MAHLER: Symphony No. 5. Vienna Philharmonic, Lorin...

MAHLER: Symphony No. 5. Vienna Philharmonic, Lorin Maazel, conductor. CBS compact disc, MDK 44782. With the plethora of fine Mahler performances of the last 20 years, it is understandable that some have been overlooked. This should not be one of them. On this fully digital 1983 release, now on CBS’ budget “Digital Masters” series, Maazel adopts deliberate tempos in the second and third movements, after a true funebre opening. There is no sense of bogging down, however; greater instrumental detail and structural insights are the listener’s rewards. The Vienna Philharmonic is at its best, the engineering spacious and intimate, as appropriate. With 15 tracks indexed and the bargain price, this is highly recommended.