This 1983 Mahler Symphony No. 1 was one of the first digital recordings of the work to appear on CD and was notable for its excellent sound, which utilized Soundstream digital technology in what appears to be Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw (or at least another venue of exactly the same acoustic properties).
Two decades-plus later the recorded sound has held up pretty well, and if the performance is somewhat less impressive, it’s because a number of superior versions have since been released, two of which (Bernstein and Chailly) feature Amsterdam’s premier orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw. Arpád Jóo’s Amsterdam Philharmonic can’t match the Concertgebouw’s sumptuous string tone and piercing brass, but his reading pleases with its consistent flowing pulse, scrupulous attention to color and accent, and dynamic energy (the scherzo and finale are particularly fine in this regard). So, if you’re looking for a value-priced alternative version, Jóo’s constitutes (to borrow from Richard Strauss) a first-rate, second-rate Mahler First.
