G. Mahler: Symphony No. 6; Kindertotonlieder; Rückert Lieder; C. Ludwig; Berliner Philharmnoniker; H. von Karajan

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G. Mahler: Symphony No. 6; Kindertotonlieder; Rückert Lieder; C. Ludwig; Berliner Philharmnoniker; H. von Karajan

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Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 6 in A minor; Kindertotenlieder; Rückert Lieder; Christa Ludwig, mezzosoprano; Berliner Philharmoniker; Herbert von Karajan
Classical | 2 CDs | EAC Rip | 605 Mb | FLAC+LOG+CUE | Full scans |7 RS links
Publisher: Deutsche Grammophon

Karajan's reading of the Sixth, the darkest symphony of Mahler, is a revelation… the combination of polish, rhythmic point and flexibility make for a reading that has both concentration over the broadest span and consistent fantasy and imagination over detail. ..The recording is one of the very finest ever given to Karajan in Berlin, with ample range and richness…. a Mahler recording which sets new standards.
Gramophone (1978)

… magnificently prepared and executed; the orchestral playing is wonderfully beautiful, and the conductor's balancing of his vast forces is magisterially subtle… the controlled power of this account of the Sixth is enormous. Without that, the gorgeousness of the detail might have seemed cosmetic; but the strength of the framework is enough to carry it brilliantly. ..The Andante moderato, in particular, has a grandly sustained radiance that has probably never been matched.
Records and Recording (1978)

With superlative playing from the Berlin Philharmonic, Karajan's reading of the Sixth is a revelation, above all in the slow movement, which here becomes far more than a lyrical interlude. With this Andante moderato made to flower in poignant melancholy and with a simpler lyrical style than Karajan usually adopts, it emerges as one of the greatest of Mahler's slow movements. The whole balance of the symphony is altered. Though the outer movements firmly stamp this as the darkest of the Mahler symphonies, their sharp focus in Karajan's reading - with contrasts of light and shade heightened -makes them both compelling and refreshing. Significantly, in his care for tonal colouring Karajan brings out a number of overtones related to Wagner's Ring. The superb DG recording, with its wide dynamics, adds enormously to the impact.
New Penguin Guide (1982)

Karajan's reading of this great work [the Symphony] is superb, profoundly observed and imaginatively coloured… Christa Ludwig brings her rich, burnished tones to the glorious songs and is sensitively accompanied by Karajan, whose handling of the important wind lines is masterly. It restores one's taste for life after the bleakness of the symphony's close.
The Good CD Guide (1993)

… Karajan and Christa Ludwig give us a deeply satisfying account of Kindertotenlieder. Here Karajan is truly in his element, as perceptive and understanding a Mahlerian as Furtwangler similarly proved to be in his great recording of the Wayfaring Songs with Fischer-Dieskau. Christa Ludwig has already given us one memorable recording of the cycle… but the new one is even more memorable. Hers are profound, profoundly considered performances, R�ckert's words tellingly uttered. Gramophone (1975)

…the interpretation [of the Kindertotenlieder] is fully equal in poignant eloquence to the justly prized older versions by Janet Baker, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. and Kathleen Ferrier.
Stereo Review (1976)