Search - Gustav Mahler, Edo de Waart, Minnesota Orchestra :: Mahler: Symphony No. 1

A Stunner!

Jonathan Stern | New York, New York USA | 06/08/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Just when I thought nothing more can be said with this warhorse, De Waart and company go one better than virtually everyone else who has recorded the work! Perfect tempi, superlative playing from a very underrated orchestra, and excellent sonics result in a thoroughly idiomatic and exciting account. Until I heard this recording, I thought Horenstein owned this work. But De Waart's conducting equals and sometimes transcends the great cult conductor, while Minnesota is far better equipped stylistically and technically than either Horenstein's Vienna and London Symphony Orchestras. Let's hope this one gets rereleased soon!"

A great surprise from an underrated orchestra

Daniel M. Forman | San Francisco, CA United States | 06/14/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this album used for $2, expecting to be adding another unique but mediocre recording to my library of Mahler 1 - this is my 5th. My other recordings are by New York/Masur, San Francisco/Tilson Thomas, Philadelphia/Muti, Columbia/Walter. I have also heard it performed by Seattle/Schwarz, and have heard several other recordings. Prior to hearing this recording, my favorites were MTT/SFSO and Masur/NYPO.



When I got the CD home and listened to it, I was in for an incredible surprise. The playing of the Minnesota Orchestra is easily up to the standards of any other world class orchestra, and this piece is well within their means. The textures and colors come out more clearly than in any recordings of it I've heard other than the SFSO and NYPO (and it ties with them). As far as the orchestra, all is as it should be.



Maestro Edo de Waart also delivers a masterful interpretation of the symphony on this recording. His tempi tend to be slightly slower than some other conductors, but he makes an excellent case for them; often, they actually allow the music to breathe slightly better than quicker tempi. The music never feels plodding or drawn out, but maintains liveliness and movement. Other aspects of the interpretation are equally superb, if less noteworthy. Suffice it to say that de Waart's Mahler 1 is easily the equal of any of the "Great Mahlerians."



The recording quality is uniformly excellent, presenting crystal-clear sound and a very wide dynamic range with no distortion. With modern recording technology we should expect nothing less; this disc does not disappoint.



I highly recommend this recording to both neophytes and experienced Mahlerians. At a bargain price, there is no reason for this disc not to be in anyone's classical collection."