By nature shy and retiring, Klaus Tennstedt was a reluctant celebrity, and his international career in the last quarter of the twentieth century must have seemed utterly incredible to him. Yet as introverted and introspective as Tennstedt was, it doesn't seem at all obvious in this 1983 concert recording of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 6 in A minor, "Tragic," for this is one of the conductor's most extroverted, aggressive, and potent performances. The symphony itself is an imposing work with tremendous auditory impact and ...
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By nature shy and retiring, Klaus Tennstedt was a reluctant celebrity, and his international career in the last quarter of the twentieth century must have seemed utterly incredible to him. Yet as introverted and introspective as Tennstedt was, it doesn't seem at all obvious in this 1983 concert recording of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 6 in A minor, "Tragic," for this is one of the conductor's most extroverted, aggressive, and potent performances. The symphony itself is an imposing work with tremendous auditory impact and emotional intensity, so it usually leaves a powerful impression, even when the performers are not quite up to the task. However, Tennstedt and the London Philharmonic Orchestra are in the best possible form here, and their vigorous attacks, energetic pacing, volatile dynamics, and explosive climaxes make this performance not merely impressive, but compelling, terrifying, soul-stirring, and ultimately, cathartic. Following the published score, Tennstedt orders the middle movements with...
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