Gustav Mahler - Symphony No.9 / Barshai

Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911)

Symphony No.9 in D major

Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra

Rudolf Barshai

Barshai in moscow live for 9th

In essence - any serious musiclover has to own at least one version of arguably the greatest symphony ever written : namely the Mahler 9th Symphony. huge in scale (most versions clock in over 75 minutes, epic, emotional, searing, tender, death fixated: all of the above. this BIS live recording with Moscow RSO under Shostakovich alumni Rudolph Barshai hits the spot overall with plenty of emotion and forte s if lacking some subtley (particularly the third movement - where all seems tutti and nothing else)

an incredibly vivid recording , detailed liner notes and yes the conductors vision and the Moscow RSO equal commitment to this huge pinnacle of the symphonic form. i 've owned my copy of this recording for some 15 years and just listen in awe at the first movement . then switch off and sit there in silence to absorb what you have just heard. incredible deeply impassioned and masterly music. Shostakovich's 10th and Bruckner s 8th may have equal scope but for this reviewerbut it's Mahler s 9th that along with his Das Liede vond Erde (symphonic song cyle) leave the listener stunned.

this is a very fine version indeed. it tops Boulez on DG certainly for me for greater emotion and clarity of vision. well worth a purchase along with Karajan, Barbirolli and Halasz's recordings.