This would have sounded obnoxious if anyone else had said it, but since he is the most unpretentious person in the world, we were just in stitches.
In rehearsal one day, M was extolling the virtues of Mahler/Brahms, and he said somewhat sheepishly, as if he were a member of Brahmsaholics anonymous, something to the effect of, "I've become one of those people who can't relate to people who can't appreciate Mahler/Brahms."
"It really separates me from some people, you know? B/c I can't talk about (name of some piece that I can't remember, which proves that I'm one of those people he "separates" himself from!) with them."
Well, I recently asked mr. separate-myself-from-others for Mahler recommendations.
me: Do you have a favorite recording of Mahler 3? Also, which of his symphonies do you recommend as a starter? I have his 9th and now his 3rd, and I have not been able to listen to them to completion. I mean, I've listened to both a few times, but they doesn't sink into my brain. It probably doesn't help that I am usually kneading bread or trying to listen to them while multitasking (Mahler SO doesn't work as background music), but I'm finding them both sort of difficult to comprehend. Thus I'm one of those types that you mentioned you separate yourself from, b/c I have no appreciation of Mahler.
So please recommend away.
he-who-separates-himself-from-those-who-don't "comprehend"-Mahler: I would not separate myself from you.....:) (Well, gee, thanks, I think. . ..)
Go for Bernstein. In general (and this is my personal preference)go for older recordings if it is orchestra only. If it is a symphony that involves chorus go for a more modern one (choir probably better) (Gosh, from a virgo, I demand more specificity. Please define "older" versus "more modern".)
I'm not Mahlerite, (yes, he who "separates" himself from others b/c they don't understand Mahler is not a Mahlerite. Whatever. :)) but perhaps listening to Symphony 1 and 2 in that order is the way to begin.
Or if not, listen to some songs first. Ich bin der Welt abhanden is a GREAT song, if you find a Christa Ludwig or Anne Sofie von Otter recording, you'll be in heaven......and no longer separated from me.....:)
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Bernstein was one of the great Mahler interpreters. I think you're friend's not quite right, though, about the older vs. newer thing. I'd go for a *good* orchestra, regardless of the age of the recording - there are plenty of bad old recordings! In the end, it's up to you and what takes your fancy the most. I used to have a studenty job in a classical CD store, and some of our customers wouldn't buy a recording unless it had had a good review in one of our reviewers' anthologies - hardly the gospel truth, in my snotty opinion, but there it was. I tried in vain to explain to them that if they'd listened to a CD and enjoyed it, that was all that mattered - who cares if some grumpy old critic didn't like it? I always advise paying heed to your own feelings - you're the one who's going to be listening repeatedly, after all. Hope this is helpful....
no, don't listen to them in order -- try 4 first, then 1, then 5, and see how you get on. I heard 4 for the first time when I was 22 or 3. THEN i went away and didn't listen to any others for about 5 years. Now I can't live without him. Mahler is the soundtrack of my life, I guess. I can tell you where I was the first time I heard each of the symphonies. I am humming the 4th as I write. Now, the lied, that's another story..... As for recordings, I'm not clever enough to tell the difference, but I love the ones I have (and I can check which they are, but i couldn't tell you off the top of my head!
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