Mahler: Symphony No. 7
Michael Tilson Thomas's Mahler cycle continues with this well-played Seventh. Once rarely heard, the work is becoming a regular recording and concert hall visitor. The San Francisco Symphony is in terrific form here, especially in the last movement, where the brass really bring down the house and the whole band keeps up with the conductor's tempo shifts and contrasts. The second Nachtmusik movement is a winner, with its odd combination of harp, guitar and mandolin and its characterful mood. The opening movement is a bit problematic, well-played but a bit too fast for comfort, but the Scherzo rocks. This version differs from MTT’s excellentLondon Symphony recordingmade in 1999 earlier for RCA, which was free of some of the more idiosyncratic touches found here. But if you don't mind a first movement that never really adheres, you'll love this new one. For collectors of the series and SACD fans, it's a must-have, and all Mahlerites will want to hear MTT's latest thoughts on the work.--Dan Davis