Mahler - Orchesterlieder
Christian Gerhaher; Orchestre symphonique de Montréal; Kent Nagano
Analekta AN 2 9849
Kent Nagano’s initial collaboration with the splendid German baritone Christian Gerhaher and the OSM in a Sony recording of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde drew qualified admiration from me in 2009. This new recording of Mahler’s vocal works on the Analekta label is a patchwork from two January evenings during the inaugural season of the OSM’s new concert hall in 2012. As before, the main attraction is Gerhaher’s exceptional voice and sensitive interpretation of the three major song cycles: the youthful Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, the ruminative Kindertotenlieder, and the variegated settings of the Rückert Lieder. (Gerhaher also released a sensational Deutsche Grammophon recording of Des Knaben Wunderhorn with Pierre Boulez and the Cleveland Orchestra in 2010.)
Nagano is an attentive collaborator and handles tempo fluctuations adroitly, though the dynamic contrasts and drama of the music are decidedly underplayed. The recorded sound has considerable presence which is both a blessing and a curse as this is one of the noisier live performance pick-ups I’ve heard. Beyond the usual muffled coughs from the audience, odd thumps and strange mutterings occasionally infest the stage as well. (This is the downside of making recordings on the cheap without the contribution of an engaged producer in proper studio conditions.) Gerhaher’s finely modulated voice and excellent diction set a new standard for future interpreters of Mahler lieder. Thankfully this time (unlike the OSM Das Lied release) full French and English translations of the German texts are provided.
