Mahler: Symphony No. 3 / Bach Suite
There are lots of excellent Mahler 3rds in the catalogue, and a few great ones. Chailly's is one of the great ones. He leads this all-encompassing work with mastery of structure, close attention to the score’s plentiful instructions, and brings out the orchestral details that often go missing. He also has the benefit of a great Mahler orchestras. the Royal Concertgebouw, whose playing here is beyond praise. The fabulous Dutch winds have never sounded better, investing their many solo turns with idiomatic perfection. The important brass section is weighty, the posthorn solo done with moving lyricism. The strings are simply radiant, as is the chorus and the important vocal contribution of mezzo Petra Lang. The engineers match the playing, providing sound that's thrilling in its impact and presence in both SACD and standard CD. A bonus is Chailly's expert reading of Mahler's arrangement of movements from Bach's 2nd and 3rd Suites. If you love Mahler, you must have this set, even if your shelves are bulging with other versions of the Mahler 3rd.--Dan Davis