The co-operation between these two artists in Wagner (RCA, 8/97 and 10/98) was such a success that I was eagerly looking forward to their new CD. Expectations were somewhat disappointed. In the first place a full, rounded tone matters more in Mahler than in Wagner: here the slight edge on Meier’s voice takes a little getting used to. Where there ought to be compensations in dramatic tension from Meier, for instance in the Kindertotenlieder, her reading is, surprisingly, a shade lacking, at least in comparison with versions by Ferrier (just reissued in Great Recordings of the Century), or with Fischer-Dieskau in his classic performance with Kempe. Meier finally achieves the histrionic urgency by the start of the final song, but by then it’s a little late, though earlier the impact of the mezzo’s forceful diction as at ‘Erloschener Freudenschein!’ at the end of the fourth song, bringing vividly before us the extinguishing of happiness, is special to her.
A similar want of enveloping sound places Meier’s version of ‘Ich bin der Welt’ in the Ruckert-Lieder rather a long way behind those of Baker and Ludwig (HMV, 10/68 – nla). Even ‘Wo die schonen Trompeten blasen’, from the Knaben Wunderhorn, encompassing the very essence of Mahler, somehow doesn’t catch the breath as it usually does, the line not quite sufficiently caressed, the music not quite lived-in, for all the intelligence on display. Maazel and his orchestra play beautifully throughout but a little coolly. The recording is finely managed. Without so many readings echoing in the memory, these undoubtedly thoughtful ones would no doubt be more than acceptable. Anyone wanting this particular, slightly odd configuration of Mahler songs will probably be satisfied.'