Search - Marjorie Thomas :: Mahler: Symphony No. 3

Sublime & deeply felt performance with some flaws

Scriabinmahler | UK | 03/19/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"
1st movement (8 out of 10)

Kubelik captures the sultry & ominous dark force of the movement better than most of other conductors, and takes longer pause between themes creating tension & sense of anticipation. Plenty of emphasis on wind and brass parts. Opening theme by horns is not emphatic enough, just like Abbado's Berlin live account, in contrast to what follows, the untamed destructive force & massive climax. Overall it sounds as compelling as the celebrated Horenstein version.



2nd & 3rd movement (10/10)

Magical sweetness of wind & string parts in the slow sections & boisterous brass parts vividly caught. Kubelik is master of creating contrast to the maximum effect.



4th movement (10/10)

The alt, Marjorie Thomas, captures the mystic calmness & poignancy of the movement better than anyone else I know. No operatic non-sense here, as she never lets her ego spoil the serenity of the music. Musicianship of sincerity and



5th movement (10/10)

Wonderful singing by boys & women both, finely balanced with orchestra



last movement (8/10)

This is one of the most sublime accounts of the last movement along side Bernstein, Levine, Horenstein, Solti & Haitink. Kubelik adopts riskily slow tempo first, but manages to keep inner momentum & energy without distorting the music, unlike Tennstedt, achieving both the beauty of sustained melodic lines and the sense of labouring ascent to the final apotheosis.

It lasts only 22:34, but sheer richness of expression gives an impression that it lasts as long as Bernstein's 25 minutes account. The climax in the middle of the movement is as powerful as Bernstein's. Everything goes perfect except the last climax. What a shame that the climax suddenly loses volume at the very last moment with rather feeble timpani & a slipping note on brass.



Sound (8/10)

Detailed and clear, but too brightly lit and a bit thin on lower register (even with amplifier bass turned to maximum). Hissing background noise.



Despite some flaws I mentioned, this live performance is full of magical moments and above all warmth of humanity which is missing in many of Mahler performances today. A sign of great conductor is not an ability to create something perfect, but the ability to communicate with audience beyond boundaries of interpretative differences. As in every Mahler recording Kubelik left for us, there is an uncanny feeling of composer's presence in this account."