Philharmonia Orchestra, Santtu-Matias Rouvali – Santtu Conducts Mahler (2023) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Philharmonia Orchestra, Santtu-Matias Rouvali – Santtu Conducts Mahler (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:21:17 minutes | 1,27 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Signum Records

Mahler 2 is the second album from Philharmonia Records, following their first album – Santtu conducts Strauss.

“[Also sprach Zarathustra] Rouvali’s conducting of both is certainly interesting and person- al… impressive, an expansive reading that sees the work whole…[An Alpine Symphony] undeniably picturesque, vivid and dramatically projected…top-notch playing, and this ex- travagant score also enjoys notable recorded sound… lingering lyricism, invariably heartfelt and, in conclusion, cathartic” – Colin’s Column

Founded in 1945, The Philharmonia Orchestra creates thrilling performances for a global audi- ence and has premiered works by Richard Strauss, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Errollyn Wallen, Kaija Saariaho and many others.

The Philharmonia has an extraordinary 77-year recording legacy, and has recorded around 150 soundtracks, with film credits stretching back to 1947. In the 2021/22 season the Orchestra performs in Romania, Spain, Finland, Greece and Germany. Santtu-Matias Rouvali is a Finnish conductor and percussionist, and is currently principal conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra.

Rouvali continues his relationships with orchestras across Europe, including with the Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Munich Phillharmonic and the the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.

The Philharmonia Orchestra, or its label home at Signum Classics, seems to be trying to promote the idea of conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali as the next big star with its Santtu conducts Mahler packaging, following on a similar Santtu conducts Strauss release. Both were taken from live performances by the Philharmonia. Does it work? Maybe. He is certainly an original. Reviews were all over the map for this performance when it was given at Southbank Centre — and really nicely recorded by Signum — in June of 2022. There are all kinds of rather fussy, unexpected details in the performance, some of it generated by Rouvali’s unorthodox seating arrangements. The third movement, marked “In ruhig fließender Bewegung” (“In calmly flowing motion”), is simply beyond the Overton window for the work, with a fast, nervous approach, not calm at all, coming in almost two full minutes shorter than the recent and more conventional reading by Mariss Jansons and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks. Yet, as the work develops, Rouvali’s interpretation comes together. The “Urlicht,” with a sterling outing by mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston, is luminous, and in the epic chorale finale, the conductor and performers are firing on all cylinders. Sample the Langsam misterioso middle section (the finale is divided into three parts here), where the Philharmonia Choir and soprano Mari Eriksmoen really up to the movement’s designation. Listeners are going to differ about this distinctive reading, but at no point does it do anything other than confirm Rouvali as an exciting rising talent. – James Manheim

Tracklist:
1-01. Philharmonia Orchestra – Symphony No. 2: I. Allegro maestoso (21:55)
1-02. Philharmonia Orchestra – Symphony No. 2: II. Andante moderato (09:46)
1-03. Philharmonia Orchestra – Symphony No. 2: III. In ruhig fliessender Bewergung (09:19)
1-04. Philharmonia Orchestra – Symphony No. 2: IV. ‘Urlicht’ – Sehr feierlich,aber schlicht (04:57)
1-05. Philharmonia Orchestra – Symphony No. 2: Va. Im Tempo des Scherzo (19:48)
1-06. Philharmonia Orchestra – Symphony No. 2: Vb. Langsam Misterioso ‘Aufersteh’ (06:04)
1-07. Philharmonia Orchestra – Symphony No. 2: Vc. Etwas bewegter ‘O glaube, Mein Herz’ (09:25)

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