Mats Norrman asks Mahler maven Tony Duggan:

>...  Is Bernstein what you recommend me to buy in these symphonies, or
>are there others I must try first?

I'm not Tony, of course, but the 7th with the NY Phil is for my money
Bernstein's best Mahler recording, and I think it's held up over the
30 years.  That symphony is, for me, the hardest Mahler to "get." I've
investigated other, "historical" recordings, and although I prefer
Horenstein's live 1969 performance, the Bernstein has better sound (Abbado
is also someone to consider in this work).  So for a compromise of good
sound and good interpretation, I'd go either with Bernstein or Abbado.  For
the third, to me Horenstein is so much better than anybody else (AND wth
great sound) that if you're going to buy only one Mahler's 3rd, that's the
one to buy.

Steve Schwartz