There are two films here. The first, 'Conducting Mahler,' features long segments showing several eminent Mahler conductors -- Claudio Abbado, Riccardo Muti, Riccardo Chailly, Bernard Haitink and Simon Rattle -- rehearsing the likes of the Royal Concertgebouw, the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonics, in long, lovely passages from all the Mahler symphonies (plus some of 'Das Lied von der Erde') interspersed with interviews (with the noted music writer, Donald Mitchell) with all five of the conductors. Not only is the music-making first class, but the insights that the conductors bring to the process, both in their conducting and in their thoughts about Mahler and his music, are exceedingly stimulating. (It should be noted, by the way, that the interviews are conducted in English and each of the conductors is enormously articulate.) The DVD is divided into a number of 'chapters' (although the documentary plays without pause) such as 'Mahler and the Concertgebouw' (the film was made mostly at the 1995 Mahler Festival held by the Concertgebouw which was, of course, the first orchestra outside Vienna to program Mahler's music with any regularity owing to the enthusiasm of Willem Mengelberg), 'The Interpretation of the Conductors,' 'The Modernity of Mahler,' 'The Ideas Behind the Notes,' 'The Sound of an Empire at the End,' 'Vienna at the Turn of the Century' and so on.

The second film, entitled 'I Have Lost Touch With the World' (the Englished title of Mahler's heart-wrenching song 'Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen' from the 'Rückert Lieder') is about Mahler's Ninth Symphony, his last completed symphony. It features Riccardo Chailly rehearsing the Concertgebouw. There is almost constant music -- sometimes showing the orchestra playing or, more often, Chailly conducting and commenting to the players, and sometimes with voice-over while the music continues underneath. There are extensive and extremely insightful commentaries concerning all four movements from Henry-Louis de la Grange, Mahler's definitive biographer, a man who probably knows more about the composer than anyone, and from Chailly. There are snippets from other works, including a large part of a performance, unusually with a baritone (Thomas Hampson), of the 'Abschied' from 'Das Lied von der Erde.' (For me, at the end of that performance the earth stood still.) Fully ten minutes of the fourth movement is played without interruption (in a dress rehearsal with audience) and I found myself in tears at its conclusion. There is a reference after that to the impending departure of Chailly from the musical directorship of the orchestra after sixteen years; the film was made in 2004 and he has since been succeeded by Mariss Jansons.

Scheffer is a marvelous documentarian. Although the camerawork is fairly active, the focus is primarily, in both films, on the conductors and the music. Sound is magnificent, particularly in the more recent film. It is in Dolby Digital 2.0. Subtitles in English, German, French, Dutch and Spanish are provided. Total time for both films is 132 minutes.

I heartily recommend this DVD to anyone with even a smidgen of interest in Mahler or in rehearsal technique in general. These are superior films.

Scott Morrison

Informative films on interpreting Mahler.
Review date: 2005-10-27 Rating: 10 out of 10

This DVD comprises two films directed by Frank Scheffer: 'Conducting Mahler' and 'I Have Lost Touch With The World'. The first film, about 80 minutes long, was made at the 1995 Mahler Festival at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. Four great Mahler conductors, Claudio Abbado, Riccardo Chailly, Bernard Haitink and Simon Rattle talk about, and are shown conducting, symphonies of Mahler, each conductor generally concerned with one, maybe two, symphonies. It has to be said straight away that a great deal of time is spent showing each conductor's face in close up. Only rarely in this film are the actual players seen. And the cameras, presumably by necessity, are placed some distance away, and so other things such as violinists, violins, and other instruments frequently partially obscure the view of the conductor. This came as quite a shock to me after seeing 'conventional' TV coverage of concerts where the director switches between conductor, orchestra players, audience and hall. But these are rehearsals, not concerts, and gradually Scheffer's approach is seen to pay off as we see each conductor's style, and varying facial expressions. Frankly this could be disastrous if it weren't for the fact that all four conductors are clearly in love with Mahler's music and in their own ways communicate this to their orchestras. Riccardo Chailly seems to get the most coverage, and his good-natured rapport with the orchestra is evident; indeed all the conductors are seen to be the antithesis of the old 'tyrannical' Toscanini/Reiner/Mravinsky school. And the very end of this film is quite touching.

The second film 'I Have Lost Touch With The World' is a 50 minute long exploration of the conducting of Mahler's 9th. Symphony. This is largely shown with Chailly again, but Bernard Haitink also gets a fair chunk. Possibly most informative of all are the contributions of the great Mahler scholar Henri Louis de la Grange, who makes often telling observations about Mahler's life and music throughout the film. One observation he makes is how nonsensical some writer's descriptions of Mahler as 'neurotic' are; Mahler, amongst other things, survived ten years at the helm of the Vienna State Opera and only someone tough could possibly manage that! There are also excerpts from related pieces-'Das Lied von der Erde' and the tenth symphony (and that incredible dissonant chord!). I learnt a lot from this film in particular, and will soon be watching it again.

The picture quality is fine, and the sound (stereo 2.0, not surround) is excellent. A fine booklet is also included making this really an essential purchase for all Mahler fans. Highly recommended.

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