Mahler: Symphony No. 5 - Benjamin Zander / Philharmonia Orchestra

Benjamin Zander follows his outstanding live recording of Mahler\'s 9th with an even more impressive version of the 5th, made in the studio and thus yielding even more lifelike sound and orchestral polish. The opening funeral march movement is especially notable for the outstanding trumpet soloist, neatly judged tempos, and natural-sounding rubato. Zander\'s pacing of the Scherzo follows Mahler\'s instructions--\"not too fast\"--obtaining a nice rhythmic lift from his players and allowing myriad orchestral details to come through. The famous Adagietto is taken at a flowing tempo, avoiding the leaden quality with which overly slow performances tend to stifle it. The huge finale, just a bit slower than most performances, sacrifices some excitement to clarity. The Philharmonia\'s horns and brass are outstanding, as are the strings, which phrase Mahler\'s lines with genuine affection. But the percussion, so important in Mahler, is a weak link. In sum, a fine performance in a crowded competitive field headed by Bernstein\'s extraordinary DG recording. What sets this apart, however, is Telarc\'s bonus disc--a 78-minute lecture-demonstration by Zander that serves as a terrific introduction to the work for novice Mahlerians, and will intrigue and educate even those who thought they knew this symphony inside out. --Dan Davis (Amazon)