Tim Mahon wrote:

>Mahler recordings always seem to excite great passion on this List.  What's
>the opinion of the Berlin Philharmonic/Abbado recording of Mahler 3 just
>issued on DG -- taken from an apparently 'universally-lauded performance'
>at the RFH in 1999.  The review I have just read (giving it 5 stars) says
>it "...must now be the benchmark by which all others are judged."

While I haven't heard this, I will point out that comment on the
Mahler-List has been unanimously positive so far, and that doesn't
happen very often.  Performance and sonics are said to be top-notch.
One performance note of interest:  Abbado takes the Bird of Night oboe
passage in Movement IV with prominent glissando, something that was
resurrected by Simon Rattle and which now seems to be taken by everyone.
I'll probably buy this disc this week.

Mitch Friedfeld