I've just listened to Benjamin Zander's Telarc CD of Mahler's 9th symphony.
I had high expectations - Z.  gave a one-off concert here a couple of
weeks ago with our Youth Orchestra to ecstatic acclaim (I unfortunately
didn't go), and the CD also got a very positive Gramophone review.  On
first listening I was pretty impressed (although perhaps the two middle
movements fell a little flat), but I don't know any Mahler apart from the
Song of the Earth and so can't really tell.  What's the opinion of the
Mahler connoisseurs on the list? The best thing about the CD in any case
is is a bonus 70-minute explication of the symphony by Zander including
a close reading of the 1st two pages.  It gets rather corny at times, but
to this novice at least it was fascinating stuff.

Felix Delbruck
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