Search - Gustav Mahler, Jascha Horenstein, New Philharmonia Orchestra :: Mahler: Symphony No. 7

A dissenting opinion

Joel Rafi Zabor | Brooklyn, NY United States | 06/28/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have this in the Music & Arts edition, which may help. I've long prized this performance's improvisatory feel and have in the end preferred its frequently loose playing to the wonderful but rather posed Bernstein recording, and to any other performance of this symphony, though I haven't heard the recent Abbado yet. Horenstein's performance is deeply nocturnal, and is more naturally "sung" than any other I know of. Then again, I'm rapidly becoming something of a Horenstein fiend, so a grain of salt may be advisable. I do love this recording, though, and have for years. Too bad about the BBC sound; the Music & Arts issue is perfectly decent live broadcast stereo."

Mahler 7 is hard to play

Colin Fortune | Birmingham, UK | 04/29/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Horenstein has a throughly deserved reputation as one of the great Mahler and Bruckner interpreters (despite the anti-Horenstein lobby in "Classics Today"). I only saw him twice in concert, in Bruckner 4 (where the standing ovation went on for 20 minutes) and in a much less successful Bruckner 6. Both were with the CBSO in Birmingham in the late 1960's, which was not at that time anywhere near as good an orchestra as it is at present. But like other great conductors (especially Klemperer) he could have his "off" days. Also, his rehearsal techniques of playing music at half-speed to make sure that the notes were all there and understood by the players took time and sometimes produced resentment in orchestras that were more sure of their sight-reading ability than he was! As he was not a resident (and platinum-plated) music director in the style of Karajan, the orchestras with which he worked were sometimes not of the first rank - and see my remarks about the CBSO above. This recording of Mahler 7 has great interest because one can feel the conductor attempting to draw out an individual interpretation from an orchestra that is having to work hard to play the music at all well. The catastrophic opening split notes on the tenor horn must have unsettled everybody playing and indeed Horenstein himself. The NPO would have been well aware that their playing was going out to thousands of people on the radio and nobody likes to sound second-rate. Given all that, this disc is worth hearing for the heroism of the event: the orchestra was not very familiar with the work (Klemperer's recording with them on EMI - now unavailable - is often, like their rehearsals probably were, at half speed). But they rally to the occasion and the playing gets much better as it goes along. Horenstein's view is swifter than some and full of imagination. But when sitting back and listening to the hi-fi we should remember that this difficult music to play and for a conductor to balance. Had the conditions been better and had they all had more rehearsal time then this would have been a contender for a first choice. As it is, the flaws and the rather poorer sound than the bootleg Descant and the Music and Arts pressings, make it more of a problem to recommend. If you want to get it, then try for the Music and Arts disc which sounds brighter - though you will probably have to buy this used. As to other recommendable Mahler 7 performances: Gielen for superb clarity and unforced unfolding of the musical arguments in fine sound; Bernstein (Sony) for the disc that taught a whole generation of Mahler lovers to love and understand this protean work, full of spiky fantasy and superb NYPO playing; Scherchen (Music and Arts NOT Orfeo/VSO)for one of the most alarming and inspiring Mahler discs ever made (possibly at times verging on the mad) and worth getting despite the poor sound for the very occasional listen; Bertini for a very satisfying "central" view of the work - and if you have not bought the whole cycle at its wonderfully low price, then reach for the Amazon one-click button NOW as together with Gielen and Kubelik it is right at the top for single conductor cycles. Do NOT buy the cold and analytical Boulez DGG recording or, unfortunately, the EMI Rattle/CBSO. This last does not represent Rattle's fine interpretation (which I have been lucky enought to hear several times live as it was the most often repeated symphony during his 18 years in Birmingham). For that we must hope that contractural difficulties will be overcome and the wonderful Proms performance will be issued eventually on the same BBC series as the Horenstein disc."

A memorable performance in a less successful incarnation

L. Johan Modée | Earth | 01/04/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Horenstein's August 29, 1969 Prom performance of Mahler's seventh symphony is one of the classic performances of this enigmatic work, and needs no further argument for Mahlerites.



It has appeared on disc several times for various bootleg labels. The present BBC Legends disc is the most "official" and recent incarnation. Unfortunately, and surprisingly, the transfer has some technical shortcomings: stereo balance and frequencies are distorted, apparently in the attempt of "improving" the bright sound on the original master. This makes the BBC Legends version less preferable to the earlier bootleg versions. The best and most easily available of these is Music & Arts CD-4727(1). I recommend a search for that disc, which, unfortunately, is deleted."