With nine new recordings of Mahler’s epic Resurrection Symphony this year alone, which rises above the rest?
The second – the ‘Resurrection’ – was the first Mahler symphony ever to be recorded, and it is still today an essential work in any conductor’s catalogue. But with hundreds of recordings, from Ormandy to Bernstein and Rattle, which does our reviewer recommend? Is it something in the water? Or is it simply that triumph over adversity sells in today’s uncertain world? Whatever the reason, Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony has already received four major UK performances this year: a season finale for the BBC Philharmonic in Manchester, a season opener for both the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra, and an 80th season celebratory concert for the Philharmonia Orchestra in London. Next month the London City Orchestra perform it in Croydon’s Fairfield Halls. On disc, the field of Mahler 2s is even more crowded. Apple Music Classical currently throws up 222 listings; Presto Music’s search engine returns 260 results, many of them complete recordings to download or buy on CD or vinyl (some of these, of course, are reissues of recognised classic accounts). Continue reading...
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