Mahler - Symphony no 1 in D major - Michael Tilson Thomas, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra - 821936-0002-2 (2002) SACD rip via PS3 to iso (2.97GB) | 24bit/88.2kHz flac | 5ch (2.23GB) (+1.56dB gain) | 2ch (1.01GB) DR17 (+4.95dB gain) | Classical "The 1st Symphony shows Mahler at his most characteristic & vulnerable - for here he makes an enormous symphony out of the sonic stuff we all know from our lives. Mahler was like a cinematographer in music, creating enormous soundscapes that include everything we know of life. His 1st symphony concerns the voyage from a lonely contemplation of nature to a radiant assuredness about man's place in the universe." - Michael Tilson Thomas ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mahler's Symphony No. 1 was 1 of the most stunning debuts in symphonic music history. This powerful & passionate performance of the "Titan" was recorded in 2001 & captures the live performance excitement of the Grammy-winning conductor-symphony partnership that the Los Angeles Times declared, "the most exciting Mahler combination anywhere right now." SA-CD.net review by akiralx October 14, 2004: Interpretatively this is a superb Mahler 1, alongside Bernstein's & Abbado's DG recordings & many others. One tiny caveat is that compared to the other MTT Mahler SACDs I have heard in surround sound (Nos 4 & 6), this 1 does feature rather too much ambient sound from the rear speakers - & I am not the only reviewer to have commented on this. Such a slight imbalance does not afflict the superb 4th on SACD, which is truly state of the art in terms of sound. If you just listen in stereo, then buy with 100% confidence, as this is a highly involving performance in superb sound. SA-CD.net review by Polly Nomial November 7, 2008: This is a reading that I find hard to match with the glowing reviews accorded to it. The playing in the main is good but far from that of a front rank, world class orchestra especially 1 steeped in a tradition of performing Mahler. For 1 thing, the brass above a forte becomes rather blaring than piercing to this listeners ears & becomes quite uncomfortable on repeated listening. The main issue is 1 of Tilson-Thomas' conducting - quite why he feels it necessary to rush through the (what should be to these ears) terrifying restatement of the opening motif at around 8 minutes & obviate any feeling of panic is not apparent. Nor are the many contrary expansions of ritardando's to the almost perversely turgid. Both the rushing & the slowing have, for this listener at least, ruined any sense of a build up of momentum by continually pulling the underlying tempo around by such a large extent that it breaks rather than bends. The engineering is very good for a live performance although a far greater amount of audience noise mid-music intrudes than on the comparable Mahler: Symphony No. 1 - Jansons (until the Dutch audience erupts with acclamation after the final orchestral hammer blows). As other reviews illustrate though, this approach finds its admirers & devotees - it is clear that Mahler divides performers & listeners as almost no other composer, so do listen before purchasing. OVERVIEWS - THE GUSTAV MAHLER / MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS CYCLE http://www.classicalmusicsentinel.com/overviews.html Tracks: 1. 1st Movement: Langsam, Schleppend 2. 2nd Movement: Kraftig Bewegt, Doch Nicht Zu Schnell 3. 3rd Movement: Feierlich Und Gemessen, Ohne Zu Schleppen 4. 4th Movement: Sturmisch Bewegt Time: 56:14 DSD recording, live at Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, September 19-23. 2001. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Checksum for iso: b22a7aaef48ad1cfbb5817a129ccf2da *San Fran SO - MT Thomas - Mahler Symphony No. 1 in D major.iso Checksums for flac tracks Mch: b2fe86392d9a815d50847abb07579198 *01 - San Fran SO - MT Thomas - 1. Langsam. Schleppend.flac 116a033dd5a3ca29b0489e054151cf9a *02 - San Fran SO - MT Thomas - 2. Kraftig bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell.flac a9c63f98851fbcd4c43ac8ccc1e8c1de *03 - San Fran SO - MT Thomas - 3. Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen.flac 7644b9943ff8c23fb195bfb924fadbef *04 - San Fran SO - MT Thomas - 4. Sturmisch bewegt.flac Checksums for flac tracks 2ch: 001b38cdb4e06c5709f4a6b992e6daa6 *01 - San Fran SO - MT Thomas - 1. Langsam. Schleppend.flac 68141180d895915bd8b43bf63b5b6bd9 *02 - San Fran SO - MT Thomas - 2. Kraftig bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell.flac 4e52fcaa4a139c215b45d8a785c83b07 *03 - San Fran SO - MT Thomas - 3. Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen.flac 509143ad09437093c5f5e9adda65eae8 *04 - San Fran SO - MT Thomas - 4. Sturmisch bewegt.flac