Product Review
With this stunningly recorded account of Mahler's Symphony No.8, Riccardo Chailly and his Concertgebouw forces provide a clear modern recommendation for this gigantic piece. Chailly's strength lies in his ability for long-range thought, and he projects Mahler's vast canvas with the utmost clarity and conviction. The impressive opening is taken broadly and expansively; one is aware of the import of the journey that follows. Throughout the performance, Chailly's clear analytical approach to texture and musical flow serves only to accentuate the text and its meaning. This means, for example, that the final reappearance of the opening cry of "Veni Creator spiritus" can be truly climactic.
Perhaps Chailly is at his most successful in the long second movement. He keeps the extended opening section at a slight remove, so that the disembodied, fragmentary world he creates reflects the scale of the experience to come. For once, the vocal soloists make for a well-integrated team. For the Mahler collector, this issue will ideally complement Horenstein, Solti, KubelÃk, and the ever-impressive Tennstedt. As a bonus, Mahler scholar Donald Mitchell's booklet notes are authoritative and thought-provoking. --Colin Clarke
