
Gielen on Hanssler Classics
(93.001), also reviewed by me, for something rather different.
Tony Duggan
Performance:
Recording:
See also Tony Duggan's in-depth reviews
of the Mahler Symphony recordings
