John Smyth wrote: >I'm afraid Chailly's Mahler 8th just isn't doing it for me. Jane Eaglen's >pinched high C in the midst of the Alles Vergangliche made me long for >Elizabeth Connell's superior, (and oh *so* rapturous), execution on EMI >with Tennstedt. Has anyone done it better? Yes. Horenstein. >Granted: smaller choir and almost non-existent off-stage brass Which are pretty big minuses. Mahler asks for a double chorus, Tennstedt gives him a single chorus. Imagine how we would feel if we heard the Mahler 2nd with half a chorus. >but Tennstedt's handling of the final chorus coupled with the urgency >and exaltation of the coda is hard to forget in my book. Have you heard Horenstein in the final chorus? I think you should. >As is the warmth of the orchestra and blessed boys of Er Uberwacht.... The performers who are there are excellent, I do agree. >Of all the modern performances Tennstedt's is the only one I have come >across where conductor and performers manage to hold the mystical aspects >of Mahler's music right through to the final chords. Modern performances is the caveat here. Many praise Sinopoli. I have a few doubts. I quite like Abaddo though my freiend Deryk Barker will mention the apparant lack of organ here. Check out my survey of Eighths: http://www.musicweb.uk.net/Mahler/Mahler8.htm Tony Duggan, England