Mahler : Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection"

Album review

In keeping with his strong devotion to late Romantic music, Valery Gergiev has become a major interpreter of the symphonies of Gustav Mahler, which he first demonstrated in his exceptional audiophile cycle with the London Symphony Orchestra. This 2016 CD on the Münchner Philharmoniker label finds Gergiev revisiting the Symphony No. 2 in C minor, "Resurrection," one of the most impressive works in the symphonic repertoire and a perennial favorite with audiences. The live performance with the Munich Philharmonic was recorded in September 2015, and featured soprano Anne Schwanewilms and mezzo-soprano Olga Borodina as soloists, and the Munich Philharmonic Choir, in a powerful reading that continues Gergiev's streak of success with Mahler. There are no great surprises in this "Resurrection," which follows conventional tempos and pacing, and the convenience of having the whole performance contained on one disc is a great help in appreciating the overall trajectory of the piece, from the startling opening movement to the ecstatic conclusion of the choral finale. Because of the wide dynamic range of the recording, some adjustments must be made to find a comfortable volume setting, but the sound of the orchestra is extraordinary for conventional digital, especially in the enormous climaxes of the first movement, the scherzo, and the beginning of the finale. Yet it seems to be in the quieter moments that this recording pays off most, because the fine details that are often lost in other recordings come through with great clarity and presence.

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