Gidon Kremer and his chamber orchestra-sized Kremerata Baltica combine two symphonies on the subject of death by the two most morbid composers of the twentieth century: Gustav Mahler and Dmitry Shostakovich. As they always do, Kremer and the Kremerata Baltica give everything they have: from hushed pianissimos to screaming tuttis, the intensity of tone and the urgency of expression is unrelenting. Given the subject matter, the extreme approach is appropriate for both works. But some listeners who enjoy Mahler's Tenth in the ...
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Gidon Kremer and his chamber orchestra-sized Kremerata Baltica combine two symphonies on the subject of death by the two most morbid composers of the twentieth century: Gustav Mahler and Dmitry Shostakovich. As they always do, Kremer and the Kremerata Baltica give everything they have: from hushed pianissimos to screaming tuttis, the intensity of tone and the urgency of expression is unrelenting. Given the subject matter, the extreme approach is appropriate for both works. But some listeners who enjoy Mahler's Tenth in the composer's original massively scored version may or may not be able to enjoy this strings-only version by Hans Stadlmair adapted by the Kremerata Baltica. Because while there is much to be said for the infernal agony of the central climax and the ethereal quality of the final pages when played by only 20 strings, the weighty textures, vivid colors, and gravitas associated with Mahler's music are nowhere to be found. ECM's digital sound is wonderfully clear and present -- though one...
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