John Barbirolli’s live 1966 Berlin Philharmonic Mahler Sixth lends new meaning to the work’s “Tragic” subtitle. Here, the legend–the conductor’s reputation as an exceptional Mahler conductor–dies a cruel death in the face of the reality we hear in this performance. However inspired Barbirolli’s interpretation–and there are some compelling moments here and there, especially in the finale–the execution is dismal.
You know you’re in for a rough go when the snare drum is out of sync in the opening measures. When the full orchestra enters you get the impression that tuning is an alien concept for the BPO. Woodwind tone is squally and sour, while brass chords often sound warped. Indeed, the trumpets were having an especially off night, with disastrous flubs in many important passages, such as the dramatic start of the first movement recapitulation, while the finale is a comedy of cracked notes. Even worse is the much-vaunted string section, which inexplicably fails to play together for much of the performance. Listen to how they de-congeal in their descending unison passage just before the first-movement recapitulation of the “Alma” theme (and that’s slow music!).
Barbirolli’s chosen edition places the Andante movement second, meaning that right after the first movement’s euphonious close, we get to hear how the strings can’t even play the first two notes in unison. (I’ve heard community orchestras do better than this!) The surprisingly scrawny strings undercut the music’s impact: try the Finale’s opening measures–you’d never believe that this is the same group that produced such a sweeping and voluminous timbre for Karajan. Afterward the tuba’s flubbed solo adds insult to injury, and let’s not even talk about those uncoordinated hammer blows.
For his part Barbirolli maintains refreshingly straightforward pacing during the first-movement exposition and employs some unusually extreme tempos in the Andante while indulging in some genuinely expressive rubato in the finale. In fact, the recapitulation is quite exciting, its biting brass and swirling strings suggesting that the orchestra finally has gotten its act together. But it’s too late! Had you been in the concert hall, you’d have left before this point.
The fairly decent mono sound notwithstanding, if you really want Barbirolli in this music, go for his EMI Philharmonia stereo studio recording. Besides having better sound, the reading is darker and grimmer (though certainly less free tempo-wise), and the playing is infinitely superior. Otherwise, Mahlerians should pursue the listed alternatives.
