World Orchestra for Peace: Mahler Fourth and Fifth
When I first got ready to listen to this DVD, I will admit to some biases: I asked myself whether a Russian conductor who likely is terrific in Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich would satisfy my requirements in directing Mahler. Wow… was I ever wrong!! If I was allowed to own just one Mahler DVD, this would be it.
Valery Gergiev is a serious, sensitive, well-prepared conductor, who has clearly studied the intricacies of Gustav Mahler. And he gives us two sensational performances on this recording!
The orchestra he directs id the World Orchestra for Peace, founded by Sir Georg Solti in 1995. After Maestro Solti’s death Mr. Gergiev has taken over, and the results are really terrific.
The musician’s performance is full of the required tensions, but highly melodic, dynamic and with deep awareness of every Mahler detail. Camilla Tilling’s wonderful soprano voice, and her interpretation are perfect in the Finale of the 4th symphony.
The World Orchestra for Peace (WOP), composed of volunteer principals and prominent players from all over the world, is an outstanding ensemble indeed and the two BBC Prom concerts are captured in brilliant video and uncompressed, glorious audio.
The Fifth symphony is presented on the same high level of playing and thoughtfulness, with the excitement of the first and second movements, the eerie Scherzo, and Mahler’s wonderfully sad and soulful Adagietto, which is one of my great favorites. The final movement is long, with amazing solos from the principal Horn; in short: still Mahler at his best.
When the Symphony #5 ends, Mr. Gergiev asks the first Horn player and the first trumpet player to come to the front of the orchestra to accept the applause from the ecstatic audience. And well deserved it is!
Amazing how all this music got squeezed onto a single DVD! Bravo to Unitel…
Here is Mahler’s Symphony No.5, 1st movement, as performed by the World Orchestra for Peace conducted by Valery Gergiev, at a concert at Britain’s Proms concerts 2010
Here is the Mahler Symphony No.5, the 4th Movement, titled “Adagietto”, as performed by the World Orchestra for Peace conducted by Valery Gergiev
Tags: Gustav Mahler, Symphonies 4 & 5, Velery Gergiev, World Orchestra for Peace