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| Pierre Boulez conducts the Berlin Staatskapelle, the Aurelius Boys’ Choir, the Berlin Radio Choir and a vocal ensemble that includes Johan Botha and Twyla Robinson. |
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| 1 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 1. Hymnus 'Veni, Creator spiritus'. Veni, creator spiritus |
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| 2 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 1. Hymnus 'Veni, Creator spiritus'. Imple superna gratia |
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| 3 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 1. Hymnus 'Veni, Creator spiritus'. Infirma nostri corporis |
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| 4 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 1. Hymnus 'Veni, Creator spiritus'. Tempo 1. Allegro, etwas hastig |
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| 5 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 1. Hymnus 'Veni, Creator spiritus'. Infirma nostri corporis |
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| 6 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 1. Hymnus 'Veni, Creator spiritus'. Accende lumen sensibus |
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| 7 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 1. Hymnus 'Veni, Creator spiritus'. Veni, creator spiritus |
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| 8 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 1. Hymnus 'Veni, Creator spiritus'. Gloria sit Patri Domino |
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| 9 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 2. Final Scene from Goethe's 'Faust', Part 2. Poco adagio |
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| 10 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 2. Final Scene from Goethe's 'Faust', Part 2. Più mosso |
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| 11 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 2. Final Scene from Goethe's 'Faust', Part 2. Waldung, sie schwankt h |
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| 12 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 2. Final Scene from Goethe's 'Faust', Part 2. Ewiger Wonnebrand |
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| 13 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 2. Final Scene from Goethe's 'Faust', Part 2. Wie Felsenabgrund mir z |
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| 14 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 2. Final Scene from Goethe's 'Faust', Part 2. Gerettet ist das edle G |
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| 15 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 2. Final Scene from Goethe's 'Faust', Part 2. Jene Rosen aus den Händ |
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| 16 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 2. Final Scene from Goethe's 'Faust', Part 2. Uns bleibt ein Erdenres |
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| 17 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 2. Final Scene from Goethe's 'Faust', Part 2. Ich spür' soeben nebeln |
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| 18 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 2. Final Scene from Goethe's 'Faust', Part 2. Höchste Herrscherin der |
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| 19 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 2. Final Scene from Goethe's 'Faust', Part 2. Dir, der Unberührbaren |
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| 20 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 2. Final Scene from Goethe's 'Faust', Part 2. Bei der Liebe, die den |
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| 21 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 2. Final Scene from Goethe's 'Faust', Part 2. Neige, neige, du Ohnegl |
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| 22 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 2. Final Scene from Goethe's 'Faust', Part 2. Er überwächst uns schon |
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| 23 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 2. Final Scene from Goethe's 'Faust', Part 2. Komm! hebe dich zu höhe |
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| 24 Symphony No. 8 in E flat major ('Symphony of a Thousand'): Part 2. Final Scene from Goethe's 'Faust', Part 2. Alles Vergängliche ist |
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Album Review
On this 2007 double disc, which completes his series of recordings of Gustav Mahler's symphonies for Deutsche Grammophon, Pierre Boulez leads the Staatskapelle Berlin, the Berlin State Opera Chorus, the Berlin Radio Symphony Chorus, the Aurelius Boys Choir of Calw, and eight vocal soloists in an earnest but unconvincing reading of the Symphony No. 8 In E Flat Major, "Symphony Of A Thousand." The performance is full of finely wrought details and wonderful highlights of the rich orchestration; but much like his other Mahler recordings, Boulez is inordinately focused on the minutiae of the score, so he misses the overall trajectory of the work and deprives it of steady propulsion and a feeling of urgency. This enormous symphony becomes almost misshapen due to slack tempos, and it sags the most during the long, rhapsodic vocal interludes, where the singers seem to have been given too much liberty to determine the pace; the music only picks up steam in the fast choral episodes, where Mahler's counterpoint creates its own momentum and pushes the music forward. Still, it's hard to completely dismiss this recording, since Boulez does get many parts right and creates a beautiful, otherworldly atmosphere that reflects the spirituality of the texts, the "Veni Creator Spiritus" and the last act of Goethe's Faust. Some listeners may wonder if this recording is the equal of Boulez' acclaimed 2006 recording of the Symphony No. 2 In C Minor, "Resurrection," but it is much less compelling intellectually, less satisfying emotionally, and far from being a definitive recording of the work. For a superior version of the Symphony No. 8, try Georg Solti's legendary 1971 performance on Decca, which has yet to be matched for technical brilliance, expressive depth, formal coherence, and sonic clarity. Here, DG's sound is clear and clean, though the choirs seem a bit recessed and lacking in presence in Berlin's resonant Jesus-Christus-Kirche. ~ Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide
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• Biography
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Other albums by: Pierre Boulez |
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