Richard Pennycuick <[log in to unmask]> wrote...  in a divergence from
the original Levine/BSO string:

>If they're as good as the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie, bring them on!  I
>finally heard that much-praised Mahler 5th the other day, and was blown
>away.

I dunno if I commented on this earlier...  but...  I too had acquired the
JDP Mahler 5 as a result of the praise from this list.  And certainly I
liked it very much...  and to think that this is a student orchestra makes
the performance even more amazing.

However, disregarding their student status, and being objective about the
recording and performance itself...  I'd have to say that Chailly's tops
it.  I felt that the interpretations and flow were the quite the same...
far different to be sure from the other noted top contenders, Barbirolli
and Gatti (which I just recently acquired)...  and the only difference
between the Chailly/RCO and the Barshai/JDP was that the Concertgebouw
played with more polish and was recorded in much better (again, more
polished) sound.

Albie