Hannu Lintu & Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra - Mahler: Symphony No. 1 & Blumine (2015)

Most recordings of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1 in D major present it as it was published in 1899, in the definitive four-movement version. Yet an earlier state of the work was the 1888 tone poem Der Titan, which not only lent its title as an unofficial nickname for the work, but also contained the Blumine movement, which Mahler dropped from the final score. Curiously, many modern conductors have incorporated it back into the symphony as the second movement, even though its slow tempo and sentimental mood break the momentum and excitement created by the joyous first movement. Other maestros, like Hannu Lintu, place it after the symphony, as an appendix or bonus track, so it doesn't conflict with Mahler's intentions. Lintu's choice for this 2015 hybrid SACD on Ondine is plainly the best decision, because the vitality of the first movement flows unimpeded into the boisterous scherzo, and the balance of the four movements isn't thrown off by the presence of Blumine as an internal fifth movement. The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra plays with compelling energy and color, and the extraordinary depth of the audiophile recording makes this an extremely attractive presentation. -- Blair Sanderson