Search - Gustav Mahler, Anton Nanut :: Mahler: Symphony No. 6 "The Tragical"

Excellence from a Little Known Conductor

Virginia Opera Fan | Falls Church, VA USA | 03/13/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anton Nanut, possibly now deceased, was music director of the Ljubljana Radio Symphony and recorded several Mahler symphonies in the early digital era. As an aside, Ljubljana (then Laibach) was an early entry in Fritz Reiner's resume.



Nanut's Sixth is a very fine budget version of Mahler's most classical symphony. It opens with an intense account of the Allegro energico (with Mahler's specified exposition repeat) and finds the appropriate exaltation for the "Alma" theme. The alpine episodes are welcome moments of repose.



He employs Mahler's revised sequence of Scherzo - Andante. Mahler never really made up his mind on the issue, but the Scherzo - Andante sequence works well here. The marching Scherzo, following hard on the heels of the marches of the opening are conducted with a sense of irony and parody. The Andante provides a welcome respite from the first two movements before the grimness of the finale. Nanut's conducting of that lengthy and emotionally demanding movement is well organized and maintains the tension over the nearly half hour time span.



The orchestra is admittedly not the equal of the many virtuoso ensembles that have enriched the discography of this symphony. Even so, the players are committed and produce a good sound. The recording is well balanced, spacious, and avoids the digital glare that seemed to bedevil many early digital productions. The harsh sound that seemed to go along with many eastern European recordings of the period is absent.



This is a very satisfying account of a favorite symphony."