Maurice Abravanel’s Mahler Symphonies have been reissued on CD several times now, and they appear here at a new low price as part of Artemis Records’ revival of the Vanguard label. While they don’t make quite the claim to a collector’s attention that they once did, some of the performances remain surprisingly enjoyable despite much Mahlerian water under the bridge in the decades since they were first issued. This particular twofer contains a couple of the best performances in the lot, securely played and generally well recorded.
In the Second Symphony, Abravanel turns in a swift and direct performance very much in the Bruno Walter mold, and the only shortcomings lie with the orchestra’s thin lower strings and less-than-glorious brass. Still, there are touches of color that Abravanel finds in this music that no one else does (such as the buzz of stopped horns after the scherzo’s climax), and for some voice mavens the participation of soprano Beverly Sills, however brief, always has served as an attraction. So while hardly a first recommendation, this is a version that maintains its appeal to those who like their Mahler neatly done.
The Fourth Symphony, however, certainly isa first recommendation, a rendition whose unpretentious freshness hasn’t dated a bit. Abravanel leads his band though the thickets of the first movement’s long development section with effortless fluency, leading to a really impressive climax. The watery scherzo has just the right touch of diablerie but never lapses into mannerism, while the Adagio, a bit of missing glockenspiel aside (surely intentional), flows with impressive cogency. Indeed, what makes this performance so special is the way in which Abravenel preserves the sense of simplicity and wonder that characterizes so much of its emotional ambience, no matter what disruptive elements Mahler throws at us, and without ever underplaying anything.
It’s all capped by a most touchingly sincere account of the finale, with soprano Netanya Davrath one of the two or three best soloists ever to take on the part. I’d grab this just for the Fourth symphony, taking the Second as a bonus. Please note that texts and translations are available on the Vanguard website–www.vanguardclassics.com. It’s also nice to be able to report that the booklet typeface on this second batch of releases is legible: dark against a light background.
