Allan Kohrman:

>The Mahler 4th by George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra, with Judith
>Raskin as soprano soloist, is, in my judgment, the greatest Mahler
>recording ever made.

I wouldn't go that far (and I'm a Szell and Raskin fanatic), but it *is*
awfully good.  Unfortunately, I know of several Greatest Mahler Recordings
Ever Made.  The Szell Mahler 4 is in there, but I'd also have to point to

Baker/Evans/Morris: Des Knaben Wunderhorn - great drama from Evans,
beautiful singing from Baker, marvelous insight into the Wunderhorn world
of Mahler from Morris

Baker/Barbirolli: Rueckert-Lieder - so beautiful you forget to breathe

Barbirolli: Mahler 5 - a noble account.  Barbirolli's Mahler at its best
and, fortunately, most typical.

Dohnanyi: Mahler 9 - gorgeous playing, an interpretation that soars.  I'm
going to review this one more fully.

Horenstein/Rehkemper: Kindertotenlieder - Horenstein and Rehkemper plumb
the psychological depths of grief.  Rehkemper is a singer I know only from
this recording.  On the strength of this alone, he's one of the best
baritones of the century - a genius singer of Lieder.

Horenstein: Mahler 3, Mahler 1, Mahler 7, Mahler 4 - I intend to review
fully the Mahler 7 later.  It's a revelatory performance of a work that
needs to be revealed.  In the case of each symphony, I haven't heard the
work bettered.

Kletzki: Mahler 4 - an overlooked, supremely lyrical account.

Kubelik: Mahler 1, Mahler 2 - The Mahler 1 dances.  The Mahler 2 shows
a breadth of vision I normally don't associate with Kubelik, but also a
"folky" sensibility that I do.  I think the reading a perfect expression
of Mahler's fundamental musical contradictions.

Scherchen: Mahler 2 - An eye-opener.  Lacerating at times.

Walter/Ferrier: Das Lied - why not?

Walter/Miller/Haefliger: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Das Lied - I
don't understand why these recordings aren't more highly rated.  I think
Miller a very fine singer indeed who understands the texts.  Walter leads
tighter performances here than was his wont at the end of his career.
Haefliger rings out like a hero in the opening song and maintains great
delicacy in when called upon.  For me, the only performance of the last
movement which betters Miller's is Ferrier's.  In both works, I get the
impression of the composer speaking directly to me, without the filter of
an Interpretation.

Walter: Mahler 1 - mainly for the blazing last movement.

I stress, however, I haven't heard nearly the number of recordings needed
to make such a judgment.  I fully expect pot shots to be taken at this
list.

Steve Schwartz