Mahler - Symphony No.7 - Claudio Abbado, Lucerne Festival Orchestra (2005)

Claudio Abbado is undeniably the supreme Mahler conductor of our time.
The Lucerne Festival Orchestra has set new standards in the field of classical music.
The core of the orchestra is provided by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, itself an élite body of players. Soloists like violinist Kolja Blacher, clarinettist Sabine Meyer, oboist Albrecht Mayer, violist Wolfram Christ, cellist Natalia Gutman, the Hagen Quartet and members of the Alban Berg Quartet to name just a few, make the Lucerne Festival Orchestra a star-studded ensemble.
Brand new recording – state-of-the-art quality.

Review: With this release of last year's Lucerne Festival performance of the Mahler 7th, Claudio Abbado further enhances his credentials as one of the world's preeminent Mahler conductors, and his hand-picked Lucerne Festival Orchestra (now minus flutist Emmanuel Pahud, but no matter) convinces us yet again of its role as the agent of that conviction. All of the wonders of Abbado's earlier outing in the 7th with the Berlin Philharmonic are intact, with the DVD medium visually reinforcing the obvious sense of pleasure enjoyed by the participants. Given the heavy concentration of BPO musicians in the Lucerne Orchestra, supplemented as they are by stellar chamber music performers like Sabine Meyer and the Hagen Quartet, what we're presented with here is truly a "dream band."

I can't think of another conductor, even the much celebrated MTT, who more readily communicates the joy and exuberance contained in this score, the sense of wonder and mystery contained in all those things that "go bump in the night," and– in the sphere of musical craftsmanship–the ability to negotiate all of Mahler's fits and starts and changes of mood so persuasively. Abbado revels in every turn of phrase, every change in voicing, but never loses focus of the overarching musical line. It is simply a masterclass in conducting.

The sound balance is a bit more forward than in previous Lucerne Festival issues; indeed, the audio perspective is that of Abbado's podium. I've not heard the surround playback, so I can't really comment on any differences there. Beyond that, the soundstage production is quite realistic, just not one of ambient depth.

This performance is a welcome addition to Abbado's remarkable DVD series, joining earlier outings with the 2nd and 5th symphonies by the Lucerne Orchestra, and that of the 9th with Abbado and the Mahler Youth Orchestra. Given Abbado's precarious health in the past several years, we can only hope that he'll be able to complete a full Mahler cycle on DVD, and perhaps revisit the 9th with the marvelous Lucerne ensemble. In the interim, we're all now privileged to join that lucky Swiss audience in witnessing more of Abbado's extraordinary Mahler. Watch, listen, and be amazed.

Works on This Recording

1. Opening • Vorspann • Generique debut 1:03
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
Symphony No. 7 in E minor
Symphonie Nr. 7 e-Moll • Symphonie n° 7 en mi mineur
2. I. Langsam (Adagio) - Allegro risoluto, ma non troppo 19:46
3. II. Nachtmusik I: Allegro moderato 15:18
4. III. Scherzo: Schattenhaft - Trio 8:43
5. IV. Nachtmusik II: Andante amoroso 11:38
6. V. Rondo-Finale:
Tempo I (Allegro ordinario)
Tempo II (Allegro moderato ma energico) 17:30
7. Credits - Abspann • Generique fin 3:43