Building a Library: Mahler's Symphony No. 7

Available for over a year

Stephen Johnson for Building a Library surveys available recordings of Mahler's Symphony No. 7 and makes a recommendation. For much of the last century, Mahler's Seventh Symphony was considered a dud, recorded by a handful of die-hard Mahlerians. Even by 1980, distinguished Mahler scholar Deryck Cooke only reflected the consensus when he described it as 'the Cinderella among Mahler's symphonies,' which 'presents an enigmatic, inscrutable face to the world...one which arouses suspicions as to its quality.' If the middle three movements were considered successful, the first and especially the last were beyond hope. But the symphony is actually full of some of Mahler's greatest music and these days things are very different: any and every self-respecting Mahler conductor has recorded it and the catalogue groans with a huge number of versions. Recommended Recording: Berlin Philharmonic; Claudio Abbado (conductor) DG 4716232 (CD) or DG 4793204 (11 CDs) Other Recommended Recordings: Below are other recordings that Stephen also liked, although we can’t guarantee availability. London Phiharmonic Orchestra; Klaus Tennstedt (conductor) EMI 5729412 (11 CDs) New York Philharmonic Orchestra; Leonard Bernstein (conductor) Sony SMK60564 (Digital download), Sony M2S 739 (15 LP set)