Benjamin Zander - Mahler: Symphony No. 3 (2004)

Opinions differ on how to interpret Mahler's Symphony No. 3, a work of such convoluted material, extreme contrasts, and immense proportions that it inevitably invites disagreements. But few can deny that Benjamin Zander has elicited a brilliant performance from the Philharmonia Orchestra, or that his reading is thoughtful and provocative in the best sense. Zander makes a convincing case for reviving Mahler's original mystical program, and reveals the High Romantic side of the composer, with all his conflicting characteristics combined in a splendid paean to Nature. This intensely focused performance is informed by an acute awareness of Mahler's stated intentions; of motivic correspondences between movements; of external influences, both musical and cultural; and, most importantly, of the explicit directions in the score that give the work its vivid timbral distinctions. Zander delivers the symphony with color, passion and a sense of authority, and all its warring elements cohere into a unified whole. Lilli Paasikivi, heard in the fourth and fifth movements, is wonderfully controlled, and the women's and boys' choruses are bright and angelic. Telarc's sound is breathtaking, so volume should be set at a safe level to avoid surprises. A fascinating spoken word CD comes with the set, wherein Zander explains the symphony's development and historical context with appealing enthusiasm.