Gustav Mahler - Titan. Symphonic Tone Poem (Symphony No.1 in D, 1893 Hamburg and/or 1894 Weimar versions): Six Recordings

This post is a follow-up to my previous post in April 2017 where the three downloads are no longer active.

Although there are, of course, hundreds of recordings of Mahler's First Symphony available in its final published edition (1906), there are very few of the revised 'Hamburg' (1893) or 'Weimar' (1894) versions - also known as Titan. In fact, I only know of eight - the Wyn Morris (1970), Ole Kristian Ruud (1997), Zsolt Hamar (2005), Jan Willem de Vriend (2009), Thomas Hengelbrock (2013-14) and François-Xavier Roth (2018) included here and also a recording on CD by Antony Hermus (2005) with the Hagen Philharmonic on Acousence. A 192kbps mp3 torrent of that recording can be found on the internet. There is also a recording by Hiroshi Wakasugi (1989) with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony on Fontec but I have never seen that. As far as I know the premiere version 'Budapest' (1889), which also excluded Blumine, has never been recorded.

There are only relatively small differences between the 1893 and 1894 versions.The major difference with the final published edition is that the Blumine second movement was discarded and the orchestration expanded and improved in the remaining four movements (particularly in the opening fanfares). The Hamburg version also has cello doubling the double-bass at the opening of the Funeral March. The subtitle was also discarded so the published version should never be referred to as 'Titan'. In my opinion, if Blumine is to be included, it should always be as part of the 1983 version or as a completely separate stand-alone makeweight. For more information about the various versions, I have included Lee Denham's 2020/22 survey for MusicWeb International and the Symphony No.1 section at gustavmahler.com.

Many conductor's appear to select freely between the 1893 and 1894 versions of Titan.

01 - 05 Gustav Mahler: Titan. Symphonic Tone Poem (Symphony No.1 in D - 1893 version)  [59'15]

New Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Wyn Morris

EMI Phoenixa  CDM 764137-2   [recorded in September 1970; first issued on Pye Records LP in 1970, this CD issued in 1991]

(CD-rip, flacs, cover, inlay and booklet scans)
Recording venue: Watford Town Hall, London
Recording engineer:  Ray Prickett; Producer:  Isabella Wallich

This hard to find performance, originally issued on LP in 1970 was subsequently remastered for CD and issued on EMI's short-lived and punning Phoenixa label (after they acquired Pye Nixa's catalogue) and also on HMV Store's in-house label. This rip is from the EMI release, kindly provided by friend Deryk. Although the cover indicates that this is the 1893 version; Hamburg isn't mentioned. 

I actually quite like Morris' sensitive and powerful performance and find the recorded sound much more dynamic than de Vriend's even if it is naturally less refined.

01. - 05. Gustav Mahler: Titan. Symphonic Tone Poem (Symphony No.1 in D - 1893 Hamburg version) [62'25]
06 Gustav Mahler: Piano Quartet in A minor (1876) * [11'29]

Norrköping Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ole Kristian Ruud; Mats Jansson- piano with members of Holmen Quartet (Henrick Petersen- violin, Lennart Falkebring- viola, Niklass Veltman- cello)*

Simax PSC1150   [recorded November 1997 & February 1998*; issued 1999]

(Digital download, flacs, cover, inlay and booklet scans)
Recording venue: De Geer Concert Hall, Norrköping, Norway
Recording engineers: Arne Akselberg & Jens Braun*; Producer: Robert Suff

01 - 05 Gustav Mahler: Titan. Symphonic Tone Poem (Symphony No.1 in D - 1893 version)  [58'27]

Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra, Pécs conducted by Zsolt Hamar

Hungaroton HCD 32338   [recorded September 2004; issued 2005]

(Digital download, flacs, cover and inlay scans - no booklet)
Recording venue: somewhere in Pécs, Hungary
Recording engineer and Producer: Laszlo Dobos

Hungaroton name this "Weimar, 1893 version" so something had to give. This is basically the usual Hamburg 1983 version.

01. - 05. Gustav Mahler: Titan. Symphonic Tone Poem (Symphony No.1 in D - 1893 Hamburg version) [56'26]

Netherlands Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jan Willem de Vriend.

Challenge Classics CC72355   [recorded May 2009; first issued 2009]

(Digital download, flacs, cover, inlay and booklet scans)
Recording venue: Muziekcentrum Enschede, Netherlands
Recording engineer and Producer: Bert van der Wolf

For me, this recording by Challenge Classics is not up to their usual standard even when heard in high-resolution download. It all feels a bit gray with inner-voices smudged, not helped by the very low transfer level.

01. - 05. Gustav Mahler: Titan. Symphonic Tone Poem (Symphony No.1 in D - 1893 Hamburg version) [54'00]

NDR Symphony Orchestra conducted by Thomas Hengelbrock

Sony G010003119344R   [recorded May 2013 and January 2014; issued 2014]

(Digital download, flacs, cover, inlay and booklet scans)
Recording venue: Musik- und Kongresshalle, Lübeck, Germany
Recording engineer: Katja Zeidler; Producer: Dirk Lüdemann

01. - 05. Gustav Mahler: Titan. Symphonic Tone Poem (Symphony No.1 in D -  1893-94 Hamburg / Weimar version) [57'02]

Les Siècles conducted by François-Xavier Roth

Harmonia Mundi HMM905299   [recorded March and October 2018; issued 2019]

(Digital download, flacs, cover, inlay and booklet scans)
Recording venues: Philharmonie de Paris, Théâtre de Nîmes & Cité de la Musique et de la Danse de Soissons, France
Recording engineer: Jiři Heger & Alix Ewald; Producer: Jiři Heger

Yes even the first HIP recording appears to be mixing up two versions. And yet this seems to be possibly the most satisfactory recording overall.

Appendix:

01. - 04. Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.1 in D major  [46'06]
London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Adrian Boult.

Everest SDB3005   [recorded August 1958; first issued on LP in 1958; this download issued 2017]

(Digital download; flacs, cover and booklet scans)
Recorded venue: Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London
Recording engineer: Aaron Nathanson; Producer: Bert Whyte

On a personal note, I still prefer the First Symphony performed in its published version and my favourite recording remains Adrian Boult's with the London Philharmonic for Everest. Countdown Media's remastering for CD and download appears to be as good as any of the many that have been issued on CD or as digital downloads.

I find this performance to be a breath of fresh air when so many other recordings offer an all very similar romantic approach. It's not only swift and exciting but also genial and exuberant. It's a great shame that Boult wasn't allowed to record more Mahler. The London Philharmonic play spectacularly well for Sir Adrian and it is difficult to believe that the splendid Everest recording is nearly 70 years old.

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