Customer Reviews

Mahler: Symphonies 1-10; Das Lied von der Erde [Box Set]

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This 11-disk set collects recordings by the late Gary Bertini and the
Cologne Radio Symphony orchestra into a full Mahler symphony set. It
includes the 9 complete symphonies, "Das Lied von der Erde", and the
adagio from the unfinished tenth. The recordings are from the late 1980s
and early-mid 1990s; some are live, some studio. Some of this material
has been available on earlier EMI releases, through the Musical Heritage
Society, and perhaps elsewhere. The result is a set of fine performances
at an excellent price.

A comment on the sound: its very good throughout. However there's
slightly more dynamic compression than is typically used in current
recordings. Some audiophile purists may find that unfortunate, but not
objectionable. Frankly, it makes these performances more listenable when
portable or on the road.

Bertini, born in what is now Moldova, developed his career primarily in
Israel. He is not well known in the US. So I turned first to the booklet
packed in the box, and its colorful essay by Kyo Mitsutoshi, a Tokyo
based music critic. Mitsutoshi quickly dismisses the pantheon of
venerable Mahler conductors from Walter to the present day, telling us
that in the Bertini recordings we will hear nothing at all resembling
those legendary interpretations. Rather we should expect a Mahler of
"florid beauty", "the pinnacle of Mahler interpretation". So it was with
considerable trepidation that I ventured into these recordings, and have
now listened through all 11 disks. I am delighted to report that these
performances are nowhere near as bad as the liner essay had led me to
expect! Perhaps Mitsutoshi's hyperbole is exacerbated by a poor
translation. But relax, it is only Mitsutoshi's prose which is "florid".

Nevertheless, Bertini's approach is one which firmly places Mahler at
the height of late 19th century romanticism, rather than at the vanguard
of 20th century musical ferment. This is most evident in the slowest
passages, which Bertini often takes quite slowly indeed. The finale of
the third clocks in at 26 minutes, more than 3 minutes longer than
Horenstein's reading. The last movement of the ninth is nearly four
minutes longer than Solti's. Does it work? Well, Bertini wants us to
hear the lyrical side of Mahler, and he masterfully draws that out to a
limpid simplicity that is refreshing for the jaded Mahler ear. In
Bertini's tempos and instrumental balance, I hear things I've not heard
before. Mahler's slower, introspective passages are interpreted in a way
that makes audible new aspects of Mahler's genius of orchestration.

But what's missing in these tender passages, is the quiet desperation
which should be simmering below the surface. Bertini eschews most stock
Mahleresque technique. There is little of the rubato we have come to
expect woven into the fabric of Mahler, or the supple shifts from light
to shadow, summoning and dismissing moments of desolation and hope
within a few bars.

Instead, Bertini relies more on traditional romantic, sweeping contrasts
of tempo and dynamics. And there certainly are powerful contrasts here.
If some of Mahler's genius is lost, its done so intentionally in the
service of Bertini's rigorous romantic vision. But something is indeed
missing, when landler movements evoke confident waltzers gliding
over polished floors, rather than tentative, lilting country dancers.

But there are plenty of times when Bertini's vision works magnificently.
The Cologne orchestra puts tremendous resources of sinewy brass and
silky strings at the conductors command, and Bertini knows how to use
them. The epic opening movement of the 3rd is wonderful indeed, building
controlled long dynamic lines and delivering satisfying, measured
crescendos on target.

Some performances warrant special note: the middle movement of the fifth
is very nicely done; the orchestra is caught up in a wild whirl, while a
strident horn seeks rapprochement with a frenzied orchestra. The eighth is
a fine live performance, paced quite smartly. Conductors have long
differed over interpretation of the popular adagietto of the fifth.
Bertini splits the difference here, opening at quite a quick clip, but
slowing as it progresses. The total run time of 10 minutes is somewhere
between Zander's fast lilt and Bernstein's funereal rendering.

The "Das Lied" is the gem of this set. The orchestral textures are
wonderfully transparent. The songs for the tenor, which in some
performances serve as intermissions between the mezzo's songs, are
decisively rescued from this fate by Ben Heppner. Marjana Lipovsek gives
a heartfelt performance with more spirit, (and less gratuitous
portamento) than on her recording with Solti. There's a drive and
urgency here which is quite a surprise after listening through Bertini's
10 symphonies, with not an inappropriately languishing tempo lingering
anywhere. I think this will become one of my very favorite Das Lieds.

I've been riveted by Mahler's music since I discovered it when I was 17,
many years ago. I no longer seek definitive performances, but hunger to
hear the richness of Mahler mined by a variety of artists. This set
offers a lot to explore. I would discourage someone relatively new to
Mahler from springing for this set, despite the attractive price.
Instead, pick and choose from recordings which lie more to the center of
the received tradition. But if you've been there and done that, continue
your journey with these fine, if eccentric performances.

I have to both agree with, and take exception to, some of the comments in the CD package's essay about Gary Bertini by Kyo Mitsutoshi, a Japanese music critic and clearly a fan of the late conductor. Mitsutoshi writes of Bertini's objectivity, his esthetic of beauty and classical restraint, and his rendering of these scores as paintings rather than psychodramas. These are all valid points, yet taken together they might easily be misinterpreted to suggest a conductor who lacked a forceful podium presence, who was less than fully involved, and who shied away from the music's darker implications and its moments of deliberate harshness. Actually, what you get in this 11-CD set is music-making that pulses with vibrancy, color, and authenticity--just without the obvious huffing and puffing of a couple of the better-known Mahlerians. The scores' moments of grotesquerie and neurosis are there, but they're not (over)emphasized as with Leonard Bernstein. Instead, we have the suggestion of tensions simmering below surfaces that shimmer with beauty. Avoiding overstatement actually allows those tensions to stand out in sharper, unsettling contrast.

As this review's title suggests, the appearance of this set is revelatory. First, there is the conductor's ability to allow even an experienced Mahler fan to hear these scores afresh. Second, there is the revelation that a more subtle, less over-the-top approach can better delineate both the macro (the overarching design of each symphony) as well as micro (details such as splashes of color and important subsidiary lines that are usually glossed over), along with conveying the music's psychological depths. (And don't think that Bertini pulls any punches in moments such as the "with the greatest vehemence" climax of the Ninth Symphony's opening movement.) Third, there's the "where have you been all my life?" aspect of this boxed set. These recordings were made between 1984 and 1991 and only sporadically available in the U.S. upon their initial releases. For many Mahlerites both here and abroad, the posthumous release of this bargain-priced anthology represents the first opportunity (as it was for me) to hear what they've missed all these years. Bertini, whose death in 2005 was ignored by the British music press, turns out to have been one of the greatest Mahler conductors--and now you can hear this for yourself in beautifully played, spectacularly well-recorded performances. Yes, there are a few quibbles: a detail here and there that might have gotten greater emphasis, a few vocal passages where the generally fine soloists sound strained, the inconvenient splitting of both the Third AND Fourth Symphonies between discs (unavoidable, apparently, due to the limitations of CD length). But those are minor complaints about a collection that on balance just might be the finest complete Mahler cycle available, in terms of both performance and sound quality.

David Hurwitz of "Classics Today" says it all and in spades. I had never heard of Gary Bertini until I read his review of this 11 CD gem of a set. Mahler has never been more beautifully and brilliantly conducted. The music line of Mahler's often very difficult musical phrasing in Bertini's hands flows seamlessly without distortion, fractures in the musical flow, or exaggeration of ego bombast. The big moments ring with thrilling richness and soul moving exaltation. I trusted Hurwitz in his review of the EMI recording of the Kempe Strauss complete orchestral works and that was a trust well rewarded and the same here. I think one of Bertini's many achievements in what I have heard so far [discs just arrived today] are his innate resistance to be bombastic, banal and overblown. The final movement of the 3rd is as good as it gets; in the same category as Bernstein's 3rd on DDG but Bertini's advantage is an even greater subtlety. The movement just ended and you have to experience it, no matter whose cycle you may prefer. The 2nd with Quivar and Laki [the latter totally unknown to me] are extraordinarily stunning in sound and interpretation. Quivar's entrance "O Roschen rot" is gripping and her "O Glaube, mein Herz.." hits an inner chord that even Ludwig doesn't surpass. And Ludwig grips your soul on the Mehta recording. The closing chorus and orchestra with Bertini end in a glory as if from another universe. The adagietto of the 5th is equal of any other recording I've heard if not superior. The peace and gentleness are perfection. I think Bertini is very under-appreciated. The attention to detail is unbelievably beautiful, hearing instruments I have not heard on other recording. Hurwitz also praises the brass and they are outstanding. Conductor and the Cologne Radio symphony are beyond reproach. At the price, not to have this set is to deny yourself one of the eighth wonders of music. None of the over-stressed angst that many conductors of mahler's symphonies love to overwork. Too bad Bertini cannot personally experience the attention and appreciation of this his outstanding achievement. I hope the musicians of the Cologne Radio symphony will revel in their outstanding achievement. And so it goes... kudos to EMI. The 1st is flowing through my headphones and seems to be another glory of this set. Buy! Buy!

This is a very unusual set of Mahler symphonies. I became curious about this set from reading correspondences between different Mahler fans in various chatrooms. What made me curious was the strongly opposing views that people had of this set. Due to its scarcity prior to the recent box set release, it sort of became an unknown legend. Many claimed that it was the best they have ever heard and others thought it was overated. Being a Mahler fan, it got me really itching to hear what all the fuss was about.Then I read a rave review by David Hurwitz in ClassicsToday and decided to take a plunge. I finally got to hear it for myself.

What I heard really took me by suprise. Although the music was familiar to me, I felt that I was hearing completely new pieces. The best way to describe it was that it was more "classical" than other Mahler interpretations. I guessed the Japanese critic who wrote the introduction for Mr. Bertini was probably right but in a clumsy fashion. I had to say my initial response after reading the notes was not to buy the box set. I was glad that I did not base my assessment on his notes.

There was certainly a smoothness in the music and people who were used to having their dramatic interpretations may protest against this music. However, I did not think that necessarily had to be the case. The Japanese critic seemed to suggest that if you liked Bernstein, you would not like Bertini. I disagreed. I am a fan of Bernstein's Mahler intrepretations and although I agreed that the two conductors' interpretations were diametrically opposed to each other, both interpretations are valid. Maybe this is becasue I did not have a fixed expectation of how Mahler should be played. I just simply wanted to enjoy the music. I started liking Mahler not because of I realised he was a great symphonist. I liked Mahler simply because I liked what I heard. I thought that listening to both different sets bring out the genius of Mahler. The two different interpretations (Berstein and Bertini) complimented each other rather than competed. I did not think there was a perfect or right interpretation of Mahler. I thought having different interpretations of Mahler enriched the appreciation and enjoyment of Mahler. That was why I would suggest that this Bertini set is a must have as it was very different to all the other Mahler interpretaions available. The others varied in the emphasis and drama of the music but this interpretation took on a totally new approach. Bertini took a historical approach of going back to music before Mahler whilst others took on a futuristic approach of taking music to times after Mahler. As a result,I was hearing so much more in Mahler's music and I was so thankful to Mr. Bertini for his revelation of Mahler.

I've been always curious, but reluctant to buy this set, partly due to the misleading criticism by the Japanese critic Kyo Mitsutoshi, a part of which I read before. In his overly poetic commentary, he describes Bertini as a classicist who values beauty above all and whose interpretation is somewhat reserved, as opposed to the conductors like Bernstein, Solti and Tennstedt who placed much emphasis on contrasting emotional expression.

Having exhausted almost all great Mahler recordings, I finally decided to get this set just to quench my curiosity. I can not disagree more after listening to it. There is nothing reserved or classical about Bertini's readings. Take for example the outrageously bold and impassioned reading of Adagietto from 5th, which out do Tennnstedt's famous Royal Festival Hall live account or the overwhelmingly powerful treatment of the first movement of 3rd , which out do Bernstein. In fact, fascination of Bertini lies in that he can not be classified in any category. The conductor apparently possesses enormous reverence for Mahler's music and that comes across in every performance. You can not fully appreciate real richness and intricacy of Mahler's orchestration until you listen to these recordings. Bertini's Mahler cycle is an amazing journey of discoveries.


Symphony No.1 (Live in Tokyo, 1991)
A beautifully crafted performance which is near perfect and filled with many breath taking moments of beauty and inspiration. My favourite recording, alongside Kubelik's DG recording and Giulini's deeply felt account.

Symphony No.2 (1991, Köln)
Like Stokowski's monstrous Prom live recording, this towering performance can stand alone for its unparalleled power of expression and other worldly beauty. The way brass and percussion explode in the first movement is absolutely terrifying. Unlike Stokowski, Bertini achieves maximum impact of each outburst in all movements without much exaggeration, but by masterful control of tempi and ebb and flow of the music. Both soprano and mezzo give intensely passionate yet noble performance of their part. The build-up to the climax is full of revelatory moments and nothing short of awe inspiring. The final apotheosis is overwhelmingly powerful with organ, chorus, and percussions playing prominent roles. First movement is on disc 1, separated from the rest.

Symphony No.3 (1985, Köln)
This is definitely the outstanding performance, not only in this set, but also among the likes of Abbado, Horenstein, Bernstein, Levine, Haitink and Kubelik. First movement is extremely powerful and bold with almost apocalyptic edge and with pauses employed most effectively to create great sense of suspense. String sound literally flowers in the second movement; exquisite playing by wind instruments and brass played with amazing boisterousness in the third movement. Misterioso is played very slowly (10'50) with profound singing by contralto (annoyingly it is separated from the last two movements). Last movement is simply awe inspiring. The drum in the closing section has strong emphatic edge which adds to the grandeur of the finale. I've never come across performance of such depth and sublime beauty.

Symphony No.4 (1987, Köln)
Another revelatory performance, filled with moments of discovery and details you've never heard before. The conductor draws gorgeous string sound from the orchestra. The slow movement is deeply elegiac and masterfully controlled. The last movement is wonderfully vivid and boisterous with Lucia Popp's ethereal singing finely balanced with the orchestra. Placing the last movement on other disc is unforgivable stupidity!

Symphony No.5 (1990, Köln)
This performance proves that it is nonsense to say Bertini's interpretation is reserved - in fact this is one of the most violent and intensely felt account of 5th I've ever known. Adagietto is outrageously boldly phrased and played with overwhelming passion. It is hard to imagine more powerful and moving account. The last movement is simply sublime. Thankfully fit into one disc.

Symphony No.6 (1984, Köln)
This is not the best performance in the cycle, however there are many revelatory moments and admirable effects. The first movement is played superbly in masterfully judged tempo, neither too fast nor too slow, with plenty of driving force and powerful impact. Second movement is played in strangely slow tempo with lots of contrast and weight. The slow movement is beautifully played, but somehow fails to capture the inner drive and grandeur the great music deserves. Percussions create most atmospheric Alpine scenes, the effect unlike any other conductors could realise before. Overall impact of the last movement is rather weak as the music suffers from too much slowing down in wrong places. The last movement on different disc.

Symphony No.7 (1990, Köln)
Under Bertini's baton the most elusive and grotesque of Mahler symphonies is transformed into a rich tapestry of orchestral colours and instrumental characterisation, and the music becomes more approachable. He draws magical sound from woodwinds, strings and mandolin. Fit in one disc.

Symphony No.8 (Live in Tokyo, 1991)
Another outstanding and splendid recording. Part 1 is amazingly sumptuous with choir and soloists taking the centre stage, although it suffers from overly melodramatic singing by soloists, placed too close to microphone and even intrusive at times. Part 2 is expansively paced throughout, and there are many awe inspiring moments, especially in the build up to the finale. Very slowly paced final apotheosis is not the most overwhelming on record, but massive and glorious to conclude the epic journey. Fit into one disc.

Symphony No.9 (Live in Tokyo, 1991)
Another outstanding performance - words just fail to describe the sheer sumptuousness of the music making and magical beauty of sounds, not to mention the very profound and incandescent account of the last movement. Percussions seldom fail to create maximum impact throughout. 3rd and 4th movement on different disc.

Symphony No.10 (1991, Köln)
Another beautifully crafted performance with exquisite detail. It's a great shame, Bertini did not record Cooke's completed version!

Das Lied von der Erde (Live in Tokyo, 1991)
In this work, you can really appreciate Bertini's amazing ability to let music blossom freely in ever exquisite colours and nuances. Tenor, Ben Heppner, sings brilliantly with very pleasant, youthful sort of voice. Mezzo, Marjana Lipovsek, has just right sort of warm and deep voice, and her singing never intrudes on the music, while expressing its poetry with real feeling and understanding. Der Abschied is deeply moving. On one disc.


The amazing account of 2nd, 3rd, 9th alone makes this set a must-buy, but together with very impressive 1st, 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th and Das Lied, the price is just ridiculous! Only downside is the odd way some of the symphonies are spread on two discs - I would rather pay £30 for more numbers of discs to fit all movements of each symphony either on one disc or distributed in musically reasonable order. The sound quality in every recording is incredibly realistic and broad. With decent speakers it's almost like sitting in a concert hall. You need a soundproof room to realise full capacity of the recordings.

Gary Bertini's EMI Mahler cycle is more or less contemporary with Tennstedt's Mahler cycle on the same label. But, according to the gossip, the company decided to keep Bertini in the vaults since the former and LPO where more publicly known. In my view, however, Bertini's set is clearly superior. The orchestra - Kölner Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester - is outstanding, far better than LPO, and so are most of Bertini's interpretations as well.

Considering that Bertini and the orchestra are not among the obvious "stars", it is an exceptional sleeper. In fact, Bertini was virtually unknown before this cycle made him famous, post mortem.

The cycle combines both live and studio recordings. The live ones were recorded in Japan where the audience knows how to behave. Excellent stereo sound adds to the pleasure.

But one could note that some of Bertini's tempi are among the slowest on record. The final movement of symphony no. 9 stops at 28:34, which is ten minutes more than Walter's 1939 classic. It's even a few seconds slower than Chailly's very slow account on Decca. The finale of the third is six minutes longer than Tennstedt's on EMI. But the adagietto in the fifth stops at just above 10 minutes, so Bertini is not consistently very slow when Mahler's music may invite sentimental conductors to drag. Unlike such conductors, however, Bertini has the ability to keep tension during a long breath, bringing forth interesting details in contextual balance.

Thus the performances of symphonies 1, 5, 7, 8, 9 and Das Lied von der Erde are outstanding, challenging almost every recording in the current catalogue. The remaining symphonies are also convincingly presented, in perfectly consistent performances.

However, one irritating thing with this set is that the fourth symphony is divided over two discs. That EMI decision was not necessary. The cycle could still fit on 11 CDs with a different editing. The policy for all record companies should be to avoid unnecessary splitting.

At a super-bargain price, this is of course the first choice among boxed sets, especially the contemporary ones. All the recordings in this box have something that attracts repeated listening. This is true of Gielen's outstanding cycle too (Hänssler), but it requires you to pay four times the price. Still, Kubelik (DG) remains my favourite cycle. But Bertini's is better recorded.

Warmly recommended!

Like other reviewers, I had read David Hurwitz's review of this set on [...]. It sounded like a worthy addition to the two sets I already have---Bernstein I and Gielen.

I've been trying to decide how to characterize the set, i.e. what's different from the other two I own. I think its strength is the consistently excellent and musical playing on the part of the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra. It sounds like the players love playing Mahler and are committed to doing so with attention to detail and with affection. The sound is excellent.

It's elegant, vital and lyrical playing, and most of the time I find it completely satisfying. But if it's straightforward, letting the music speak for itself, it is also a more Apollonian approach, and sometimes I long for less understatement and more theater. Bertini's more classic style works very well in Symphony 4, for example, but in Symphony 6 it misses the fierceness which is also part of Mahler, and which Bernstein and Gielen face head-on.

But that's the mystery and the pleasure of musical interpretation. No interpreter is perfect, and each brings his or her own strengths and weaknesses to a performance. Bertini's humility contrasts with Bernstein's intensely personal approach.

Overall this is a very rewarding set. Over time one if its greatest advantages may be that one doesn't tire of it as one might tire of a more idiosyncratic set. Highly recommended.

I own 22 complete Mahler Symphony cycles (including the one under review here) and a plethora of individual issues dating back to Mengelberg's 4th with the Concertgebouw. Ok, so I am "a bit" nuts for Mahler, sue me and/or call Bellevue. The latter may be an appropriate destination for me, according to some of you, since I am proud to divulge that--I DO like Boulez' Mahler. (Where are the new "Das Klagende Lied" and the "Adagio" from the 10th? Huh?). But then, no composer invites--no, encourages--such a wide universe of interpretation for his works. The four opening measures of the Mahler 4th--as interpreted by Mengelberg and Boulez--intone the same musical notes but are as remote, emotionally, from each other as galaxies. (Or, as my wife likes to say: "about as close as a male ever comes to understanding a female!")

Well, on to the item under consideration here: the Mahler 10 Symphonies and Das Lied von der Erde as performed by Gary Bertini and the Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester, on EMI.

The boys and girls of the Cologne Orchestra and Mr. Bertini have given us a Mahler cycle that will go down as one of the greatest achievements in recorded history. The performances rank among the top interpretations for each and every symphony. This set will be treasured by all who love Mahler's music and accorded the same esteem as the iconic cycles by Kubelik and Bernstein (New York). This is impassioned music making with tremendous virtuosity and élan. I am only sorry it has taken me so long to finally get to listen to it. Trust me. Listen to any of the 11CDs in this set. You'll need a diaper!

The sound captured by EMI is world-class and infinitely better than the better publicized Tennstedt and Rattle cycles on the same label. Only the Gielen on Hänssler, and the Chailly on Decca, have (marginally) better sound. If you own a state-of-the-art stereo system (i.e.: anything that doesn't have BOSE stamped on it) you will love the sonics--spacious, realistic and without hint of the dreaded digital glare. (I really can't understand the comments voiced on this site that the sound of these recordings is "compressed." I also listen to vinyl so I am quite familiar with the term "compression." A quick audition of any of the original CBS Bernstein/Mahler LPs is an unpleasant reminder of the wretched past of U.S. music reproduction. Please, don't get me going on RCA "Dynagroove.")

Quick! Buy this set before it's discontinued, as is the pattern with EMI. They do tend to nix recordings within minutes after release, except, of course, those by Sir (or is it Saint?) Simon (I did bow thrice in the direction of the UK and kissed my recent issue of Gramophone before I typed his name).

For you Mahlerites out-and-about: I have recently re-listened to cycles by Leif Segerstam on Chandos, Seiji Ozawa on Philips and all the Mahler recorded (all symphonies except 2 & 8) by James Levine for RCA. Folks, some really excellent performances to be heard in them so don't believe all the "toro-caca" that's been heaped at them over the years until you listen for yourselves. Other unexpected (but welcome) surprises have come via the Abravanel/Utah recordings and those by Inbal/Frankfurt. There IS a lot of life outside of Vienna and Berlin! I must confess that I've yet to hear any of the ongoing Gergiev or Zinman cycles. Poorly-rehearsed (some in the business claim "non-rehearsed") and performed Prokofiev and Shostakovich from the former, and dull-to-catatonic Beethoven (oh, gee, "new editions," José, as in: "tah-tah-tah-plink"!) and Strauss from the latter, have dimmed my curiosity for the moment. I am sure they mean well, though.

Finally, if I may, let me mention another recent encounter with previously unknown (to me) recordings--André Cluyten's Beethoven Symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic (also EMI). Again, another monumental set that has greatness in every performance. (If you do also get this set, then splurge and get the 50-pack Pampers.)

Gary Bertini and the Cologne Radio Symphony? The Mahler symphonies have been recorded in toto by many of the "biggest" names in music Leonard Bernstein (three times), Solti, Kubelik, Haitink and so on with the best known orchestras in the world ---- Vienna Philharmonic, Concertgebouw, New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Berlin Philharmonic, and so on and so on. I've given away my bias by those I've chosen to list and the sequence I've put them in.
And along comes a little known conductor, now deceased, with an orchestra I would not rank with those above; and by virtue of their sheer musicianship they belong alongside all the above. Mr. Bertini's performances hew closer to Mr. Kubelik and Mr. Haitink in being moderate in both tempo and phrasing. At the same time, Mr. Bertini still beings a far greater feeling of intensity and passion than either. Mr. Bertini's performances have a sweep and a grandeur that places them on the same plane as Mr. Bernstein's performances without entirely going "over the top" as Mr. B. was inclined to do.
No: Bertini's recording of the Sixth Symphony does not take us emotionally to the depth of Mr. Bernstein's last recording (DG digital). Nor has Mr. Solti's magnificent performance of the Eighth been surpassed. But I were asked to choose one cycle to live with for the rest of my life, it would be this one.

I just finished listening to these nine symphonies in order, score in hand, for the first time ever. In fact, it was the first time I've heard all the symphonies by one conductor, and the first time I've followed along with the score for most of them. I'm obviously no Mahler expert, in fact, I've never considered myself a huge fan, so take that into account. I have read all of the Amazon reviews and agree with the bulk of what has been said -- these are very beautiful and absorbing performances and I look forward to listening to them again. The critical observations that follow are not meant to discourage anyone from buying them: I think the set would be a good addition to any Mahler collection, no matter how large, and a fine place to start for beginners.
First, regarding tempos, I don't think they are too slow, for the most part. I checked the timings for the first four symphonies against other recordings in my collection, and Bertini was marginally faster in three of them. There are a few individual movements -- the final movement of the ninth is fresh in my mind -- that seem simply too slow for musical coherence, but there are many more where his marginal relaxation illuminates wonderful details I'd never noticed before. I was more bothered by the balances between instruments: often I would be following a musical thread and would simply not be able to hear what I was seeing at all. It's one thing to subordinate secondary voices, but make them totally disappear? I noticed this far too often for it to be mistakes on the part of musicians (though one reviewer did notice many of these, I'm just not that good of a musician), and so I wonder whether these were decisions on the part of the conductor or quirks of the recording process. In the eighth I noticed that soloists were inconsistently spotlighted, so I suspect the recording engineers may have monkeyed with too many knobs and sliders. Listening without reference to the score, most of these things would probably go undetected, and I plan to test that theory on the next round. Lastly, I must say that I noticed that the Orchestra was not in the same class as the Concertgebouw, Vienna, Berlin, or the old Philharmonia, and I missed some of their artistry, particularly in the woodwinds. The transparency and realism of these recordings is so good that it is a joy to listen to even when it reveals (slight) deficiencies. All of these quibbles are very minor weighed against the beauties of these performances. I might suggest supplementing this set with speedier 3rd and 9th symphonies, and a 7th with more Mahlerian mystery, like Bernstein/New York.