Michael Tilson Thomas, Mahler, Copland and more

Music Lane

It's all about the music, dude! Sit down, relax and listen to some tunes.

Last week I recommended MTT's televised performance of the Eroica, mentioning that I had heard him do it before (with the Pittsburgh) the same, very impressive, fleet-footed way a la Weingartner. (Subsequently I listened to his recording with the Orchestra of St. Luke's and had to remove it. Can't win 'em all! But the key, I think, is being live and not in the studio.)
That said (as they say these days), although he has gained prominence as a Mahler man, not too long ago I walked out on his Fifth with the SFSO in Symphony Hall. So contrived! So belabored! And that, in the same venue where in 1972 he had conducted the BSO in a stupendous, undistorted reading of the Ninth.
Then a couple years ago an old Mahler friend and I went to hear that Ninth with the SFSO in SoCal; the first three movements were rather galumphy and tiresome, but the last... Omigosh! As good as it gets.
So last night on the radio his Mahler Second is being broadcast; I take note of the opening measures and adjourn to The Office -- can't take it any longer. Then on a beer run into the kitchen comes the third movement and -- I've never heard it better! Damn! This thing dances! So I listen all the way through and am treated to the regular MTT spectacle: Great music interrupted by sound effects. Why does he slow it down to a crawl, then accelerate almost to take-off? It's like... it's like putting CG into music, the result never appears natural. All in all however, it's fairly listenable -- although the CD (which is how live concerts are distributed to stations) helicopters imperfectly for several minutes.
Heaving a sigh I move again into the TV room where... MTT is beginning his performance ("Keeping Score") of Copland's Appalachian Spring, the best I've ever heard it -- in fact, I would say "revelatory". This is followed by Rite of Spring.
Again, back in the early Seventies he did the Rite with the BSO and I don't think it's ever been better (as with the M9, I have this on tape). He just let the orchestra run by themselves and the results were -- well, that "r" word again. Tonight... the performance... is ordinary.
But check your PBS schedules for the Copland!
clark

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Kimber Kable

Topic - Michael Tilson Thomas, Mahler, Copland and more - clarkjohnsen 08:55:37 11/10/06 (2)

Re: Michael Tilson Thomas, Mahler, Copland and more - jdaniel 12:03:16 11/10/06 (1)

Was it the SACD? Dunno, but don't think so. - clarkjohnsen 12:32:44 11/10/06 (0)

You can not post to an archived thread.