Symphony 1 in D Major: Titan: Orig Blumine Movemt
As the latest installment in the Mahler cycle of Telarc, Yoel Levi, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra , here is the composer's First Symphony, namedTitan. Originally Mahler conceived this work in five movements, but later dropped the second, andante movement. Known as "Blumine," it is often played apart from the symphony, its 7-minute length being just right as a curtain raiser. Here, Levi has replaced it in its original order, and it's good to have; if the listener doesn't want it, it can be skipped or the CD player programmed to play the disc without it. The recorded sound is spotless, and the performance has a great deal to recommend it. Levi is a clearheaded leader, and he rarely imposes a personal agenda on Mahler; it's neither as icy asBoulez's approachnor as gut-wrenching asBernstein's. In fact, up until the final moments of the work, this is a magical reading--near the very end, just when Mahler goes over the top into the type of ecstasy only he can reach, Levi seems to hold back--a simple uptake of tempi would have driven this CD to the head of the list of Mahler Firsts. As it stands, it's pretty glorious--there's no need to be obsessive about it, really. Highly recommended.--Robert Levine