These recordings originally were released by Denon as part of Eliahu Inbal’s complete cycle, recorded during the mid-1980s and early 1990s. At the time the market was flooded with complete Mahler cycles by Bernstein, Abbado, Ozawa, Solti, Haitink, and Segerstam, among others, making it difficult for any to stand out from the crowd. Rehearing these performances today reaffirms Inbal as a very astute Mahler conductor, and both symphonies benefit greatly from Inbal’s deep understanding of the composer’s idiom.
Symphony No. 4 radiates grace and serenity throughout (with fine singing by Helen Donath), especially in the Adagio, where Inbal’s penetrating textural clarity makes the somber second theme sound like the progenitor of “Der Abschied” from Das Lied von der Erde. In the Fifth Inbal heightens the first movement’s mournful stride before powerfully releasing the second movement’s pent-up fury. After a big, burly rendition of the scherzo, and a slightly too chaste Adagietto, Inbal brings the symphony rousingly home with a smartly paced finale.
The Frankfurt Radio Symphony performs with the excitement of fresh discovery (the brass sound fabulous in the Fifth’s outer movements, while the strings and winds play beautifully throughout the Fourth) yet technically evince the sureness of long familiarity. Denon’s recording was considered demonstration-class two decades ago. Now it shows signs of early digital technology–lacking warmth and a sense of air around the sound–though this is partially alleviated by playing at higher volume (necessary for this low-level recording). Though Denon has long since ceased operations as an important classical label, Mahler fans can thank Brilliant Classics for making these fine performances available again, now at budget price.
