Symphony No 7 [DVD] [US Import]

The series of DVDs of live performances of Mahler's symphonies with Claudio Abbado leading the Lucerne Festival Orchestra continues apace. We already had DVDs of Nos. 2, 5, 9 -- and now comes the Seventh recorded in the summer of 2005. All of them are simply marvelous in terms of interpretation, sound and video. Abbado has proven himself to be one of the best Mahlerians of our age and I hope this series continues until we have all of the symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde.

I have a very special place in my heart for the Seventh. It was my first Mahler symphony -- Hermann Scherchen leading the Vienna State Opera Orchestra (the Vienna Philharmonic in its other guise) released in 1950 -- and I wore it out playing it. I had no idea at the time that I was listening to Mahler's quirkiest symphony. I simply knew I loved every note of it (including the Vienna trumpeter's two cracked high C's in the last movement). Only later did I understand that the Seventh is probably the least familiar for most musiclovers and often the least-liked as well. I continue to feel it is an extremely strong work. It helps newcomers to be told that it is spooky like much of Berlioz's 'Symphonie Fantastique.' It even has a Witches' Sabbath movement (Mvt. III) even though it's not called that by Mahler. The whole symphony, though, was called 'The Song of the Night' and that pretty much sums up its atmosphere, at least until we get to the dawn and sunrise of the fifth and final movement.

As for this performance, I can't find a single thing to criticize. The tempi are perfect, the shaping of phrases and the molding of dynamics are perfect, the orchestra's playing cannot be faulted. Indeed, the Lucerne Festival Orchestra may be the best orchestra I know, made up as it is of principals from the major European orchestras, string players from the Hagen and Berg Quartets, members of Sabine Meyer's wind ensemble (she is the orchestra's principal clarinet), as well as members of the crack young Mahler Chamber Orchestra founded by Abbado in 1997, all former members of the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, itself founded by Abbado in 1986. (Many of the GMJO members have graduated to important positions throughout the world.) The MCO players' skill and enthusiasm are palpable in these DVDs. I suppose when you're playing behind some of the best players in the world (e.g. Kolja Blacher, concertmaster; Natalia Gutman, cello; Albrecht Mayer, oboe; Sabine Meyer; Wolfram Christ, viola, etc.) you do tend to play above your head. As for individual performances in this DVD one must single out principal trombonist Mark Templeton (principal in the London Symphony) who plays the euphonium (tenor horn) solos in the symphony's opening measures and throughout the first movement. Trumpet Reinhold Friedrich shines in the fifth movement's stratospheric trumpet writing. And we mustn't forget the marvelous horn playing of Alessio Allegrini, principal in the La Scala Orchestra. (And although he is not named, I must also mention the excellent mandolin player in Mvt. IV who gets to play the only mandolin part Mahler ever put into any of his symphonies -- unless you count 'Das Lied' as one of the symphonies.)

Sound is exemplary. Camerawork is unobtrusive, the editing clearly in touch with events in the musical score but without jumping about unnecessarily. There is plenty of opportunity to watch Abbado, who may be one of the most expressive conductors I've ever seen.

This DVD is one to treasure. I recommend it without reservation.

TT=78 mins. Sound: PCM Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1. Disc format: DVD 9

Scott Morrison

Abbado has the enviable reputation of being one of the world's finest Mahler conductors. This has been further reinforced by his set of performances held at Lucerne with his hand-picked orchestra constituting the Lucerne Festival orchestra. This very large orchestra, apart from containing musicians of outstanding individual abilities, also lays great stress upon their empathy and experience with the world of chamber music. Thus is achieved the unusual combination of orchestral size allied to individual and corporate sensitivity. This suits Abbado's particular vision of Mahler and this is apparent throughout this very fine performance which some would describe as close to definitive.

This symphony used to be known as `The Song of the Night' when I first got to hear it on a recording from the 1950's. At that time my awareness of Mahler was somewhat sketchy with a good understanding of the first symphony that I had had to analyse for an exam and some passing acquaintance with the symphonies 2, 3 and 4. Performances of Mahler were rare and sought-after events back then. That was all a long time ago and the world is different now with many performances to choose from as recordings. The 7th symphony is still considered one of the trickiest to get to know.

Mahler appears to have written the two Nachtmusik movements first but they are very different in character. The first one is said to be more of an outdoor event but the second is more of an indoor event and may also have been the very first of the movements to have been written. This impression of the indoors is reinforced by the instrumentation which features a mandolin and a guitar. Many of the orchestral members are also treated soloistically. This suits the nature of Abbado's approach to making music with the orchestra of course.

The central movement is a scherzo and is a fragmentary and somewhat grotesque treatment of waltz and landler dance rhythms. The whole effect is somewhat mysterious and full of fleeting shadows, possibly ghost-like. Abbado clearly has fun conducting it.

The last movement could be described as being generally of an optimistic and joyful nature and as such contrasts with the denser and darker first movement. The progression of the symphony has been described as moving from dark to light and that concept is not difficult to follow in broad terms.

The generously spacious layout of the orchestra allows the camera work to succeed in providing both sensitive detail as well as panoramic views. This visual element makes a telling contribution as we are able to see the changing body language of the conductor which matches the concept of the progression towards light and this adds to our understanding of the sounds he brings to our attention.

The addition of images to the aural coverage of this music is a great advantage in a work such as this and Abbado and his orchestra make for compelling guides. The sound itself is presented in wide-ranging DTS 5.1 and stereo formats and captures all of this with admirable lucidity.

Abbado has an international reputation of being perhaps the leading exponent of the Mahler symphonies at this time and in particular of the 7th symphony. In my opinion this is fully justified and this recording is a clear contender for the full 5 stars and should give much pleasure and satisfaction to most future purchasers.