Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 Resurrection


I had the pleasure of attending a performance of the University of Georgia’s Symphony Orchestra and chorus presentation of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 Resurrection last night. It was amazing, which is an understatement.  Full chorus of over 100 and an orchestra that overflowed the stage.  Five movements and 90 minutes straight. I was blown away.

I would appreciate suggestions for good versions of the work, preferably on vinyl.

Thanks in advance.

pgaulke60

Solti and the CSO. The CD is not so bad either. It's a later digital recording (there was a recorded 1966 vinyl edition) on the London label and one of my favorites despite the fact that it was 'early' digital. 

You might also like Zubin Mehta's 1976 recording on CD (before digital recording so I assume this was also on vinyl). 

There are so many excellent 2's on CD, but both of these are just fine!

The 1966 London Symphony/Georg Solti on London CSA 2217(2 LP Box) could be the definitive version in performance and SQ.

+1 on the 1966 Solti.  I know that was reissued by Speaker's Corner on vinyl, as I have a copy, so it may well still be available.

There are abundant excellent recordings, but the vinyl restriction winnows it down.  It would also rule out some of the contenders on digital.  Leonard Bernstein first recording would be a no go for me on vinyl because the Columbia mixes were awful.  Their CEO wanted the Bernstein Mahler recordings mixed as though the preferred playback system would be AM radio.  Remixed for CD it’s wonderful.  Claudio Abbado and the Chicago SO was problematic in that the offstage band was inaudible in many of the systems of the day (Google contemporary reviews).  On CD it’s perfect, an excellent spatial effect, surely what Mahler intended.

   Vinyl for me is a secondary medium, so I don’t own a Mahler2 on vinyl.  The one that I played to death back in the day was Bruno Walter and the NYPhilharmonic (stereo-there are earlier mono recordings).  Excellent classic record, but I have to add that the first time I heard it in CD I was blown away by the extra information on offer.  The Solti recommendation above is probably a safe vinyl recommendation in terms of performance and SQ.  Rafael Kubelik and the Bavarian Radio SO  and Bernard Haitink with the Amsterdam Concertgebouw should be safe, but as you are in love with the piece, you don’t want safe-you probably want something overwhelming.  In your vinyl shoes I would go for Solti

I just became aware that LP versions exist-Direct Metal Masterings- of the release by Simon Rattle and the City of Birmingham Symphony et. al.  I have only heard this digitally but I remember liking it quite a bit and the DMM might appeal.

  Another LP choice overlooked previously, at least in my post, would be Klemperer and the Philharmonia from the very early sixties 

The Abbado CSO on vinyl is part of the latest batch of Deutsche Grammophon's Original Source Series. I haven't heard it but everything I've purchased from this series so far has been phenomenal. It might capture the magic of the CD version @mahler123 is referring to.

The clips that I have heard of the Karajan Mahler 6 from the source that @hifiguy42  recommends are very impressive. I am never going to shell out that kind of dosh for a recording that has been so well transferred digitally, but if vinyl is your only media, I am sure that the Abbado Resurrection sounds amazing. 
  Tennstedt official LPO record pales in comparison to many live versions that he left, particularly the one with the NDR orchestra that was superbly recorded in the early 80s by German Radio, but I doubt these live recordings can be had on vinyl 

@newbee @mahler123 @dayglow @mei @hifiguy42 @rcprince 

Thank you all for your suggestions on this post.  I was able to find on Discogs, believe it or not, an unopened box of the 1966 CSO Solti version on vinyl.  Box is in perfect condition, and I assume the LPs are the same.  I haven't played it yet - my amp blew a tube(s) and they are on order.  But I'm anxious to give it a spin, and thanks for all the suggestion.

I'm now on a new quest.  A vinyl version of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis.  We went to the Atlanta Symphony last night and the full orchestra and chorus blew the roof off the place.  I've always loved this piece ever since I first heard at CSO radio broadcast on the first advanced HiFi system I ever encountered back in college (Bose 901's were big stuff back in the day).  They were amazing last night.

Thanks Again

@pgaulke60   You're welcome! Please add to the "What's on your turntable tonight" thread. Very few post "classical" recordings since a major poster left about a year ago.

Missa Solemnis: I assume it’s vinyl only again?  If you don’t mind mono Furtwangler (or Toscanini for about as polar opposite a view as possible).  In stereo Klemperer with the Philharmonia.  Herbert von Karajan would record this every 5 years or so so there are several vinyl HvKs out there but for me this is where the description of “Chocolate Beethoven “ in reference to Herr von K originated