Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. 1. Langsam. Schleppend - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, James Mallinson, Georg Solti, James Lock, Gustav Mahler
2. 2. Kräftig bewegt - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, James Mallinson, James Lock, Gustav Mahler
3. 3. Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, James Mallinson, James Lock, Gustav Mahler
4. 4. Stürmisch bewegt - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, James Mallinson, James Lock, Gustav Mahler
5. 1. Allegro maestoso. Mit durchaus ernstem und feierlichem Ausdruck - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, James Mallinson, John Dunkerley, James Lock

Disc 2:

1. 2. Andante moderato. Sehr gemächlich - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, James Mallinson, John Dunkerley, James Lock
2. 3. Scherzo: In ruhig fliessender Bewegung - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, John Dunkerley, James Mallinson, James Lock
3. 4. "O Röschen rot! Der Mensch liegt in grösster Not!" (Sehr feierlich aber schlicht) Text from Des Knaben Wunderhorn: "Urlicht" - Mira Zakai, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, James Mallinson, John Dunkerley, James Lock
4. 5. Im Tempo des Scherzo - Langsam misterioso - Chicago Symphony Chorus, Mira Zakai, Isobel Buchanan, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, James Mallinson, John Dunkerley, James Lock

Disc 3:

1. 1. Kräftig. Entscheiden - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler
2. 2. Tempo di minuetto. Sehr mäßig - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler
3. 3. Comodo. Scherzando. Ohne Hast - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler
4. 4. Sehr langsam. Misterioso: "O Mensch! Gib acht!" 'O Mensch! Gib acht' - Helga Dernesch, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler
5. 5. Lustig im Tempo und keck im Ausdruck: "Bimm Bamm. Es sungen drei Engel" - Helga Dernesch, Chicago Symphony Orchestra Womens Chorus, Glen Ellyn Childrens Chorus, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler

Disc 4:

1. 6. Langsam. Ruhevoll. Empfunden - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler
2. 1. Bedächtig. Nicht eilen - Recht gemächlich - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, James Mallinson, Gustav Mahler, John Dunkerley
3. 2. In gemächlicher Bewegung. Ohne Hast - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, James Mallinson, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, John Dunkerley
4. 3. Ruhevoll (Poco adagio) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, James Mallinson, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, John Dunkerley
5. 4. Sehr behaglich: "Wir genießen die himmlischen Freuden" - Kiri Te Kanawa, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, James Mallinson, Gustav Mahler, John Dunkerley

Disc 5:

1. 1. Trauermarsch (In gemessenem Schritt. Streng. Wie ein Kondukt - Plötzlich schneller. Leidenschaftlich. Wild - Tempo I) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, David Harvey, Georg Solti, Gordon Parry, Gustav Mahler
2. 2. Stürmisch bewegt. Mit größter Vehemenz - Bedeutend langsamer - Tempo I subito - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, David Harvey, Georg Solti, Gordon Parry, Gustav Mahler
3. 3. Scherzo (Kräftig, nicht zu schnell) - Dale Clevenger, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, David Harvey, Georg Solti, Gordon Parry, Gustav Mahler
4. 4. Adagietto (Sehr langsam) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, David Harvey, Gordon Parry, Gustav Mahler
5. 5. Rondo-Finale (Allegro) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, David Harvey, Gordon Parry, Gustav Mahler

Disc 6:

1. 1. Allegro energico, ma non troppo. Heftig aber Markig - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, David Harvey, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Gordon Parry
2. 2. Scherzo (Wuchtig) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, David Harvey, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Gordon Parry
3. 3. Andante moderato - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, David Harvey, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Gordon Parry
4. 4. Finale (Allegro moderato) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, David Harvey, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Gordon Parry

Disc 7:

1. 1. Langsam - Allegro - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, David Harvey, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
2. 2. Nachtmusik (Allegro moderato) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, David Harvey, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
3. 3. Scherzo - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, David Harvey, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
4. 4. Nachtmusik (Andante amoroso) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, David Harvey, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson

Disc 8:

1. 5. Rondo - Finale (Allegro ordinario - Allegro moderato ma energico) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, David Harvey, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
2. 1. Andante comodo - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, James Mallinson, James Lock
3. 2. Im Tempo eines gemächlichen Ländler. Etwas täppisch und sehr derb - Poco più mosso subito - Ländler, ganz langsam - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, James Mallinson, James Lock

Disc 9:

1. 3. Rondo. Burleske (Allegro assai. Sehr trotzig - Presto) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, James Mallinson, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, James Lock
2. 4. Adagio (Sehr langsam) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, James Mallinson, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, James Lock
3. "Veni creator spiritus" - David Harvey, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Singverein, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
4. "Imple superna gratia" - David Harvey, Heather Harper, Lucia Popp, Yvonne Minton, Helen Watts, René Kollo, John Shirley-Quirk, Martti Talvela, Wiener Singverein, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
5. "Infirma nostri corporis" - David Harvey, Heather Harper, Lucia Popp, Yvonne Minton, Helen Watts, René Kollo, John Shirley-Quirk, Martti Talvela, Wiener Singverein, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
6. "Accende lumen sensibus" - David Harvey, Heather Harper, Lucia Popp, Yvonne Minton, Helen Watts, René Kollo, John Shirley-Quirk, Martti Talvela, Wiener Sängerknaben, Wiener Singverein, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
7. "Veni, Creator...Da gaudiorum praemia" - Heather Harper, Lucia Popp, Yvonne Minton, Helen Watts, René Kollo, John Shirley-Quirk, Martti Talvela, Wiener Singverein, Wiener Sängerknaben, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, David Harvey, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
8. "Gloria sit Patri Domino" - David Harvey, Heather Harper, Lucia Popp, Helen Watts, Yvonne Minton, René Kollo, John Shirley-Quirk, Martti Talvela, Wiener Singverein, Wiener Sängerknaben, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson

Disc 10:

1. Poco adagio: Waldung, sie schwankt heran - David Harvey, Wiener Singverein, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
2. "Ewiger Wonnebrand" - David Harvey, John Shirley-Quirk, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
3. "Wie Felsenabgrund mir zu Füßen" - David Harvey, Martti Talvela, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
4. "Gerettet ist das edle Glied" - David Harvey, Wiener Singverein, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Sängerknaben, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
5. "Uns bleibt ein Erdenrest" - David Harvey, Yvonne Minton, René Kollo, Wiener Sängerknaben, Wiener Singverein, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
6. "Höchste Herrscherin der Welt" - David Harvey, Lucia Popp, René Kollo, Wiener Singverein, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
7. "Bei der Liebe, die den Fussen" - David Harvey, Heather Harper, Yvonne Minton, Helen Watts, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
8. "Neige, neige, du Ohnegleiche" - David Harvey, Lucia Popp, Arleen Augér, Wiener Sängerknaben, Wiener Singverein, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
9. "Blicket auf zum Retterblick" - David Harvey, René Kollo, Wiener Singverein, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Sängerknaben, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson
10. "Alles Vergängliche" - David Harvey, Heather Harper, Lucia Popp, Yvonne Minton, Helen Watts, René Kollo, John Shirley-Quirk, Martti Talvela, Wiener Sängerknaben, Wiener Singverein, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Wilkinson

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #61095 in Music
• Released on: 1991-11-05
• Number of discs: 10
• Format: Box set
• Running time: 670 minutes

Customer Reviews

Fantastic!
There are so many box set complete recordings of the Mahler Symphonies choosing between them is a daunting and bewildering task. Thankfully I didnt have to, this box set was bought for me, so I was spared the pains of indecision which accompany the purchase of any classical cd- especially over the internet when you are not able to listen in detail to the various merits of all the available performances.
I have been absolutely delighted with this set and have no hesitations about recommending it. Mahler was above all a superb orchestrator and the subtleties of each symphony are excellently conveyed on these cds which also provide more than enough force and vigour when required. The short fourth movement of the mighty second symphony is for me one of the most divine four minutes of music ever written and this performance is spine-tingling. So too is the fifth symphony; the rubato with which Solti conveys the climax of the second movement is for me unmatched by any other recording, and is noticably more convincing than the highly acclaimed Rattle/BPO recording.
In short, this set is a fantastic buy, as you would expect from the price. Sadly, however, the standard set by these recordings is so high that I am often left feeling slightly disappointed whenever I now here Mahler performed live!

The best!
I was introduced to Mahler in the late 70's by the earlier recordings in this set. I remember no.s 5,6 and 7 being available in a box set of LPs but however cheaply Faringdon records sold it for I put off buying them in case there was a better recording. Nearly 30 years later, there still is no better recording available and Amazon are selling all 9 on CD for £25! All the performances are breathtaking. The Chicago are simply brilliant, definitely a cut above all the rest. Solti is magnificent and one feels every second of pleasure and anguish in each work. The brass are the best in the world. Thanks, Garry, for introducing me to the most sublime musical experiences I could possibly imagine.

Live performances are now (mostly) diappointing after listening to these recordings!
I completely agree with the last reviewer when he says that going to a live performance of these symphonies can be disappointing as these recordings are so good. This has happened to me a number of times, especially with the second symphony. I have never heard a better performance either in the concert hall or on disc than this one by Solti. It is truly spine tingling, especially the climax during the first movememt and the finale. The "Urlicht" is so emotional, too. The best four minutes of music EVER written?

Of the other eight, I would say that the stand-outs are the first, third, seventh and eight. These are the ones tha I turn to again and again; the sonic weight of the eight is astonishing. The playing of the final movement of the seventh makes the case that this symphony is not the 'problematic' cause that even the late, great Deryck Cooke thought it was, IMHO.

I would urge anyone who would like to try out music of great imagination to go for Mahler. It is such another world, and so optimistic. Just think of all the work that went in to recording these nine monumental works, and you can see that these are great value. I highly recommend them!