Charles Mackerras had style. No matter what the repertoire, or how interventionist his interpretation, he always worked with the music, never against it. His Mahler has all the typically Mahlerian hallmarks: generous portamento, careful observation of luftpauses, wide-ranging tempos, crisp and clear percussion, and basically perfect balances between strings and winds. The solo violin in the scherzo has lots of character; Sarah Fox sings the finale with the right sense of innocence and wonder, and the adagio’s variations merge seamlessly into one another–except where Mahler says that they shouldn’t. It all flows beautifully, and only a few moments of iffy ensemble betray the recording’s live provenance. There are too many superb performances of this symphony to say that this one belongs with the absolute best, but it’s very, very good, well recorded before a generally quiet audience, and a splendid memento of a truly great conductor. [1/12/2011]
