Mahler Symphonies 1 & 8 (Symphony of a Thousand)

Overview

These recordings are with two different orchestras (Mahler 1st with the Chicago Symphony and the 8th with the London Philharmonic). Tennstedt's live performances are much better than his studio versions of the same works, and it's wonderful to watch him coaxing what he wants from the players. Even though he conducts from the score rather than from memory, he always seems to be directly connected to the orchestra in an almost magical way. The sound is good in both performances, and there is a sense, on both occasions, of being present for something quite special. These are great performances.

Cast

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Orchestra

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra

Julia Varady

Soprano

Jane Eaglen

Soprano

Susan Bullock

Soprano

Trudeliese Schmidt

Alto

Kenneth Riegel

Tenor

Hans Sotin

Bass