Mahler

Starring:Robert Powell, Georgina Hale, Lee Montague, Miriam Karlin, Rosalie Crutchley, Gary Rich, Richard Morant, Angela Down, Antonia Ellis, Ronald Pickup, Peter Eyre, Dana Gillespie, George Coulouris, David Collings, Arnold Yarrow, David Trevena, Elaine Delmar, Benny Lee, Andrew Faulds, Otto Diamant
Director: Ken Russell
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Customer Reviews:

Stunning Mahler from Abbado and the LFO.......2007-07-04

The recent music making of Claudio Abbado, that of roughly the last seven or eight years, has been nothing short of legendary, and while some may attribute this to his near-death bout with stomach cancer, none will deny the performances of astonishying depth and profundity, particularly in Mahler, that have marked his appearances with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, the magnificent ensemble he founded four years ago. Featuring many of the finest soloists and chamber musicians in the world, Abbado's Lucerne performances have been glorious, and this latest addition is perhaps the most searing, probing, and desperate Mahler performance of the bunch, which includes a stirring Resurrection and exhilarating 5th symphony. What is even more astounding is the stunning cohesion and uniformity of this ensemble, considering that the musicians meet for a mere week of rehearsal; still further, these musicians have never played with one another, and many have not even played this piece! The profundity therein may be attributed to complete dedication and the chamber-music attitude which Abbado espouses; given the intensity with which they listen to one another, perhaps it is no surprise that entrances are immaculate, ensemble perfect. What is harder to account for, however, is the unanimity of expression, every note and phrase invested with meaning. The performance is quite similar to that of the acclaimed Abbado/BPO CD, which won Gramophone's Record of the Year. Certain moments are in fact identical, not just in tempo, but sound; how two different ensembles can sound so similar, never mind the impossible talent of each, is astonishing, and this can only be attributed to the leadership of Abbado. For those who doubt the importance of a conductor, listen to these two performances, feel the way in which an inexorable tragic construct is identically invested with incomparable fluidty and expressiveness. Abbado's approach is classicaly tragic and opposed to the thrilling manicness which marks Bernstein's legendary Vienna recording. While Bernstein's first movement is exuberant, intense, Abbado creates a darker mood, his tempo more measured, the sense of impending tragedy present. The andante is searingly beautiful, perhaps the most exquisite I've heard, slightly more singing, less intense than his equally gorgeous Berlin performance. The scherzo is less heavy than his Berlin CD, but what a scherzo it is, full of nuance, irony, and bite. I find Bernstein's scherzo comparatively over-bearing and one-dimensional. The great Lenny excels the most in his brutal and blood-and-guts finale, and those who want Euripedean furor may be adverse to the multi-dimensional tragic portrait which Abbado elucidates. Bernstein IS Mahler's hero, he becomes the screaming protagonist fighting the inexorability of fate, and if Abbado's interpretation has less struggle, it is equally powerful. Like his Berlin recording, one wishes the brass were stronger at the hammer blow moments, though the Lucerne bass trombonist is quite forceful after the second one. The hammer blows are overwhelming in both performance, the second one more impactful in this DVD. The march section of this movement is more propulsive than that of the Berlin CD. The dedication of these artists is inspiring, Abbado's conducting poignant; this DVD is highly recommended.

An affirming, powerful performance!.......2007-07-03

This is an awesome performance of what is probably the greatest tragic symphony in the history of music, alongside the Tchaikovsky Pathetique. Abbado's own brush with death a few short years ago seems to have brought him to the heart of this work, where he finds not despair and hopelessness but affirmation and beauty in spite of life's cruel challenges. There is an usual lyricism and tenderness in Abbado's approach, and the orchestra players are with him all the way to the final, crushing closing chord of the symphony. Then ... silence ... a long silence offering only a shudder as if the wind had been knocked out of everyone. It's over.

A few details about this performance: The exposition repeat is taken in the first movement which moves along an a moderate tempo. The slow movement, at a fairly quick andante, is taken second, not third as it is usually done. (I prefer the order Abbado takes here, and it makes perfect sense in supporting his overall conception of the work.) The scherzo, placed third, is marvelously played, full of nuance and color. The huge, sprawling canvas of the last movement unfolds, not as a march toward death, but as a search for life. Although there are only two hammerblows, they are powerfully executed ... and I do mean "executed." And the effect is perfect to send a tremor through one's being.

At the end, Abbado stands silently before the orchestra, collecting himself as if coming slowly out of a frightening descent into the abyss. And he has taken us with him on the journey.

If you love the Mahler Sixth, you owe it to yourself to get this and hear and see it for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

Abbado Does It Again.......2007-07-03

This latest release by EUROARTS features Mahler's Sixth Symphony with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra conducted by Claudio Abbado. Abbado clearly has an affinity for Mahler and the sound the orchestra creates is nothing less than magnificent! The picture is crystal clear, the sound is incredible and the performance is electrifying! This recording certainly brings justice to this musical masterpiece.

Unfortunately, my DVD had several scratches and needed to be returned to Amazon for a replacement.

Well, worth your money!

Average customer rating:

A Fitting Tribute to Mahler and to Boulez at 80
A Beautifully Played and Filmed Mahler 'Resurrection' Symphony
this has everything that's missing from the DG recording

Mahler - Symphony No. 2
Starring: Pierre Boulez , Diana Damrau , Petra Lang , Berlin Philharmonic , and Staatsopernchor Staatskapelle Berlin
Manufacturer: EuroArts
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

Mahler: Symphony No.6
Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 - The Cleveland Orchestra/Franz Welser-Most
Sergiu Celibidache in Rehearsal & Performance [DVD Video]
Celibidache Conducts Bruckner: Symphony No. 9
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra: 70th Anniversary Concert

ASIN: B000NOIWMQ
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Customer Reviews:

A Fitting Tribute to Mahler and to Boulez at 80.......2007-06-23

There's hope for us as we get older. Pierre Boulez, at the age of 80 has totally prepared the Staatskappele of Berlin for this flawless performance.

The soloists always play a major role in Mahler's second. Soprano Diana Damrau shines with a crystal-clear voice that cuts through the orchestra and chorus like a Mahlerian "alldurchdringer"--an all-penetrating force.
Even when not singing, she looks involved in the drama. Contralto Petra Lang sings forcefully and with conviction, adding to the impact of Mahler's statement of his faith in a resurrection.

There are also other excellent dvd recordings of this symphony. The Lucerne Festival Orchestra, conducted by Claudio Abbado is excellent, alongwith superb soloists Anna Larsson and Eteri Gvazava.

If you enjoy a good show alongside a beautiful performance, please don't overlook Leonard Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestra. In addition to a perfect performance of the music, you are treated to Lenny's leaping, bouncing, and almost flying, as he demonstrates his involvement in, and love of, the music.

Choosing the best Mahler 2 is like choosing among one's children: each has a unique identity, but you will love them all.

A Beautifully Played and Filmed Mahler 'Resurrection' Symphony.......2007-05-31

I'm no Mahler expert like the writer of the first review posted here ('Mahler nutcase', he calls himself), but I certainly agree with his general assessment of this DVD.

The DVD commemorates Boulez's 80th birthday; how is it possible that this ever-young man got to be eighty? (Unlike some others, I think Boulez is an exemplary Mahler conductor, too.) This concert features an orchestra not terribly familiar to us in the US, the Staatskapelle Berlin (and in fact when I first saw the DVD I misread it as the Staatskapelle Dresden and was a bit puzzled when I didn't see players with whom I am familiar). The Staatskapelle Berlin is, of course, the orchestra for the Berlin State Orchestra, and they don't give anything away to more famous ensembles; they sound inspired. The singers, though, are well-known. Petra Lang features in a number of previous Mahler recordings. I disagree with 'Mahler nutcase' in that I think Petra Lang has a beautiful voice, a chocolate-y contralto with just enough edge to make it stand out above the orchestral sound mass. (I actually prefer the sound of her voice to that of our current most familiar 'Mahler contralto', Michelle de Young. But no one will ever replace my old favorite, Maureen Forrester!) Her 'Urlicht' and 'O glaube' are heavenly. As for Diana Damrau, well ... she is surely the most dramatically effective coloratura singing today. (Her Queen of the Night must be heard to be believed.) One of my hallmarks for this symphony is the way in which the soprano soloist's voice emerges almost imperceptibly from the choral mass in the last movement, rising until it shines like a pole star. It gives me goosebumps when done right. Damrau (perhaps with help from the recording engineers) manages this very effectively, subtle but electrifying. The chorus is that of the Berlin State Orchestra and they are marvelous, beautifully blended, suitably ecstatic in the 'Auferstehen.' The final moments of the symphony are almost unbearably joyous when done well, and they are here.

In short, I will happily live with this DVD for years to come.

Recorded live in the Philharmonie, Berlin, on 26-27 March 2005. Videography directed (beautifully) by Michael Beyer, produced by the redoubtable Paul Smaczny. Sound is crystal clear. Picture format: NTSC 16:9; Sound formats: PCM stereo, Dolby 5.1, or DTS 5.1; Subtitles: German, English, French, Spanish; Region code: 0 (worldwide); TT=89mins

Scott Morrison

this has everything that's missing from the DG recording.......2007-04-21

I like this DVD of Boulez's *live* M2 "Resurrection" much, MUCH more than his DG studio recording. In short, it has everything that's missing in the studio recording. Starting from the rear, Boulez conducts - and gets! - a real crescendo from the timpani on the very last chord of the symphony. On the DG recording, there's virtually no crescendo on the last chord (go figure!). There's almost zero organ on the DG recording, regardless of what stereo I play it on. While not huge sounding, there's sufficient organ on this live performance. At the end of the symphony, the low gong is great, but the high gong is almost inaudible - this much is truly better on the DG recording. However, you gain an organ here, and I'll gladly live with that trade-off. The deep bells are also really good on this live one.

While Petra Lang doesn't possess a paricularly beautiful sounding vocal instrumental, she certainly knows how to use what she's got (she'd make a great Erde). I find her more involved sounding than Michelle De Young. Also, the mezzo and soprano match each other perfectly here - they really work together. The chorus is excellent on this live performance. All of the offstage brass stuff is perfectly audible and well coordinated. The scherzo has an almost tangible sense of irony and humor (ironic humor, anyone?) that's simply missing on the Vienna recording. There's no underlying sense that everybody is just skating along. Last but not least, the main climaxes to the first and third movements are far more gripping and powerful on this live perfomance. From beginning to end, the committment and execution of the Staatskapelle Berlin is second to none. This was one hell of a great concert. If you're a fan of Boulez, or just a fan of Mahler's "Resurrection" symphony in general - either way, add this one to your collection.

Gustav Mahler: Conducting Mahler/I Have Lost Touch With the World

Average customer rating:

WHAT CLASSICAL MUSIC DVDS SHOULD BE LIKE
I love Mahler
Good introduction to Gustav and Vienna
Two Intense and Stirring Films about Mahler's Music

Gustav Mahler: Conducting Mahler/I Have Lost Touch With the World
Starring: Mahler , Haitink , Chailly , Muti , and Abbado
Manufacturer: Juxtapositions
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

What the Universe Tells Me - Unraveling the Mysteries of Mahler's Third Symphony / Stockard Channing, Thomas Hampson
Mahler - The Symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde Boxset / Leonard Bernstein, Wiener Philharmoniker, London Symphony Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Mahler - Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" / Claudio Abbado, Eteri Gvazava, Anna Larsson, Orfeon Donostiarra, Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Shostakovich Against Against Stalin
Attrazione D'Amore/Voyage to Cythera

ASIN: B000AOGMIK
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Customer Reviews:

WHAT CLASSICAL MUSIC DVDS SHOULD BE LIKE.......2007-05-10

These two Frank Scheffer documentaries really bring home what works best for classical music on DVD. Videoed concerts, to my mind, seldom add much to the experience of audio only and are certainly no substitute for the real live experience - we are always too much at the director's whim for close-ups of puffing or sawing musicians or of every pore on a rapt conductor's face. Opera works better, but again, the constricted format is no substitute for the real thing and in the opera house (as in the concert hall) one's eyes move subconsciously all over the place, constantly taking in different elements of the hall, the performers and the performance.

Both these documentaries include a high proportion of concert performances of the Mahler symphonies, but it is all directed to a different end. The first, Conducting Mahler, is about exactly what it says on the tin. It is about the views of five eminent Mahler conductors on their craft and on the facets of the composer and his music that they look to elucidate in their performances. And their views are illustrated by substantial excerpts from live renditions of all the Mahler symphonies with three of the orchestras that the composer himself knew well, all given at the Mahler Festival in Amsterdam's Concertgebouw in 1995. What makes these performance extracts different from the usual filmed concert is that they remain fixed for practically the whole time on the conductor's face - no extraneous cutting about the various instrumentalists, no views of architecture of the hall. If I have one quibble with the film it is that these close-ups are just a bit too tight: all we really see are the conductors' faces and we get no real chance to watch their stick technique to see how they beat what are often quite complicated rhythmic structures, how they employ rubato or how they communicate Mahler's frequent abrupt changes of tempo and time signature. A shame, because in all other respects this is a fascinating documentary, really enhancing our knowledge of Mahler and his music as well as of the conductors and their different approaches to him.

The second documentary, I Have Lost Touch with the World (an evocative translation of the title of Mahler's Ruckert song, Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen), employs very much the same visual techniques to a different end. Here we are exploring Mahler, the man and the composer, principally through his Ninth Symphony. Riccardo Chailly in his farewell performance as principal conductor of the Concertgebouw Orchestra gets the lion's share here - along with Mahler's main biographer, Henri-Louis de la Grange, a man who probably knows more about his subject than anyone living and who is particularly articulate in knocking down some of the hoary old shibboleths that have built up around Mahler. Here, too, Scheff allows the music to speak as loudly as the commentators in elaborating his thesis. This is admirably non-interventionist film-making, even though it has strong, profound, fascinating and sometimes controversial things to say about its subject.

I really do feel that this is a much more fertile use of video to elucidate classic music than the usual fare we get. One would like to see much more of its ilk. In the meantime, this pair of excellent films on one disc comes highly recommended.

I love Mahler.......2007-01-03

Very interesting to see and hear Mahler's music by different conductors. I have not seen all of them in live performances. I really enjoyed this DVD.

Good introduction to Gustav and Vienna.......2006-04-22

Riccardo Chailly had Willem Mengelberg's Mahler scores with his notes to work from for the enigmatic Ninth Symphony. The Ninth was like a musical summary of all that exists; the Burleske movement,the contemplation of the vigours of the city, the life of the mind and its escapements,as Freud was to write in his "Future of Illusion",and Vienna filled with excess of sexual fantasy of Klimt, "The Beethoven Freize" and the darknesses residing,(Klimt's gorilla ) Vienna the citadel for these confluences, and Mahler should be thought it that context.
It was yes indeed sad that Chailly had left his Dutch musical brethren,and that tension seems to permeate this film interestingly; that's the force fields at work with institutional music today.No one is at fault for what was good on day one still is good on the last day except now you need to augment an "illusion" give your concert cash box more of a newer fetish, or the fetish of giving more than you did previously.
Chailly has a wonderfully impassioned way of speaking about his musical subjects,laying a groundwork for the problems that exist in the music and what needs to be done interpretively to resolve such places; Admirable as a young school boy doing his homework with previous recordings.He takes Mengelberg's written words in the margins of Mahler's score,and explains what these words might mean when the music is heard. If you hear any of those vintage recordings as Bruno Walter or Mengelberg himself they sound indeed (and live in posterity) with numerous imperfections.It is not a cherish place to re-visit contrary to what music afficioandos may claim.Like a musical pilgrimage to Lourdes. It is only a guide as Chailly rightly claimes, and a very loose guide at that. The Basso timbre for example was non-existent.Shoddy playing,uncoordinated phrasings,and balance? non-existent. And you know of Mahler's concept of timbre where he augmented his own performances of Beethoven with four additional French horns and tuba. Beethoven knew nothing of this, but Vienna certainly did With large multi-riveted bridges, like a conceit for the power of industry. So to the brass representing a clearer way of listening? as perhaps the image of the Krupp smokstakes, where these post-Romantics melos sought to reach for the sky(Adorno had said this of Richard Strauss, another creator/instigator of excess)But Chailly's approach to interpreting Mahler could have approached a stale,tried and tested predictability and or uninteresting.
There is myth-building here,Mahler is a genius pure and simple/I suppose this is how these DVDs get sold ultimately,and if you know how to avoid it in your perceptions it is useful, But if you have any doubts read Adorno's book on Mahler (there is only one) and you will see more aliving artist with problems of conception, of traps. Mahler had many paradigms,pardoxes unresolved as a composer, he could not develop a musical phrase,nor knew the path toward building his architectural shapes,movements as recepticles was his trajectory; nor to create harmonic chromatic tension (The Seventh Symphony comes as close as he gets). Muti speaks well about the Fourth Symphony and the modern-like juxtapositioning of three or fours ideas, what resembles for example a melos from Haydn,with Holiday skiing music or child-like fantasy,and a more severe declamation all thrown together. This is the opening 5 minutes of the Fourth.But returning to Adorno there is largesse in Gustav's oeuvre as (The Eighth Symphony being the most grotesque example, where beauty seems to get lost in a numbing void, an opaque "vuota",overdetermined)
But for the Ninth Mahler had other dimensions in mind, his Living Codicil to music.Well balanced with the stasis occuring at the end in the Adagio, no trumphantisms here, simple adeiu.
But he was no great innovator some may argue, and you will not find these arguments explored here in this DVD. I agree with Adorno, Mahler's innovations are marginal and inconsequential yet he fully saw the value and excitement represented by the young Arnold Schoenberg from Berlin.
The reflections by various conductors herein I think gets confused from the untranslatibility.What most have to say you have heard before. Haitink is the most perceptive here with real musical examples a la Bernstein. And Simon Rattle as well, Rattle had cut his teeth on Mahler in the Eighties in Birmingham where his readings approach a kind of facile fluidity surface orientation. You need a stronger persona as Lenny to bring this off. Rattle has other more analyzable skills to promuligate in his work however and has found the right expressive "tuning fork" for Mahler.
Scheffer does fine work in situating Mahler and the thoughts with the aid of scholar biographer Henry-Louis de la Grange(See his Two Volume Moby-Dick size Biographies on Mahler),where literally each day of Gustav's life is represented. He also explores a little of myth-building himself unlike the more sober Adorno.

I would have liked more rehearsal,more technically explicit moments, even a little goes a long way. But as I said of other examples of Scheffer's work,he does not hook into the music so much as the ambience to create a minimal background for all else to proceed.

The Ninth Symphonie is a work that seems endless you never grow tired of discovering new elements in it. The materials begin with the heart, Mahler's heart like the a-rhytmia of Mahler's the opening rhythms,yet a beauty resides along side this ominous representation in the opening moments the plucked Harp situated with Viola tremoli, plaintive horn fragment; an interval and the plucked contrabass. The Landler then is about loss and forgetting but recalling simultaneously of more innocent moments in the lifeworld of peasnat childhood ,but we can still remember Mahler seems to say.

Two Intense and Stirring Films about Mahler's Music.......2005-11-14

I will admit that I'm a musician groupie. I love little more than to sit in on a rehearsal, and have done so for forty years or more with regularity. I particularly like being close enough that I can observe the orchestral musicians and overhear what the conductor is saying to them, see how the works are put together. This process makes the ensuing performance all the more interesting for me. Thus, I found these two documentaries about Mahler's music, made by the distinguished Dutch music documentarian Frank Scheffer, intensely interesting.

There are two films here. The first, 'Conducting Mahler,' features long segments showing several eminent Mahler conductors -- Claudio Abbado, Riccardo Muti, Riccardo Chailly, Bernard Haitink and Simon Rattle -- rehearsing the likes of the Royal Concertgebouw, the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonics, in long, lovely passages from all the Mahler symphonies (plus some of 'Das Lied von der Erde') interspersed with interviews (with the noted music writer, Donald Mitchell) with all five of the conductors. Not only is the music-making first class, but the insights that the conductors bring to the process, both in their conducting and in their thoughts about Mahler and his music, are exceedingly stimulating. (It should be noted, by the way, that the interviews are conducted in English and each of the conductors is enormously articulate.) The DVD is divided into a number of 'chapters' (although the documentary plays without pause) such as 'Mahler and the Concertgebouw' (the film was made mostly at the 1995 Mahler Festival held by the Concertgebouw which was, of course, the first orchestra outside Vienna to program Mahler's music with any regularity owing to the enthusiasm of Willem Mengelberg), 'The Interpretation of the Conductors,' 'The Modernity of Mahler,' 'The Ideas Behind the Notes,' 'The Sound of an Empire at the End,' 'Vienna at the Turn of the Century' and so on.

The second film, entitled 'I Have Lost Touch With the World' (the Englished title of Mahler's heart-wrenching song 'Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen' from the 'Rückert Lieder') is about Mahler's Ninth Symphony, his last completed symphony. It features Riccardo Chailly rehearsing the Concertgebouw. There is almost constant music -- sometimes showing the orchestra playing or, more often, Chailly conducting and commenting to the players, and sometimes with voice-over while the music continues underneath. There are extensive and extremely insightful commentaries concerning all four movements from Henry-Louis de la Grange, Mahler's definitive biographer, a man who probably knows more about the composer than anyone, and from Chailly. There are snippets from other works, including a large part of a performance, unusually with a baritone (Thomas Hampson), of the 'Abschied' from 'Das Lied von der Erde.' (For me, at the end of that performance the earth stood still.) Fully ten minutes of the fourth movement is played without interruption (in a dress rehearsal with audience) and I found myself in tears at its conclusion. There is a reference after that to the impending departure of Chailly from the musical directorship of the orchestra after sixteen years; the film was made in 2004 and he has since been succeeded by Mariss Jansons.

Scheffer is a marvelous documentarian. Although the camerawork is fairly active, the focus is primarily, in both films, on the conductors and the music. Sound is magnificent, particularly in the more recent film. It is in Dolby Digital 2.0. Subtitles in English, German, French, Dutch and Spanish are provided. Total time for both films is 132 minutes.

I heartily recommend this DVD to anyone with even a smidgen of interest in Mahler or in rehearsal technique in general. These are superior films.

Scott Morrison

Inner Sanctum Mysteries: The Complete Movie Collection

Average customer rating:

Six with Chaney
Good reminscences
Not great cinema but fun
Inner Sanctum Mysteries: The Complete Movie Collection
Great collection of Lon Chaney Jr. films!

Inner Sanctum Mysteries: The Complete Movie Collection
Starring: Lon Chaney Jr. , Brenda Joyce , J. Carrol Naish , Milburn Stone , and Lloyd Bridges
Director: John Hoffman (II) , and Reginald Le Borg
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

( I ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000FWHW90
Release Date: 2006-09-19

Amazon.com

"This is the Inner Sanctum...." And this is the world of B-movies, where Hollywood studios churned out entertaining little numbers to fill out an evening back in the Golden Age. Universal's Inner Sanctum series, released in 1943-45, was inspired by the successful radio show of the same title. They're gathered on Inner Sanctum Mysteries: The Complete Movie Collection, a fun grouping of a minor cinematic achievement.

All six films star the phlegmatic Lon Chaney Jr., and most begin with a floating head in the crystal ball, welcoming us to the inner sanctum, "A strange, fantastic world, controlled by a mass of living, pulsating flesh... the mind." The vaguely supernatural promise of this grabby opening is rarely fulfilled by the movies, which tend to be acceptable murder mysteries with--despite the wacky titles--very little horror content. Chaney plays a man of some distinction (a professor in Weird Woman, famous mentalist in The Frozen Ghost, physician in Calling Dr. Death) who runs afoul of women (among them Evelyn Ankers and Patricia Morison) and murder. At some point in each movie he has some elaborate voice-over agony, making clear the connection to the radio series' interior monologue. The one-hour-and-change productions are handsome, considering their budget restrictions, and Universal's prints are well-preserved; the literacy of the writing is surprisingly high--although decent writing can't put much zip into the proceedings.

Weird Woman is probably the best of the bunch, an adaptation of Fritz Leiber's novel Conjure Wife (later filmed as Burn, Witch, Burn!). Chaney is an expert on superstition who marries a voodoo-obsessed woman, whose spells might be responsible for his rapid professional rise. The influence of Cat People is as strong as the source novel. Calling Dr. Death, the first in the series, is duller, with a hypnotism-minded Chaney bedeviled by a wanton wife who conveniently dies under mysterious circumstances. Dead Man's Eyes and the amazingly-titled Pillow of Death are more fun, the former a variation on the old eye-transplant story and the latter a whodunit with lawyer Chaney accused of his wife's murder (the supernatural touch this time: séances).

Strange Confession has Chaney as an honest chemist battling an evil pharmaceutical tycoon (J. Carrol Naish), and The Frozen Ghost combines two horror staples, the unstable mentalist and the wax museum. It's just crazy enough to be entertaining, even if there's no ghost (and hardly any freezing). All in all, the DVD set is a good look at Universal's second-tier output of the era. And then there's Chaney, whose jowly steadfastness can become weirdly fascinating if you watch a few of these close together. Universal put him hard to work after the success of 1941's The Wolf Man, and alongside his monster-movie excursions and his singular triumph in Of Mice and Men, the Inner Sanctum pictures represent Chaney's best moment as a leading man. Despite his limitations, he'll always have his spot in the Universal galaxy. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Six with Chaney.......2007-05-14

In the days before television really took over, the rough equivalent of TV series were put out by movie studios. Churned out quickly by "B" movie units, these movies tended to be produced every few months and short (like TV shows, they would all run around the same length). For example, Universal put out a whole series of Sherlock Holmes and Abbott and Costello movies. Another example from Universal Pictures was the Inner Sanctum Mysteries, a series of six mystery movies all starring Lon Chaney, Jr. The Inner Sanctum of the title was the mind, which as the Spirit of the Inner Sanctum would warn us at the beginning of every movie (but the last one) was capable of plotting murder.

The earlier Inner Sanctum movies would provide voice-over "thoughts" from Chaney to demonstrate his inner turmoil, a gimmick which diminishes as the series goes on. In general, the movies also are plotted similarly, with Chaney accused of a murder and his attempts to vindicate himself. Even this storyline would eventually get a little more variety in the final movies.

The first disc in this two disc set features three movies: Calling Dr. Death, Weird Woman and Dead Man's Eyes. In Calling Dr. Death, Chaney is a neurologist accuses of killing his wife while having an affair with his nurse. It also features Patricia Morison, most notable in Dressed to Kill as the villainess who matches wits with Sherlock Holmes in the final Rathbone movie. (Since these movies all featured contract players, actors repeatedly show up in all sorts of Universal movies).

Weird Woman has Chaney as an anthropologist who marries a woman who believes in witchcraft. When he destroys her magic charms, bad things begin to happen. This movie also stars Evelyn Ankers, a frequent Chaney costar (including The Wolf Man and Son of Dracula). In Dead Man's Eyes, Chaney is an artist accidentally blinded; a corneal transplant provides a possible chance at sight, but he is accused of killing the donor.

Frozen Ghost (the first of three movies on the second disc) has Chaney as a hypnotist who believes he can kill with his gaze. Much of this movie takes place in a wax museum, where death and intrigue occur, and once again, Evelyn Ankers costars. The last two movies have Brenda Joyce as the female lead. Strange Confession has Chaney as a chemist developing an influenza cure, only to be derailed by his duplicitous boss. And while Pillow of Death may have the weakest title in the bunch, it offers a bit of a different plot, with Chaney - as in Calling Dr. Death - accused of murdering his wife to be with his assistant. This is also the longest of the movies, at 67 minutes.

Unlike the two actors Chaney is often associated with, Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, Chaney comes off as relatively normal, which is why he is often given normal romances; relationships featuring Karloff or Lugosi tend to be either sexless or warped. As an actor, however, Chaney is just average and these movies are only passable. There are more than a few cliches in the writing and even at just an hour, the films can sometimes drag. They're not awful movies and at least they look reasonably good. On the other hand, with no extras, I can only give the set a low three stars. If you are a fan of these old movies, there will be some value to getting this set, but there are also a lot better movies available; this set should only be for either novelty value or for completists.

Good reminscences.......2007-04-06

The movies in the DVD's are really great in the drama department, and the suspense theme is rated way high despite the times' difference. Lon Chaney Jr. did terrific in all roles down to the final movie. I wish that I could see more films starring him from that post-WWII period!

Not great cinema but fun.......2007-04-04

It's about time Universal got these on DVD. These are 6 VERY low budget movies all starring Lon Chaney Jr. They're quick (most run only about an hour) move quickly and have some neat twists. There are plot loopholes and some bad acting but this is still fun. "Weird Woman" is definetely the highlight of this collection. Worth getting especially for Universal horror fans.

Inner Sanctum Mysteries: The Complete Movie Collection.......2007-02-16

Little is Better. This B movie collection is the perfect medicine for staying up a little late to watch a weird little story, but not wanting to short change a reasonable night's sleep or stress out on a heavy duty of serious.
These little gems are just what was intended... escape. You can imagine the squeaking door if you need, but
for the most part it's sheer pleasure watching some of the best character actors ever in Universal's B movie business.
Lon Chaney, Jr. has the lead in all five features so I recommend the viewers put a special focus on the Hall of Fame performers that give superb support. The mixed bag of men: Milburn Stone, Thomas Gomez, J. Carrol Naish, Paul Kelly, David Bruce, Ralph Morgan, Douglas Dumbrille, J. Edward Bromberg and that creepy little guy who snakes rather than sneaks, Martin Kosleck, are genuine characters. The gals, Brenda Joyce, Jean Parker, Patricia Morison, Anne Gwynn, Ramsey Ames, and ultimate screamer, Evelyn Ankers, are all accomplished actresses with better than good looks who deserved but never got the star treatment.
I'd give the nod to Weird Woman as the best movie of the lot, but each has its own merits and memorable moments. It's a wonderful little package for the true classic B film fan.

Great collection of Lon Chaney Jr. films!.......2007-01-12

I am a huge fan of the late Lon Chaney Jr! These films were done not long after his greatest role as The Wolfman. And although some of the 6 stories on this set are not well written, and some of the actors are not equal with Lon, there are some golden moments here for a fan of Mr. Chaney, and it is important that these films are now available. My only complaint would be a lack of any additional material, but perhaps there is little left to add. If you are a fan of Lon, you NEED to see these films. They may not be as important as his roles in The Wolfman, High Noon, or Of Mice and Men, but they are essential to see as part of his work in the 1940's.

Police Academy (20th Anniversary Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Police Academy (20th Anniversary Special Edition) ~ G.W. Bailey
No complaints!
BEST'S COPS OF ALL TIME!!!
Master OF THE Rare LASERDISCs Movies.
Steve Guttenberg is in training to be a cop.

Police Academy (20th Anniversary Special Edition)
Starring: G.W. Bailey , Kim Cattrall , Leslie Easterbrook , George Gaynes , and David Graf
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Police Academy 2 - Their First Assignment
Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment/Police Academy 3: Back in Training
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Police Academy 3 - Back in Training
Police Academy 5 - Assignment Miami Beach

ASIN: B00019074O
Release Date: 2004-04-06

Amazon.com

Astoundingly silly but incredibly popular, Police Academy is the first film in a seemingly endless franchise that takes aim at the men in blue. After a police academy drops all of its entrance requirements, all manner of misfits flood in, hoping to make it onto the force. One of these misfits, a lazy, aimless cadet played by Steve Guttenberg (Cocoon, Three Men and a Baby), was forced to enlist and tries whatever he can to get kicked out. But once he decides to stay, he tries anything and everything to finish his training, even as his drill instructor tries to shove him out. Featuring a wild bunch of strange supporting characters, from a female trainee who speaks below a whisper to a dominatrix instructor to a human sound-effects machine, Police Academy is mindless but fun. --Robert Lane

Description

When the mayor decides that the doors of the police academy be open to any and all, the applicants swarm forth like hordes of losers in a colorful assortment of nonregulation sizes, shapes and eccentricities.

Customer Reviews:

Police Academy (20th Anniversary Special Edition) ~ G.W. Bailey.......2006-05-14

Police Academy (20th Anniversary Special Edition)~ G.W. Bailey is the only good movie of them all. Guttenberg plays an amazing role, and the script is not as paper thinn as the rest of the sequells. This makes the rest of movies look look the winner of the nobel prize. The dialogue is not as horrid as the later sequells either but is kind of well developed. I love tackleberry the Vietnam craze and all the other steroetypical charachters in this movie. I also love the blue eyester bar scene. The rest of the movie is filled with typical 80's stereotypical view of society which was normal at the time. It is also a time capsule for the music (Frankie Goes to Hollywood is played in one scene), the fashion (the tacky clothes) and everything else that was like "in fashion" during the 80's. Highly recommended indeed.

No complaints!.......2006-01-04

Ideal for people who like the film Police Academy.

BEST'S COPS OF ALL TIME!!!.......2005-11-30

Cuando hablamos de policias astutos, llenos de accion y torpes? solo podemos pensar en lA mejor comedia policiaca de todos los tiempos "police academy" Que gran pelicula , muy buena comedia de los 80's con una serie de comediantes que nos hacen reir de principio a fin. NO PUEDE FALTAR EN SU COLECCION ESTE DVD !!! ALTAMENTE RECOMENDADO!!!

Master OF THE Rare LASERDISCs Movies........2005-07-10

I have POLICE ACADEMY 1,2,3,4,5,6 ON LASERDISCS!!!! And I bought'em includin Part Seven ON DVDs,No doubt Police Academy Rock yer house :P

Steve Guttenberg is in training to be a cop........2005-02-23

There was nothing at Blockbuster Video. All the new ones were gone. The low-budgets collect dust. Even Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle (2004) was gone. So I mosied on over to comedy to find "The Four Seasons" (1981) with Carol Burnett, Alan Alda, Sandy Dennis, Rita Moreno. They never even heard of it. What I did find was all seven "Police Academy" movies and to make it more exciting, they were all on DVD.
Okay, I need to relieve some tension. I'll watch rookie cops be stupid. Besides, Steve Guttenberg and Marion Ramsey are funny and that guy from the M*A*S*H tv series is in it too.
The first film includes the cast of 11 rookies: Steve Guttenberg, Kim cattrall (Porky's {1981], Sex In The City tv series), Bubba Smith, Andrew Rubin, David Graf, Michael Winslow, Bruce Mahler ("Fridays" tv shows), Scott Thopson, Brant Van Hoffman, Marion Ramsey and Donovan Scott.
They all must get through the Police Academy and obey the orders of G.W. Bailey (M*A*S*H tv series) and Leslie Easterbrook (Laverne & Shirley tv series). To add to the comic relief, George Gaynes, Debralee Scott, Ted Ross (The Wiz), Gary Farmer (Powow Highway [1989]) and Georgina Spelvin (the age-over-40 adults know what other movies she has done).
Can these bubbleheads ever pass the Academy? They have made 7 films.
DVD includes a 30-minute featurette, "Behind Acadmey Doors: Secret Files Revealed"., theatrical trailer and audio commentary for this 20th Anniversary edition.
Runs: 1:46.
The next film in the series: Police Academy 2--Their First Assignment (1985).

A Wayfarer's Journey: Listening to Mahler

Average customer rating:

Music to elate, inspire and heal by Mahler

A Wayfarer's Journey: Listening to Mahler

Manufacturer: Pbs (Direct)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Mahler: Symphony No.6
Civilisation: The Complete Series
God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything
Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series

ASIN: B000PA9Q64
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Customer Reviews:

Music to elate, inspire and heal by Mahler.......2007-05-13

Mahler's life and music are described and played with joy by young and old musicians. But the conversations between conductor, Christoph Eschenbach ,and pediatric oncologist, Richard O'Reilly are profoundly moving and inspiring. The power of Mahler's music to enter every human emotion in every listener makes this fine film a powerful and positive experience to be shared and played often.

Mahler - The Symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde Boxset / Leonard Bernstein, Wiener Philharmoniker, London Symphony Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

Average customer rating:

The Perfect Mahlerite: A Commentary on Bernstein's Genius
Defective product, defective customer service
This Bernstein/Mahler combo rules!!
Bernstein IS Mahler!
Bernstein Conducts Mahler

Mahler - The Symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde Boxset / Leonard Bernstein, Wiener Philharmoniker, London Symphony Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Starring: Christa Ludwig , Vienna Opera Philharmonica , and Jose von Dam
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Leonard Bernstein Concert Boxed Set
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Beethoven, Mozart & Brahms Piano Concertos
Mahler - Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" / Claudio Abbado, Eteri Gvazava, Anna Larsson, Orfeon Donostiarra, Lucerne Festival Orchestra

ASIN: B000BDIY3G
Release Date: 2005-11-22

Customer Reviews:

The Perfect Mahlerite: A Commentary on Bernstein's Genius.......2007-04-10

I became a passionate Mahler fan a few years after I started taking classical music seriously in college. As my passion grew, I actually didn't much care for Bernstein initially, but now I consider his cycle for CBS to be the greatest complete cycle on disc. The performances on these DVDs are as good as better than the ones on CBS.

I have no complaints about the quality of the video. It does appear to be at TV resolution, but for me that does not detract from the care used to shoot it. I find the cameras to have been well-placed and well-aimed (trying to avoid using the word "cinematography" here). The images are used to enhance the presentation of the music in a very natural way, almost as if I were sitting in the audience with binoculars following the melodic line as it bounces across the orchestra. The different halls add an air of discovery as you follow the Maestro around the world, and they prevent the cycle from becoming visually repetitive. Most importantly, Bernstein clearly demonstrates that he lives each performance.

I received a used copy as a gift for Christmas. It had the mislabeled DVD claiming to be Symphonies 4 and 5. I emailed Universal about the problem, and they asked me to send the defective disc to an address in Germany for inspection. I got a replacement disc in the mail about four weeks later. Though everything worked out in the end, I was unhappy about the difficulty I had in identifying whom to contact about the problem from phone calls to Universal and scouring the DGG Web site, DGG's poor communication during the replacement process, and the long wait for a replacement. Since the mislabeled discs seem to be a common and known problem and since record companies are paranoid about losing customers these days, one would expect that DGG would have a better system for replacing mislabeled discs.

Defective product, defective customer service.......2007-01-06

Like a previous reviewer, the set I purchased is defective. The disc labeled 4 and 5 plays 1 and 2. Despite lengthy correspondence dating from April 06 with Deutsche Grammophone, they have not sent me a replacement. Needless to say, I have not bought a DG product since and may never again. A shame, since I had my eye on the Karajan Beethoven DVD set. I had the impression that DG had a high reputation for quality despite high prices. I am dissapointed to learn that only the latter is true.

This Bernstein/Mahler combo rules!!.......2007-01-04

Being a dyed-in-the-wool Mahlerite and a big fan of Leonard Bernstein,
I really enjoyed viewing this set. The playing of the Vienna and Israel
Philharmonic orchestras is top-notch. Bernstein's essay on "Das Lied von
der Erde" moved me to tears. If you like Mahler and/or Bernstein, you need
to get it.

Bernstein IS Mahler!.......2007-01-03

Not my words, actually - rather those of Edward Seckerson on (British) BBC Radio 3's "Building a Library" classical CD programme, after choosing Lenny's Mahler 1 with the Concertgebouw as his top recommendation.

To hear Bernstein conduct Mahler is tremendous; to see him is positively wonderful. No-one could accuse him of not giving his all to realising the composer's intentions and these testaments to the art of real conducting show the blood, sweat (plenty of that in evidence) and tears that Lenny willingly gave to bring Mahler's compositions to life.

Bernstein cajoles the VPO (who, let us not forget, at this time in the late 60s/early 70s still regarded Mahler as a third rate composer), caresses them, summons up the creepy and often downright sinister Mahlerian aural landscapes and in climaxes sets a torch to the orchestral sound with such commitment and involvement the viewer really cannot sit dispassionately by, but is forced to join conductor, singers and and orchestra on their voyage of discovery.

DG have worked wonders on the image and the DTS sound is excellent (especially given the age of some of the films).

The bonus disc covers Lenny in rehearsal and is a fascinating document covering Das Lied von der Erde and the gut-wrenching 9th symphony and he talks absorbingly (swathed in cigarette smoke - marvellously un-PC!) about what Mahler meant to him and how he approaches the music.

If you love Mahler and don't buy this wonderful set while it's still available, you need cranial surgery.

Recommended wholeheartedly and without a moment's hesitation. Marvellous!

Bernstein Conducts Mahler.......2006-07-28

The set of Dvd's are of phenomenal quality both in terms of video and audio. It's amazing to watch the faces of the members of the orchestra and see a front view of the Bernstein as he conducted. This set is highly recommended to serious lovers of Mahler.

Mahler - Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" / Claudio Abbado, Eteri Gvazava, Anna Larsson, Orfeon Donostiarra, Lucerne Festival Orchestra

Average customer rating:

Definately 5 Stars, but...
What a experience!
Deep Blue
Mahler at its best!
It's all been said!

Mahler - Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" / Claudio Abbado, Eteri Gvazava, Anna Larsson, Orfeon Donostiarra, Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Starring: Claudio Abbado , Eteri Gvazava , Anna Larsson , Orfeon Donostiarra , and Gustav Mahler
Manufacturer: Euroarts
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Mahler - Symphony No. 9 / Claudio Abbado, Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, Accademia Di Santa Cecilia, Rome
Mahler - Symphony No. 5 / Claudio Abbado, Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Mahler - Symphony No. 7 / Claudio Abbado, Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Gustav Mahler: Conducting Mahler/I Have Lost Touch With the World
Bruckner/Beethoven - Symphony No. 7, Piano Concerto No. 3, Alfred Brendel, Claudio Abbado

ASIN: B000A16SIM
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Customer Reviews:

Definately 5 Stars, but..........2007-06-01

I just got this DVD in last week and I can't stop playing it - it is a pure joy to hear and see from start to finish!

I had read quite a bit about the health of Maestro Abbado in recent years, and it was with relief and happiness that he looked so good on this recording - a bit gaunt but tanned and very vibrant. I must confess that he has a special place in my heart as a Mahlerian, as it was his recording of the M6 w/CSO some years back on vinyl that hooked me, and I have been a fan of his and Mahler ever since.

There are so many high points in this performance: the brass section from top to bottom was as pure, strong, and effortless as I have ever heard - live or recorded; as other reviewers have noted the woodwind allstars Sabine Meyer (clarinet), Albrecht Mayer (oboe), and Emmanuel Pahud (flute) are simply unbelievable; and most notable, I have never seen an orchestra play with such animated FUN: it is so very obvious that they love this conductor, this piece of work, and this ensemble. At one point near the finale Abbado, with a beautiful left hand gesture, attempts to ellicit more from the trumpet section, and principal trumpeter Reinhold Friedrich simply smiles and chuckles when the phrase is completed, then the camera is back to Abbado who is smiling as well. Just great stuff!

Now for the 'but'...though this is most definatley a 5 star performance, it left me wanting more. Some of the competition out there is adding a bit more for the buck (for example on Haitinks M2 we also get the M1); if not additional music, then how great would it be to hear from Claudio Abbado about the piece, the ensemble, the apparently phenomenal venue, etc? Just a note to the producers (yeah, like they are gonna' read this!)

I am placing my order for the 7th and 9th today and can't wait to check them out - and look forward to more Mahler from this great conductor and ensemble.

W. Steven

What a experience!.......2007-05-29

Powerful! Magnificent! A religious experience. A musical equivalent to Michelangelo's frescoes in the Sistine chapel! Hear the trumpet's sound of the last judgment. Claudio Abbado is the one who will conduct you in a very delicate way.

Deep Blue.......2007-05-10

What a performance: The orchestra, an assembly of soloists, brought together by Maestro Abbado into a colourful coral reef, weaving to the torrents of Mahler. The interaction between conductor, orchestra and music is breathtaking.

Mahler at its best!.......2007-03-08

This is possibly a once-a-lifetime performance. Conductor and hand- picked orchestra drawn from the best musicians in europe combine forces in a truly awesome way.

It's all been said!.......2007-01-30

I can't really add anything to the other reviews except that in my case you can take it from a professional orchestral musician; this is as good as it gets. I love everything about this DVD and this performance. For me these Abbado/Lucerne DVD's are sources of great inspiration. I'd give it 15 stars if I could.

Mahler - Symphonies 1, 2, 3 / Leonard Bernstein, Sheila Armstrong, Janet Baker, Christa Ludwig, Wiener Philharmoniker, London Symphony Orchestra

Average customer rating:

Berstein and Mahler
Wow! Mankind Really Can Fly!
The Perfect Bernstein-Mahler DVD to Get Started
Restored productions joy to watch
Superlative 2 and 3

Mahler - Symphonies 1, 2, 3 / Leonard Bernstein, Sheila Armstrong, Janet Baker, Christa Ludwig, Wiener Philharmoniker, London Symphony Orchestra
Starring: Christa Ludwig , Vienna Opera Philharmonica , and Sheila Armstrong
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Mahler - Symphonies 9 and 10, Das Lied von der Erde / Leonard Bernstein, Christa Ludwig, Rene Kollo, Wiener Philharmoniker, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
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ASIN: B000AC5BEI
Release Date: 2005-11-22

Customer Reviews:

Berstein and Mahler.......2006-07-31

Order came quickly. Sound and visual are awesome. Music is to die for!!

Wow! Mankind Really Can Fly!.......2006-04-21

Few composers have understood and enjoyed Mahler's works, as much as has Leonard Bernstein. I could rave on and on, about how good the performances of these three symphonies SOUND, but the real treat here is watching Bernstein perform them.

There is a comment in one of the bonus sections, where Bernstein states that Mahler's works are so well-written that a conductor should need do little more than stare at the score and conduct. But he then admits that he feels compelled to try to coax the orchestra (and perhaps the audience) to enjoy the same experience he is having.

Rarely will you see such passion in the singing of Sym. 2 as you see here in Sheila Armstrong and Janet Baker. It makes me think they knew they were joining the London Symphony Orchestra in a historic recording. Symphony 2 "Resurrection," moves through the suffering and anguish of the brevity of life, to the firm assurance of a life-after, and both of these fine singers make it succeed.

Christa Ludwig, here at the peak of her powers, masterfully sings the "O Mensch! Gib Acht!" of Sym.3 with an appropriately almost supernatural and haunting force. I do not remember anyone ever singing it better.

Symphony 3 attempts nothing less than to contain the entire universe. That may sound like an obviously impossible task, but to those who love Mahler's music, he seems to have done just that. It's magnificent, and if I could have only a single performance with me on a desert island, Mahler's third, by Bernstein would be my choice.

You simply can't find a better Mahler conductor than Bernstein. That is the real joy about these recordings: besides HEARING some of the very best performances of this music, you get to SEE Bernstein leap, hunch, sway, beckon to musicians, revel in his enjoyment of the music, and hope that you will enjoy it as much as he does. You almost believe Lenny is going to leap off the podium, and fly off into the heavens! We should all love and appreciate Mahler this much!

The Perfect Bernstein-Mahler DVD to Get Started.......2006-02-10

After all these years when people today strived to watch Leonard Bernstein conduct the works of perhaps his favorite composer in the living room (not to mention the brief marketing on videos we barely knew, and those awfully large and expensive things known as Laser Disks!), the wait is over.

Deuschte Grammophon/United is kind enough to offer us the complete Mahler Cycle Bernstein did during the 70's (complete separate from the audio recordings he did during the 60's and the 80's) on DVD, and we praise its effort.

Buying a complete 4 album set at once is a lofty task for the financially restrained... including myself... so why might as well buy one album at a time (either option you will be buying for $160). Of the 4 albums, this is the perfect Mahler DVD to get started - featuring the first three symphonies, each already with individual achievement and fame.

Symphony No. 1, titled "Titan", is one of the shortest, and probably the most accesible, of all the symphonies Mahler wrote. Describing Nature, the work features its awakening, a lively dance, a parodic funeral march of a fallen hunter, and a stormy finale that ends triumphantly. Bernstein and the prestigious Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra amazes us with his charming yet powerful interpretation.

Symphony No. 2, titled "Resurrection" begins in tragedy and struggle, and ends in one of the greatest, and most touching, anthems in Classical Music history since Beethoven's "Ode to Joy". While not as impacting as what Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic did in the 80's for DG, watching him leading the London Symphony Orchestra at the Ely Cathedral will make you quiver, pray, and at the end, burst in tears. The chorus is incredibly powerful by the finale; at one point as close as bursting the microphones picking up the sound!

Symphony No. 3 is Mahler's longest symphony, at 100 minutes. Like Symphony No. 2, the work glorifies the "Truth", and evokes emotions beyond the physical level. Christa Ludwig and the choirs sing superbly, and Bernstein with the VHO shines in this work.

On all the works, while the viewing quality is obviously dated, the sound qualitly less than perfect/modern/advanced, one should not be deterred.

An excellent DVD for both Bernstein and Mahler fans! Buy it without hesitation. If you have to buy only one between the 4 albums, like I said before, this is the one to get started.

Restored productions joy to watch.......2006-01-05

Compared to the old laserdisc releases of this works, the new DVDs from DG are a joy to behold. To my eyes much loving attention has been lavished on cleaning up these works. The colours throughout are now much more vibrant and the picture is very sharp indeed especially considering the age of the recordings. New to the DVDs are subtitles in four languages including English.
The new 5.1 DTS soundtrack is only marginally better than the old PCM stereo which has stood the test of time very well indeed. The audio in both soundtracks is enhanced by the great recording venues - Ely Cathedral used for symphony #2 has especially stunning acoustics.
The video direction of Humphrey Burton is not quite in the same league as the exemplary Brian Large.Unfortunately, Mr. Burton tends to switch camera angles too frequently and does not give a broad enough view of the entire orchestra.
Musically all the symphonies are a revelation to listen to, with Bernstein's emotions and involvement in the music contributing much to the overall enjoyment of the DVDs. Compared to Von Karajan, Bernstein is truly fascinating to observe.
The above comments also apply to another DVD set - Bernstein's recordings of Mahler symphonies nos. 7 and 8 which I bought at the same time.

Superlative 2 and 3.......2005-12-06

Now that I have purchased my first really outstanding symphonic DVD, I guess my CD buying days will come to a quiet end. There is nothing like watching the music and hearing it in great sound. DVD's sound better than CDs and you also get a nice clear picture. What more could anybody want?

This set has two magnificent performances and a strange one. Symphonies 1 & 3 are played by the Vienna Phil. The brass playing is simply superlative. However, the strings are miked a little too closely and the sound is a little strident. The performance of No. 3 is sensational with nice brisk tempi and plenty of drama. As for the youthful first symphony, it sounds like Lenny did not really like this popular score. The interpretation is wayward, almost like the musicians were told to play the score and hope it comes out fine. I have heard at least 10 superior recordings of this work.

No. 2, my favorite Mahler symphony, is just as great as No. 3 but with better sound and more emotion. The finale is incredibly passionate. If this music does not move you, you have no heart. The offstage sounds are simply awe-inspiring. At less than 40 bucks for all three symphonies, you simply cannot beat the price. But if you are only interested in No. 1, look elsewhere.

Mahler - Symphony No. 5 / Claudio Abbado, Lucerne Festival Orchestra

Average customer rating:

Mahler Symphony # 5
Performance really shines in final three movements
Its a joy
An Excellent Centenary Performance of Mahler's Fifth

Mahler - Symphony No. 5 / Claudio Abbado, Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Starring: Claudio Abbado
Manufacturer: Euroarts
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Mahler - Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" / Claudio Abbado, Eteri Gvazava, Anna Larsson, Orfeon Donostiarra, Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Mahler - Symphony No. 9 / Claudio Abbado, Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, Accademia Di Santa Cecilia, Rome
Mahler - Symphony No. 7 / Claudio Abbado, Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Bruckner/Beethoven - Symphony No. 7, Piano Concerto No. 3, Alfred Brendel, Claudio Abbado
Debussy: La Mer/Le Martyre De Saint Sebastien/Lucerne Festival Orchestra/Claudio Abbado

ASIN: B00081TXTA
Release Date: 2005-05-17

Customer Reviews:

Mahler Symphony # 5.......2007-04-05

Outstanding! A MUST for anyone who loves the music of Gustav Mahler.

Performance really shines in final three movements.......2006-07-14

I would love to give this DVD 5 stars but I felt somewhat uncomfortable with the first two movements. So I will say 4 3/4 stars. The first two movements of this symphony are extremely dramatic and passionate. If you play it as written, it has all the drama you would ever need. But many conductors try to add to the drama by messing with the dynamics and phrasing. When Leonard Bernstein recorded this symphony with the Vienna Philharmonic, he really overdid it in my humble opinion. Abbado, on the other hand, is usually quite conservative and plays Mahler straight. However, this is a live performance and the first two movements are just a tad overdone. The last three movements are just magnificent. If you love Mahler, this DVD is a must.

Its a joy.......2005-06-18

This DVD is really a joy for eyes and ears. They play wonderful and you can see them working hard to achieve these result. Many of them put all their bodies into their playing. Some of them, especially the oboist and a woman playing the clarinet make pretty funny faces while playing - yet this is not unusual, but normally you dont see it because in a concert you sit in front of the orchestra too far away to see such details. In this recording they show the soloists or the sections of the orchestra that play the dominant parts from nearby. So the camera too works following the composition, knowing precisely who plays what in a certain moment. When it comes to the solo part of a horn player you can see him play from nearby, when the timpani plays you see the player (mostly in his chair) doing his rolls. And it is the best audio recording of Mahlers 5th I ever heard.

An Excellent Centenary Performance of Mahler's Fifth.......2005-05-17

The première of Mahler's Fifth Symphony took place in Cologne on October 18 1904. This performance at the Lucerne Festival took place almost precisely one hundred years later in August 2004. The music is as fresh as if it had been written yesterday. I had some mixed feelings about Abbado's audio recording of the Fifth with the Berlin Philharmonic (although it gains something in its newish release on SACD) but I have no reservations about this live performance with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra. First, a word about this orchestra. It has some orchestral superstars amongst its participants. Just look at some of the principals: Kolja Blacher, concertmaster; Wolfram Christ, principal viola; Franz Bartolomey and the fabulous Natalia Gutman, cello first desk; Alois Posch, contrabass; the Hagen Quartet in the sections, along with a couple from the Alban Berg Quartet; Jacques Zoon, flute; Albrecht Mayer, oboe; Sabine Meyer, clarinet, along with members of her Wind Ensemble (Bläserensemble); Stefan Schweigert, bassoon; Stefan Dohr, principal horn (he plays stunningly); Reinhold Friedrich, trumpet (he does, too); Mark Templeton, trombone. Wow! What a lineup! If you follow orchestral musicians you know this is very nearly the crème de la crème.

None of that would make a lot of difference if Abbado's direction was not distinguished. But it is. He molds every phrase precisely, clearly has thought and rethought his interpretation of this masterpiece, and he wrings all the drama, pathos, tenderness, heroism etc. from it. Rhythm and line are not sacrificed to overprecise nuance. Warmth and humanity are not diminished by attention to architectural detail. The first three movements have more dramatic edge that Abbado's earlier Berlin recording. The Adagietto is supremely beautiful but it does not dawdle (8:33) and thus become a dirge as is so often the case. It is, after all, a love song. The strings are simply fabulous throughout, with body and sheen aplenty, and plenty of bite in the dramatic and anguished moments.

There are other DVDs of Mahler's Fifth. I've not seen Barenboim's but am very fond of Rattle's with the Berlin. I like that performance but don't like the accompanying piece, Thomas Adès's 'Asyla,' for what that's worth. As far as audio recordings are concerned I'm extremely fond of Tennstedt with the London Philharmonic (only available, I think, these days in a budget twofer with the 'Lied von der Erde' with Agnes Baltsa and Klaus Konig, and not one of my favorites of that work) and of Barbirolli's, a little less so of Karajan's with the BPO. I tell you of my favorites on audio CD so you'll have an idea of what I tend to like. If they match your preferences, then you'll probably like this performance.

There is the usual video, but also a 'conductor's angle' (with the camera trained on Abbado from the orchestra player's perspective) available on this DVD. Sound is PCM Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1, and DTS 5.1. TT=74 minutes no extras except some trailers of other DVDs.

Scott Morrison

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