Of these four CD transfers, the finest in terms of recorded quality are unquestionably Abbado's and Tilson Thomas's Abbado's LP version was unsatisfactory, but it has now been tidied up and the whole range of sound and dynamics is easily encompassed But if you want the best Mahler performance (and at mid price) and are not too worried by a recording that slightly lacks the full dynamic range, then Horenstein's 1970 version is still ahead of a strong field (and I do not overlook Bernstein's marvellous CBS recording) To be hypercritical, the LSO strings sometimes lack power, but the wind playing is magnificent—with the posthorn part played on a flugelhorn—and Horenstein's interpretation is unsurpassed Abbado is too slow in the finale—nearly four minutes longer than Horenstein—and loses the pulse of this overwhelming movement No internal indexing, only movement-bands, on the Unicorn-Kanchana, by the way.
As I wrote last month when reviewing the LPs of the Tilson Thomas recording, the sound is exceptionally brilliant and dear, with almost every detail of the score audible It is certainly an engineering triumph, though some listeners might feel, as I do, that it is achieved at a cost in artistic endeavour Sonic perfection as an end in itself is a clinical pursuit, ultimately Having said that, I must add that the CDs are in fact slightly less aggressive in their clarity and more of the atmosphere of a performance comes through I can't say why this should be, but it is so, to my ears, and I found myself more engaged by Tilson Thomas's interpretation, though I still find it deficient in emotional range Admiration for the LSO's playing is unstinted and Dame Janet Baker's rapt singing of ''Gibt acht'' has a haunting quality that reaches the heart of Mahler. Nor should the lively Southend Boys' Choir go without praise for their joyful ''Bimm-Bamms''.
Haitink's clear, ungimmicky, mid-1960s recording yields little technically to more recent rivals and certainly not in the quality of orchestral playing Abbado and Tennstedt (EMI), the former in particular, are a touch more manic in the march section of the first movement, but Haitink's long view of the whole work, his sensible tempos and sensitive phrasing are plus-marks He also has Maureen Forrester as contralto soloist, singing with that dark rich tone and controlled emotional warmth which are ideal in this music I prefer her to either Jessye Norman (Abbado) or Norma Procter (Horenstein).
The Philips set has the added attraction of another important Mahler work, the revised two movement version—recorded in 1973—of the early (1880) cantata Das klagende Lied. I prefer it with its first movement, Waldmarchen, restored, as in Simon Rattle's exciting EMI recording, but the later version is, after all, how Mahler left it Also, Haitink's soloists are marginally better.'