Wow! Now this is great stuff! This

Wow! Now this is great stuff! This symphony is certainly my favorite of Mahler's symphonies and perhaps one of my favorites of all symphonies I have ever heard. Still, I have not heard a conductor or orchestra really give the work its due. Oddly enough, I found myself disagreement with many of Boulez's interpretive choices yet still convinced by them since they were executed so well. So often I hear an interpretation that is very valid but does not come off convincingly for lack of hubris or assuredness. One even hears this in Bernstein's version occasionally, who pretty much was the master of this piece, and even in Tilson-Thomas's wonderful new recording there are moments that do not coalesce as they should. Many find Boulez's interpretations icy, as he continually emphasizes textural clarity and rhythmic motion over emotional considerations. And yet, the beauty of those crystal-clear sonorities and the drive of the rhythms creates a kind of emotional aspect all of its own. To place one's self in the world Mahler, Boulez, and the Cleveland Orchestra put before us and simply bask in the sound of it all is really a wonderful thing-the pure pleasure of it will move you in ways the older recordings never could. Of course, DG's flawless recording adds immeasurably to the experience. This version is certainly not does not say everything the symphony means to say, but it makes some great points for itself and there is never a weak moment. A must for collectors, a worthy buy for anyone, and simply great on its own.