Mahler: Symphony No.2 / Abbado, Lucerne

The story thus far: I reviewed the DVD of this performance in Fanfare 29:3 (after reviewing the original CD), and Andrew Quint reviewed the Blu-ray in 34:4. Just why the Blu-ray is once again available for review is unclear, but I welcome the opportunity to see and hear this concert in the newer format, particularly because I didn’t have surround-sound capability the first time around. Andrew Quint wasn’t too happy with the Blu-ray, since his copy had playback issues; I don’t know if any technical jiggering was done, but mine plays perfectly. The more important issue that he addressed is whether any improvements over the DVD warrant a reinvestment. I agree with Quint’s assessment that whatever audio gains there are appear to be minor, though I hear marginally better instrumental definition and better bass reproduction than on the DVD. The video image, however, is a different story: The image on the DVD is somewhat grainy and dark, and the skin tones are on the dark side, too; on the Blu-ray, the image is sharper and skin tones are truer, and there is a better depth of field to the shots that show Abbado with the audience in the background. If you haven’t yet invested in this concert video (and, by the way, what are you waiting for?), buy the Blu-ray. If you already possess the DVD, you’ll need to decide whether the few improvements merit the monetary (re)investment.

Price: $52.98