Search - Mahler, Sanderling, Philharmonia Orchestra :: Symphony 9

Very well recorded

slugfest | chicago, Il. | 03/31/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"To begin with, I've never heard a recording of Mahler Nine that I didn't like. (The Masur/NYP recording comes closest to being disliked) This recording by Sanderling and the Philharmonia Orchestra is really very good. While it is not the best interpretation I've ever heard, the recording is spectacular. The balances are perfect, and any instrument can be picked out and followed throughout the performance with perfect clarity. The fact that Sanderling is a little heavy-handed in places is completely nuetralized by the quality of the recording itself. I don't believe in the concept that an interpretation is bad or good. It's entirely too subjective to hang such a label on. The fact that I don't like something doesn't make it bad. That only means that it doesn't appeal to me. Anyway, this performance does seem a little sluggish for my taste, but I still much prefer it to the breakneck pace of Masur with the New York Philharmonic. For a great interpretation, I favor Edo DeWaart or Giulini and the CSO. But, you can't go wrong, here with Sanderling. The performance is good, and the recording is flawless."