Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
Symphony No. 2 ‘Resurrection’
Karen Cargill (mezzo-soprano), Hanna-Elisabeth Müller (soprano)
Chœur de Radio France
Orchestre National de France/Cristian Măcelaru
German text with French & English translation
rec. live composite, 24/25 October 2024, Auditorium, Maison de la Radio et de la Musique, Paris
Naïve V9093 [2 CDs: 86]
This is a live composite recording drawn from two performances, although at first I wrongly assumed that it was a studio-made; I do think labels should make this clear on the cover and in the booklet. To be fair, there is virtually no audience noise, so it could just as easily be thought a studio production. There are now literally hundreds of recordings of the ‘Resurrection Symphony’ to choose from, hence any new one needs a USP; in my case, I was interested in both mezzo Karen Cargill, whose voice I admire, and also Romanian conductor Cristian Măcelaru, with whose work I was unfamiliar.
One does not necessarily think of French orchestras being especially well versed in the playing of Mahler, although conductors such as Bernstein, Martinon and Markevitch certainly included his symphonies in their programmes with the two main French outfits. This latest foray by the premier French orchestra strikes me as entirely competent without being the least arresting or distinctive. Nothing is exaggerated or outré; it is all decorous and rather perfunctory and I cannot imagine being very excited if I had been in the audience. Even the sound seems somewhat ironed out and homogenised, without much dynamic contrast and Măcelaru has a habit of applying a sudden accelerando several times in the first movement which sounds more hasty than dramatic. I miss Bernstein’s or Klemperer’s gift for enlivening phrasing, different though they are. The concluding downward octave figure is typically rather listless.
The Ländler second movement is neatly despatched, a pleasant lilt being maintained throughout, but for some reason I find it dull. The third movement, based on Mahler’s setting of “Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt” from Des Knaben Wunderhorn, is rather swift and business-like. The fourth “Urlicht” movement is sung feelingly by Karen Cargill and while she still possesses sumptuous tone, I am perturbed by the recent loosening of her vibrato, such that it is beginning to flirt with a wobble – the curse of steady singing and indicative of undue strain. An unusual feature of the recording is the number of cue points provided, being twenty in all rather than just the usual five – i.e., one per movement – and eleven of those are provided in the enormous forty-minute finale. That movement is the best of this recording; the playing of the distant horns is beautifully gauged and without blip or flaw and Măcelaru’s pacing is ideal – but there is some strange thumping and grunting from the conductor at the beginning of track 12, marked “Im Anfang sehr zurückgehalten.” The Maestoso section (track 14) is a success with plenty of drive and momentum and the choral entry on “Aufersteh’n” is appropriately sensitive and awestruck even if I am not much taken by the pulse in both Hanna-Elisabeth Müller’s soprano and Cargill’s mezzo, and the subsequent “Etwas bewegter” passage, rather than being “somewhat livelier” actually drags. The peroration is very well sung by the chorus and the orchestral playing is splendid – but in truth, I can point to no compelling reason for preferring this over a score of other recordings and indeed wonder what the point of its issue is when the collector already has so many preferable options.
Ralph Moore
Buying this recording via the link below generates revenue for MWI, which helps the site remain free
