Zach Top Mahler: Symphony No. 1/Symphony No. 2, 'resurrection'/...

Lorin Maazel leads the Philharmonia Orchestra and a star-studded ensemble of performers in Mahler's first three Symphonies. This is the first set in a series that will encompass Mahler's Nine Symphonies, featuring live orchestral recordings from London's Royal Festival Hall of Maazel and the Philharmonia's much-lauded Mahler Cycle. Review ' ...The opening instalment of this Mahler cycle, recorded live (and excellently) in London s Royal Festival Hall, finds Maazel in impressive form. So is the Philharmonia Orchestra: its current line- up must be among its finest ever, with world- class quality in every department' --Sinfini Music '… its wonderfully stylish: that hesitant Viennese-style playing-around and a lovely warm string sound…' 'You get that audience perspective as if you were sitting in the hall, and its got all the energy and focus of a live or concert recording.' --BBC Radio 3 This release … finds the Philharmonia, and particularly the brass, in fine form and the recorded sound is bright and spacious, while Maazel sometimes uncovers details of part-writing and orchestration that usually go unnoticed even in these transparent scores. --BBC Music Magazine Their power and fascination offer irresistible bait to discover anew what makes this composer such a maddeningly compelling phenomenon. --International Record Review 'Maazel beguiles with instrumental clarity and polish' / 'I love these performances, truly and deeply, and just a little madly.' --Classical Ear Review 4 *