CDs / DVDs

classicalcdreview.com, 01. May 2013
Distinguished German conductor Hartmut Haenchen (b. 1943) has enjoyed a highly successful career and held leadership positions with many organizations including the Dresden Philharmonic, Dresden State Opera, Netherlands Opera, the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and the Berlin State Opera. This site mentioned a fine recording of Mahler's Symphony No. 5, recorded in Amsterdam's Concertgebouw with the Netherlands Philharmonic. He also has a recording of Symphony No. 4 with the Dutch orchestra, and there exists a video of his performance of Symphony No. 6 from a Mahler cycle he did with the La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra, neither of which I have heard. Now we have this outstanding ICA issue of Symphony No. 1 from a concert November 22, 1999, and September 10, 2002, both recorded in the Concertgebouw. These are among the finest performances you'll hear of either work, orchestral playing is spectacular, and the measured tempo at the climax of No. 8 is how it should be.The engineering team did their work to perfection; presumably these were original Radio Nederland productions. Balances, so difficult in Symphony No. 8, are just about perfect and the masses of sound are mightily impressive. This is a outstanding issue sure to delight Mahler fans. And it is mid-priced. No texts, but these are available on the internet should you not already have them.
R.E.B.