Cool Gardens or Hot Infernos?

 

The last time I was at Orchestra Hall for a Chicago SO performance, I made sure to spend time in the Georg Solti Garden.


It is across the street from the auditorium, and next to the Chicago Institute of Art. I had spent time in the Art Museum, but it closed, what seemed, early on that day. As an aside, it is a wonderful place to visit if you are in the area.

The sidewalks were filled with scantily dressed concertgoers for a music festival many blocks away.  I say scantily, but my wife swears she saw a young lady with only a painted torso as a top.

The Solti Garden is a small, rectangular  area with the bust of Sir Georg on the north end. At the time of my visit, there weren't too many people there - on the north end, behind the gaze of Solti, a romantic couple, where the lady was many years the young man's senior, an older couple under a blanket not far from my bench, a family with kids running around, a quartet of revelers from the music festival creating a loud, drunken ruckus, and with the largest space on the south end to himself, a man with a shopping cart strolling around. There was another larger group, on the west Michigan Avenue side of the park, which looked to be held in rapt attention to a business professional's proselytizing.

There amidst it was my family and I waiting for the CSO concert. The buildings were blocking the sunset, and it was definitely chilly, even though we were in the early bloom of summer. I am by nature a people watcher, so sitting in a calm area just next to Michigan Avenue is my type of rest, no matter the temperature.

This is the tribute Chicago gave to Georg Solti for his 20-odd years as director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The birds have definetly found Sir Georg's skullcap, and the benches are weather-worn, yet it is a nice area astride the hustle and bustle.

But this sort of calm seems antithetical to Solti's general view of music. This recording of Mahler's Symphony no. 5, a composer with no small love of nature, is scalding hot, terrifying, and intense. Many will abjure to Solti's lack of repose, although really, it is there too, and while the recording is not sonically perfect, including some crushing loud bass drums, it all comes as a piece.

There is a wonderful blog entry from Discophage HERE which sums up its many qualities from a lover of this work and recording. His discussion is more thorough than I will put in these spaces, but we are of a piece in our view of this performance.

So, if you like this type of approach to Mahler, as I do, there is a lot to enjoy. Just make sure you know which Chicago/Solti recording you are getting.

A review from 2024

Sir Georg’s vision of Mahler’s Symphony 5, this one recorded in 1970, is a harrowing, intense, terrifying one. Solti is also rather speedy, but there is a tradition of this approach, most notably Bruno Walter and Erich Leinsdorf, even if Solti is much more intense than either of those conductors.


While I love this recording for those attribute listed above, I will admit its faults. Its sonics are unusual; one where the winds will be hidden behind the strings, they will come out strongly at the next. The harp is a little tubby in the famous Adagietto and the strings perhaps too thickset. The brass are more strident than cohesive, as they would later be, but it is an exciting ride.


Solti’s later recording with the Chicago SO on Decca from the 90s, tames some of these ideas, and many will appreciate it more because of that fact. Yet as an early recording with Chicago and Solti together after coming from London, this 70s one is a prize.

 

 Listen on YouTube

 

Works
Symphony 5

  I. 11.54
 II. 13.49
III. 16.39
IV. 9.51
 V. 13.39

Performers
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Georg Solti, conductor

Label: Decca
Year: 1970 / 1991
Total Timing: 66.08

 

 

 

In my Amazon review, I demote this recording, only because I recognize its imperfections. But that does not mean I don't love this recording.

There are many ways to perform Mahler, and I don't think there is a wrong way; just different ones. Solti, takes an extreme view, one which is violent and graceful in contrast.

If you want a little more humanity, where Solti yields to his earlier intensity, as well as better sonic and orchestral cohesion, go for the 90s recording. Otherwise, this 70s performance is just 'more' in every way.

 

 

 

 Find more Mahler recording HERE!