The 75 year old Israeli conductor E

The 75 year old Israeli conductor Eliahu Inbal has long been a devotee of the symphonies of Gustav Mahler, but with all of the recordings of Mahler's symphonies flooding the marketplace and concert halls in this anniversary year it is refreshing to go back into the library and selcet a recording of the challenging Mahler Symphony No. 7 and find that Eliahu's 1986 recording with the Frankfurt Radio Orchestra continues to be one of the finest. He tackles all the hurdles of the first movement as though pacing himself to introduce the first of the two Nachtmusik movements. Then as almost a breathing pause he delicately handles the Scherzo which again prepares us for the second Nachtmusik movements. The clangor of the closing of the Rondo Finale is as raucous as is dared, but because of the manner in which he has taken us to that barrage of chimes, gongs, cowbells, glockenspiel etc the entire reading seems more cohesive than the readings of most conductors.The original recording by Nippon Columbia in 1987 has been remastered in this Denon Digital remastering made in 1993. The difference in sound is phenomenal. For a rich and exciting performance of the mighty Mahler 7th, this recording is among the finest. Grady Harp, February 123 people found this helpful