Mahler in Context – Early Recordings, 1903–1939

The chronological table below gives basic information about the recordings of Mahler’s music made in the period 1903–1939. In the absence of any other information the release dates of commercial recordings were probably within months of the recording date. Some non-commercial recordings that have since been published are also included: those that are known to have been associated with radio broadcasts are identified with *.

The acoustic recordings made in 1903–1925 were rendered technically obsolete after the introduction of electric recordings c. 1926, but may have continued to be available for a few years thereafter. However, Lula Mysz-Gmeiner’s 1928 re-recording  of ‘Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht?’ was probably undertaken as a replacement of her earlier acoustic version.

Further information, including matrix and catalogue numbers and details of transfers, can be found in Peter Fülöp, Mahler Discography (Toronto: Mikrokosmos Comp. Ltd., 2010). According to Fülöp the recording by Grete Stückgold of ‘Ich ging mit Lust durch einen grünen Wald’ (Lieder und Gesänge, vol. 2, no. 2) made sometime between 1919 and 1921, used an orchestration by Lothar Windsperger, presumably the version published in score and parts, by Schott in 1918 (plate number 31860). The arrangements for salon orchestra of Rheinlegendchen and Von der Jugend used by Dol Dauber for his exquisite 1928 recordings were presumably those by Franz Eber, published by Universal-Edition in 1926 as part of their Vindobona-Collection.

Recorded		Release	Title	Performers	Label	Fülöp No.
1903			Weber/Mahler: Die drei Pintos, Act III/16, “Ein Mädchen verloren“	Leopold Demuth Unidentified pianist	G&T	A.8310
[1919–1921] Recorded in Munich			Lieder und Gesänge No. 7, 'Ich ging mit Lust‘	Grete Stückgold Unidentified orchestra and conductor	Gramophone/Polydor	J.2110
[1919–1921] Recorded in Munich			Lieder aus „Des Knaben Wunderhorn“ – No. 4. ‚Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht?‘	Grete Stückgold Unidentified orchestra and conductor	Gramophone/Polydor	W.0005
1924		1925	Symphony No. 2	Gertrude Bindernagel Emmi Leisner Berlin Cathedral Choir Berlin State Opera Orchestra Oskar Fried	Gramophon	2.0010
1925			Lieder aus „Des Knaben Wunderhorn“ – No. 4. ‚Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht?‘	Lula Mysz-Gmeiner {Unidentified pianist]	Polydor	W.1010
v.1926			Symphony No. 5 – Adagietto	Concertgebouw Orchestra Willem Mengelberg	English Columbia	5.6010
1928			Lieder aus „Des Knaben Wunderhorn“ – No. 4. ‚Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht?‘	Lula Mysz-Gmeiner Julius Dahlke, piano	Polydor	W.1020
1928			Kindertotenlieder	Heinrich Rehkemper Berlin State Opera Orchestra Jascha Horenstein	Gramophon	K.0010
1928 Recorded at Central Hall, Westminster (London)			Um Mitternacht	Aaltje Noordewier-Reddingius Anthon van der Horst, organ	Columbia	R.8110
28.ix.1928			Rheinlegendchen (arr. F. Eber)	Dol Dauber Salon Orchestra	Austrian Electrola	W.5010
28.ix.1928			Das Lied von der Erde No. 3 ‚Von der Jugend‘ (arr. F. Eber)	Dol Dauber Salon Orchestra	Austrian Electrola	L.5310
16.i.1929			Bach: Air from “Suite for Orchestra”, arr. Mahler	New York Philharmonic Orchestra Willem Mengelberg	Victor	A.0010
18.02.1930			Lieder aus „Des Knaben Wunderhorn“ – No. 4. ‚Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht?‘	Elisabeth Schumann George Reeves, piano	HMV	W.1030
28/29.v.1930			Symphony No. 4	Eiko Kitazawa Tokyo New Symphony Orchestra Hidemaro Konoye	Japan Parlophone	4.0010
1.x.1930			Urlicht	Mme Sara Charles-Cahier Berlin State Opera Orchestra Selmar Meyrowitz	Ultraphon	2.6010
1.x.1930			„Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen“	Mme Sara Charles-Cahier Berlin State Opera Orchestra Selmar Meyrowitz	Ultraphon	R.0010
1931			Rheinlegendchen Der Tamboursg'sell	Heinrich Schlusnus Berlin State Opera Orchestra Hermann Weigert	Polydor	W.0010
8.iv.1934* Recorded in New York City during a live NBC broadcast.		2016	Symphony No. 2, second movement	Cadillac Symphony Orchestra Arnold Schoenberg	Pristine Audio	Not in Fülöp
7.xi.1934* Recorded live at a concert in the Konzerthus, Stockholm		June 1989	Das Lied von der Erde, fragments of movements 2 and 4	Kirsten Thorborg Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra Václav Talich (The tenor was Einar Beyron)	BIS	L.2010
1/2.i.1935 Recorded live on 1 January at the Cyrus Northrup Auditorium, Minneapolis. Sides 1 and 16 were remade the following day.			Symphony No. 2	Corinne Frank Bowen Ann O'Malley Gallogly Twin City Chorus Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra Eugene Ormandy	Victor	2.0020
24.v.1936 Recorded at a concert in the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, Vienna		June 1937	Das Lied von der Erde	Kerstin Thorborg Charles Kullman Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Bruno Walter	Columbia	L.0010
24.v.1936 Recorded at a concert in the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, Vienna		June 1937	„Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen“	Kerstin Thorborg Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Bruno Walter	Columbia	R.0020
21.12.1937			Bach: Air from “Suite for Orchestra”, arr. Mahler	Concertgebouw Orkest Willem Mengelberg	Telefunken	A.0015
15.i.1938 Recorded at a rehearsal in the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, Vienna			Symphony No. 5 – Adagietto	Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Bruno Walter	Victor/HMV	5.6020
16.i.1938 Recorded at a concert in the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, Vienna			Symphony No. 9	Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Bruno Walter	Victor/HMV	9.0010
20.vi.1938 Recorded in London			„Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen“ (sung in English)	Charles Kullman [Unidentified orchestra] Malcolm Sargent	Columbia	R.0030
8.iv.1939* Recorded at a concert in New York		1995	Symphony No. 1	NBC Symphony Orchestra Bruno Walter	Eklipse (1995)	1.0005
5.x.1939 Recorded at a concert in the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam		1995	Das Lied von der Erde	Kerstin Thorborg Carl Martin Öhmann Concertgebouw Orchestra Carl Schuricht	Archiphon (1995)	L.0015
9.xi.1939 Recorded live at a performance at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam		1962	Symphony No. 4	Jo Vincent Concertgebouw Orchestra Willem Mengelberg	Phlipps (1962)	4.0020