This recording was my first exposure to Mahler's music and it opened up a whole new world for me. I remember reading a review of it in Gramophone just after its release and the critic mentioned that Karajan's way with this movement in particular was "a revelation". I couldn't agree more and after all these years I have yet to hear it bettered. Simply incredible...
Karajan's Mahler is indeed unsurpassed - if only he had recorded the full Mahler cycle. This performance of this movement is unmatched in its intensity at the climax. It gets me every time.
Generally I don't usually find video accompaniments with serious music desirable but in this case whoever uploaded this one did a fine piece of work to capture Mahler's expressive allusions with this movement of the 6th. The upper meadows with the cows is especially insightful to the offstage cowbells. Good job. And indeed I've always found von Karajan's reading of the 6th to be a quentessential one.
You want to remain one with yourself and not cease to exist as the spiritual being that you are by fusing or desolving with the cosmos. Unless you want otherwise.
How true it is that...Von Karajan's Mahler does remain unsurpassed; that not even Bernstein could equal it....and we know that he was no slouch, particularly when it came to Mahler...But with this particular movement, which is always my favorite...this one does remain without peer....Thank You!!.....
The WWI photos were a surprise but I think appropriate. This movement among many symphony movements is a oasis of longed for peace in a very nightmarish and troubled world. Good job on the photos.
encore merci pour cette merveilleuse "trilogie" (mvts lents des 4e, 5e, 6e symphonie) de la melancolie sublimée mahlerienne...; pour tomber à son tour imparablement eperdument amoureux d Alma ..
Takes your breath away, moving and very convincing performance. One of my favorite pieces of music and favorite performances of all time. The other version of this movement I like is Haitink leading the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, the recording from the sixties. Very different interpretation, faster tempos but just as valid and beautiful. Karajan here is so simple and profound in a real way. They just don't do it like this any more. Thanks for posting this--I listen to it at work.
First I saw the thumbnail, then the title... I almost died of loughter!!! (I know this symphony, so the first thing that came to my mind was - of course - the bell-part^^)
A-minor was Mahler's favorite key - and it's mine. Good to see that someone besides me finds this music exquisite! I love every single note of Mahler-VI. Magnificent!
The comments show that so many people don't take the time to listen to new recordings of Mahler's 6th, which is the best ever played 6th symphony. Sir Simon Rattle's performance with the Berliner and also with the LSO were very impressive, but Jansons with the RCO for me the best performance followed by the late Gary Bertini and the WDR Symphony Orchestra.Karajan came late in life to Mahler and, unfortunately, you can hear that. But still it is an ok performance but nothing earth-moving or stunning. So please hear Jansons with the RCO, an eye-opener!
Die Musik ist Genial, die Bilder sind sehr gut. Aber beides paßt nicht zu einander. Zu Sommerbergbilder paßt besser ein Schlußsatz aus einer der späten Mozart Symphonien.
