If you are referring to this one, Jeffrey, then not only would I hope that you will find it far from poor but as I remark in my review of it, Tony Duggan considered it to be a "benchmark recording"! (- and now you can have it in improved sound from HDTT)
https://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2022/Sep/Mahler-wunderhorn-4482.htm
No, John, I didn't know that. It was the first recording I had of Mahler 8 and have acquired several versions since that time which are certainly better recorded. Although I've ditched many of my "First acquaintance" recordings (Scherchen 2, Kubelik 1 Adler 3, Rosbaud 7 come to mind ) I've kept the Flipse. Philips Classical Favourites Lps have a special nostalgia for me; they were well-produced, the covers were sturdy and they were usually adorned with very attractive colour photographs. A lot of them formed the basis of my collection. Lord knows how many were issued but I'm continually coming across new(to me) ones in charity/ 2nd-hand vinyl shops. Another Mahler issue on the label (apart from the well-known Walter 4 ) was of Des Knaben Wunderhorn; the conductor I think was Prohaska but the singers I seem to remember were quite poor. I still have it but it has been banished to a corner of my loft where it has languished, unplayed , for years.
Jeffrey, I don't know if you're aware that the Flipse Mahler 8 was issued on CD back in 2011. The recording was issued by the Rotterdam Philharmonic themselves. I'm not sure if it's still available but it would be worth checking out on the orchestra's website. I reviewed the recording here https://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/Feb11/mahler68_rotterdam.htm
"it is surprising just how many of those pioneering recordings stand up today; I guess they were often real "events" and meticulously rehearsed under the best conductors."
Those who possess the Philips Classical Favourites LPs of Mahler 8 (a live recording under Eduard Flipse) will be familiar with the lengths the conductor took to obtain a recording that is free of extraneous noises including having traffic re-routed away from the concert hall and employing a team of men to chase pigeons off the roof of the building - a good job it was a day free of thunderstorms.
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