Mahler & NYC article

interesting little article....

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/18/opinion/18Davis.html?_r=1

Alan Gilbert and New York Philharmonic - Mahler 5th

I had the privilege of my first encounter with Alan Gilbert and Mahler last night.  The quality that springs to mind is his vigilance in preserving the long line, with clear consistent rhythms, and by keeping some of the more startling Mahlerian interruptions from sounding too exaggerated and cartoonish.  As a younger listener, I might have preferred more startling affects, especially when listening to recordings, such as could be found on the Solti Mahler Sixth with Chicago.  But even then, when I finally heard Solti's Mahler Sixth live at Carnegie Hall, there was something missing in the overall line and momentum of the piece.  Gilbert with the NYP doing the Fifth had no such problems, and the sometimes problematic 3rd movement Scherzo was maybe the most coherent and effective I have ever heard.

Met Opera's Wozzeck

I saw the Met Opera's Wozzeck last Wednesday.  I couldn't help but be struck with how symphonic an opera it is.  The big dramatic and emotional climax is in the famous interlude after Act II, Scene IV where Wozzeck drowns himself.  Overall, the performance had the impact it should, but I was struck how I missed the somewhat overarticulated reading of the German, that characterizes the Boulez recording.  The relatively prosaic diction of the Doctor and the Captain took away some of the black humor for me.  I know some don't like the exaggerated readings in the Boulez recording, but I got very used to it, and always hear the parts done that way in my head.  I guess I should get acquainted with some of the other admired recordings out there.