The Cleveland Orchestra, fresh from concerts at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, performed Mahler's Ninth symphony Thursday evening, May 13 at the Ohio Theatre in Columbus, Ohio. It was a privilege to be there and well worth the airfare. The performance was unhurried, rich in detail, warm, embracing every emotion, yet it did not wallow in emotionalism. It was a clean, meticulous performance, never overindulged. Dohnanyi's transparent textures revealed seemingly new colors and details of this great work, yet there was no absence of power and momentum. The Rondo-Burlerske raised the roof. Dohnanyi's emphasis was on structural unity. He laid bare the psychological undergirding of this piece. In the final Adagio, the music slowly died away in a peaceful hushed farewell that has not faded from my memory. What impressed me most were the superb solists. Michael Sachs on trumpet was awesome. Bill Preucil played with utmost gentleness and tenderness in the first and last movements. Joshua Smith on flute was wonderful. Yet, it would be unseemly to single out any of the soloists for the greatness of the orchestra lies in the sum of its parts. There was an edgeless unity throughout the entire performance. It is interesting that no one hears complaints that the "glory days" of the orchestra under George Szell are gone or are in decline. That was easily manifest that night! Mark