Track Listing

1. Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor: Part One, Movement I: Trauermarsch. In gemessenem Schritt. Streng. Wie ein Kondukt
2. Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor: Movement II: St�rmisch bewegt. Mit gr��ter Vehemenz
3. Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor: Part Two, Movement III: Scherzo. Kr�ftig, nicht zu schnell
4. Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor: Part Three, Movement IV: Adagietto. Sehr langsam
5. Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor: Movement V: Rondo - Finale. Allegro

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25296 in Music
• Released on: 1998-10-27
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Amazon.com
With 50 or so recordings of this great work available, with superb Bernstein and Boulez fascinating at opposite ends of the heat spectrum and dozens of other valid ones in between, a reviewer approaches a new set with trepidation and the possibility of a stifled yawn. On goes this CD, and voila! One is dazzled. Recorded live in Koln in 1997, this finds the Chicago Symphony at its most virtuosic and Barenboim at his most engaged. The bitter is distinct from, rather than taken for, the gloomy; the martial does not seem out of place with the romantic. The third movement whips itself toward the ideal frenzy; the famous Adagietto is as lovely and lyrical as it gets. The performance holds together brilliantly in the way that Mahler wanted--all the disparate elements make their individual statements, but they are clearly part of the same worldview. This is superb, really--and even with an embarrassment of Mahler Symphony No. 5 riches out there, this one shines. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews

Vast improvement over Solti
This is my favorite Mahler 5. From Solti's two recordings I already knew that the CSO is in a class of its own in this piece. Yet, I always found Solti's tempos a bit restless and inappropriately fast, particularly in the first and fourth movements. Here with Barenboim we have a far better reading. I know no other recording that is more true to the score. The CSO has such a phenomenal sense of ensemble that you can hear every line without ever sacrificing togetherness. Add to that a range of dynamics and a palette of colors no other orchestra can match. The only thing better is to hear them live...

Absolutely Amazing!!
This recording enters a catalog full of great performances. But I can't imagine a better performance than the one presented on this disc. The first movement begins with an unaccompanied trumpet solo. As far as notes and rhythms are concerned, the solo is not difficult. But the fact that this is an unaccompanied solo and the fact that it is the first notes heard in the symphony causes even the most talented soloists to sweat. After all, you never get a second chance to make a first impression in a live performance. The soloist in this recording makes a great first impression. One senses a natural unfolding of the solo. The beautiful tone quality achieved by the soloist forshadows the playing of the orchestra to come. The Chicago Symphony plays so flawlessly that you won't believe it's a live recording. Just listen to the lower strings at the beginning of the second movement. They play with incredible intensity. I like the slower tempo taken by Barenboim in this movement. It makes the music sound fresh. Let's face it. This is a complicated, noisy movement that can sound muddy if played by those less capable. Under Barenboim's steady hand, the tempo never drags. The Adagietto is moving, especially the final bars. Again, the basses shine at the end of the movement. The final movement, like the second, can be mishandled. Once again, Barenboim adopts a slower tempo which allows for more intensity and clarity. Of course, the CSO is famous for it's brass section. Brass fans will not be disappointed. In spite of the bombastic nature of this symphony (that is a good thing), the clarity of the recorded sound is amazing, probably thanks to rather close microphone placement. Unfortunately, it exposes a few minor mistakes from the percussion section. Hey, nobody's perfect. The cover photo is cool too. Nice packaging. Informative notes in three languages and a roster of the CSO. I put it at the top of the catalog.

Wow!
This is a great performance. I think this is one of the best recordings of this work available now. Movements 1-4 are especially well done, and my only complaint about the last movement is that the tempi seem a little too slow in certain sections. Barenboim does make the finale more exciting, however, by putting an accelerando in during the last statement of the theme, which is different and also more interesting than just holding the same tempo till the end, as most conductors typically do. The Chicago Symphony plays more accurately than the Vienna Phil did for the Bernstein recording, and the brass section, in particular, sounds really spectacular.