What a brilliant coupling: Strauss' magnificently optimistic Ein Heldenleben, his musical-autobiographical reincarnation of himself and his wife as Siegfried and Brünnhilde, followed by Mahler's monumentally pessimistic "Tragic" Symphony, his musical-autobiographical reincarnation of himself and his wife as Othello and Desdemona. In these two recordings, John Barbirolli plays both works for maximum emotional impact and dramatic effect -- and the results are devastating. With the suave and sophisticated London Symphony Orchestra in the 1969 Heldenleben, Barbirolli leads a performance of lofty aspirations, immense power, and complete commitment that grants Strauss' music a depth and a dignity missing in so many other performances. Barbirolli's glorious interpretation grabs the listener from the grand Hero Theme that opens the work and its grip never loosens until the radiant colors of the closing Renunciation music fade into the distance. With the bolder and more brutal New Philharmonia in the 1967 "Tragic," Barbirolli leads a performance of equally lofty aspirations, even greater power, and unwavering dedication that grants Mahler's music a concentrated intensity and an emotional intimacy lacking is so many other performances. Barbirolli's glowering interpretation starts with the inevitable tread of fate and grinds on remorselessly to the final hammer blow of destiny that bludgeons the music into the grave. Both performances are absolutely compelling and deserve to be ranked among the great interpretations of the works.
However, it must be noted that this reissue reverses the order of the inner movements of Mahler's Sixth. In the original LP release, the inner movements were in the then nearly universally accepted Scherzo-Andante order. Here the inner movements are in the now nearly universally accepted Andante-Scherzo order. While convincing evidence has been found demonstrating that Mahler, who changed his mind several times on the matter, intended Andante-Scherzo to be the final order, Barbirolli interpreted this particular performance of the Sixth in the Scherzo-Andante order. This may not make a difference in the work's final outcome -- everybody still dies -- but how the work gets to the end has been altered without the knowledge or consent of the conductor. While the notes mention that "it was Barbirolli's custom to perform the Andante before the Scherzo" and while pirated recordings of contemporary live performances with Barbirolli leading both the New Philharmonia and the Berlin Philharmonic show that this was indeed his custom, this particular performance was in Scherzo-Andante order and changing that order does subtly but distinctly change the course of Barbirolli's interpretation. EMI's stereo sound is big, wide, and deep.
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