Until recently Mahler’s music was marginal rather than central to the repertoire of Russian orchestras. With that in mind, you might regard Kirill Kondrashin’s live 1960s traversals of the First, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Ninth Symphonies as pioneering efforts. Their many virtues, though, need no rationalizing, notwithstanding minuscule bobbles of intonation and ensemble. More significantly, Kondrashin understands and projects each symphony’s individual voice. The outer movements of the First, for instance, unabashedly gush with wide-eyed abandon and high spirits. By contrast, the lyrical Fourth flows with affectionate phrasing that’s flexible without ever being indulgent. The oily-toned but lively Galina Pissarenko sings her last movement solo in Russian, and so does Valentina Levko for her solo turns in the Third Symphony. Kondrashin achieves a lilting delicacy in this sprawling work’s second and third movements that reflects the conductor’s balletic affinity, while the combined boy’s and women’s choirs in the fifth movement make a terrific impact. Symphony No. 5’s punchier textures elicit a terse, no-holds-barred attitude from the podium. In this context the characteristic vibrato of the Russian brass players sounds a bit incongruous. The same can be said for Kondrashin’s edgy yet dignified Ninth, muffled percussion and all. Apparently transferred from rare, near-mint LPs, this set may be too specialized to recommend for general listeners. Seasoned Mahlerites, though, will find Kondrashin an intriguing and ultimately rewarding guide.
