Pro-Ject Audio Systems & The Vienna Philharmonic presents Gustav Mahler – Symphony N°2 conducted by Zubin Mehta on the Limited edition double album vinyl.
Pro-Ject Audio Systems is very proud to celebrate Zubin Mehta’s 80th birthday. Together with Universal Music (Decca) Pro-Ject Audio Systems proudly presents iconic Zubin Mehta albums in cooperation with The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Pro-Ject Audio Systems.
This record is a must-have for music fans of the analogue era back on heavy-weight double vinyl. Presented with original artwork, this recording has been carefully mastered from the original Decca analogue tapes at Abbey Road Studios. It is available with original gatefold cover as strictly limited edition exclusively for Pro-Ject Audio Systems (only 2000 copies worldwide).
This recording from 1975 has everything you could possibly ask for. Mehta’s perfect tempi, great signing by Contru- bas, Ludwig and the Vienna Staatsopernchor. The Vienna Philharmonic, particularly the brass, play just like the vir- tuosic ensemble that they are. Go and get it ASAP.
This is probably Mehta’s finest Mahler album ever. The first movement is very dramatic. Mehta opens with a very tense, brisk tempo. Mehta never rushes, but never drags. The timpani is very well-defined, however not overpower- ing, throughout the movement, as well as throughout the entire disc.
The Andante is played very well. The phrasing is wonderful. The Scherzo starts out the best I have ever heard. Two crisp, crystal clear Timpani strikes. The next 2 strikes are softer, then the next 2 are even softer, which gives it an amazing affect.
Then to the Urlicht. Mehta’s slower tempo just adds to the heartbreaking beauty. Add to that the gorgeous singing of Ileana Contrubas and you have got a winning combination. To the massive finale where Mehta really triumphs. The tempi are perfect. Mehta builds the climaxes perfectly, never dragging. The brass play superbly! I heard some of the lower brass instruments in this movement that I didn’t even hear before in my other recordings. Very impressive.
When the chorus enters, just listen to the bass singers! Spectacular. The entire chorus sounds heaven-sent. Con- trubas and Ludwig sing crystal clear and beautifully. The organ is heard very clearly.
The combination of perfect tempi, magnificent signing and ultra-virtuosic playing make the finale one of the most moving pieces of music you will ever hear.
Zubin Mehta was born into a Parsi family in Bombay (now Mumbai), India on 29 April 1936, the son of Mehli and Tehmina Mehta . His father was a violinist and founding conductor of the Bombay Symphony Orchestra, and also conducted the American Youth Symphony upon moving to Los Angeles, CA. Mehta is an alumnus of St. Mary’s School, Mumbai, and St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. While in school, Mehta was taught to play the piano by Joseph de Lima, who was his first piano teacher. Mehta initially intended to study medicine, but eventually became a music student in Vienna at the age of 18, under Hans Swarowsky. Also at the same academy along with Mehta were conductor Claudio Abbado and conductor–pianist Daniel Barenboim.
Mehta’s first marriage was to Canadian soprano Carmen Lasky in 1958. They have a son, Mervon, and a daughter, Zarina. In 1964, they divorced. Two years after the divorce, Carmen married Mehta’s brother, Zarin Mehta, formerly the Executive Director of the New York Philharmonic. In July 1969, Mehta married Nancy Kovack, an American for- mer film and television actress. Mehta, a permanent resident of the United States, retains his Indian citizenship.
In 1958, Mehta made his conducting debut in Vienna. From this time on he performed and recorded with The Vien- na Philharmonic and created magic moments of musical mastership. In 1975, he recorded for Decca Mahlers recorded symphony „The Resurrection“.
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He won the International Conducting Competition in Liverpool and was appointed assistant conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. Mehta soon rose to the rank of chief conductor when he was made Music Director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra in 1960, a post he held until 1967. In 1961, he was named assistant conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic; however, the orchestra’s music director designate, Georg Solti, was not consulted on the appointment, and subsequently resigned in protest; soon after, Mehta himself was named Music Director of the or- chestra, and held the post from 1962 to 1978.
Zubin Mehta continues to support the discovery and furtherance of musical talents all over the world. Together with his brother Zarin he is a co-chairman of the Mehli Mehta Music Foundation in Bombay where more than 200 children are educated in Western Classical Music. The Buchmann-Mehta School of Music in Tel Aviv develops young talent in Israel and is closely related to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, as is a new project of teaching young Arab Israelis in the cities of Shwaram and Nazareth with local teachers and members of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. www.zubinmehta.net