Deutsche Grammophon’s most successful Mahler release in recent years has been the magnificent box set (http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/DG/0734088) of the symphonies and Das Lied von der Erde on DVD with Leonard Bernstein, which has sold over 50,000 copies since it first came out in 2008.
As part of Deutsche Grammophon’s 2010 Mahler celebrations, rather than produce a simple CD compilation of Mahler extracts, compiler Alan Newcombe has been able to put together a 120-minute single DVD that includes movements from each of Symphonies nos. 1 to 9 – almost like a mega-Mahler symphony rolled into one. It starts with the first movement of no. 1 and ends with the last movement of no. 9 (see tracklist below).
Here is Lenny in all his glory, coaxing performances of rare passion and sensibility from the Wiener Philharmoniker (there is one track with the London Symphony Orchestra, with Janet Baker as the soloist in Urlicht).
Tracklisting:
(1) Symphony No.1: 1. Langsam. Schleppend(2) Symphony No.2: 4. Urlicht (Baker/LSO)(3) Symphony No.3: 5. Lustig im Tempo C. Ludwig/Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor/Wiener Sängerknaben (4) Symphony No.4: 2. In gemächlicher Bewegung(5) Symphony No.5: 4. Adagietto(6) Symphony No.6: 2. Scherzo. Wuchtig(7) Symphony No.7: 4. Nachtmusik II(8) Symphony No.8: 1. Hymnus “Veni, creator spiritus” Moser/Blegen/Zeumer/Mayr/Baltsa/Riegel/Prey/van Dam/Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor/Singverein der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde/WienerSängerknaben
(9) Symphony No.9: 4. Adagio(10) Mahler Rehearsals with Leonard Bernstein
