New Mahler Cycle from Frankfurt

G.Mahler, Symphonies 1 & 2, P.Järvi / Frankfurt RSO Unitel / c-major

Paavo Järvi and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra (in Germany the hr-Sinfonieorchesters, "hr" standing for "Hesse Radio"), performed and recorded the Mahler Symphonies at the Rheingau Musik Festival between 2007 and 2013. They were recorded in three different venues, the Basilika of the Eberbach Abbey, the concert hall of the Kurhaus (now named Friedrich-von-Thiersch-Saal) and the Old Opera, the home of the Frankfurt RSO.

The orchestra isn't new to recording Mahler; it has recorded the complete works (but with a performing version of the 10th, whereas this set will only include the Adagio) for Denon in the 80s under Eliahu Inbal. (Now on Brilliant.) Three releases of five are now out in Europe, in the US, only the first DVD/Blu-ray seems out at this point.

Paavo Järvi’s previously recorded Mahler includes SymphonyNo.2 and Four Short Movements. (Review here). His father, Neeme Järvi, of course, has recorded most (but not all) of Mahler. Here are these recordings (Nos. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 on Chandos, 8 on BIS, 2 and Das Lied von der Erde on DVD/Vai) collected in one place. (Not that they ever made much of a splash, except perhaps the oddly wonderful Eighth, which we have reviewed here.