David Zinman, Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich - Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 7 (2009)

Posted By: ArlegZ

Date: June 10, 2023

David Zinman's audiophile series of Gustav Mahler's symphonies for RCA has garnered much critical praise, due mainly to the coherence of his musical interpretations and the marvelous clarity of the playing by the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra. Both qualities are vital to understanding Mahler, whose intensely varied music is never easily pinned down, and often just as easily muddled. The Symphony No. 7 in E minor, unofficially nicknamed "The Song of the Night," is one of Mahler's most complicated works because it contains a sprawling symphonic dirge, a haunted yet charmingly pastoral nocturne, a grim danse macabre, a humorously amorous serenade, and a rondo finale based on nineteenth century musical clichés, all designed to showcase the many moods and mood swings of Mahler, perhaps the most complicated composer of the twentieth century. In the hands of conductors who don't understand the work's inner connections and overall continuity, the symphony can sound like a series of bizarre vignettes, disconnected tone poems, or, even worse, as a parody of a Mahler symphony, none of which make it sound like a masterpiece. Zinman's grasp of the symphony's external structure and internal flow – especially in the streams of melodies and the liquidity of the counterpoint – makes it come across clearly in development and expression. The orchestra is a model of transparency, especially in the many chamber-like passages that show off the woodwinds, and the players are especially wonderful to hear in the glorious multichannel reproduction of this hybrid SACD. Of special note is the demonstration of unusual sonorities and extended effects in the spooky Scherzo, where the various solos have vivid coloration and distinctive identities, yet all the melodic snippets fit together in one of the earliest examples of Klangfarbenmelodie. Thanks to Zinman's clear-headed approach and the orchestra's precise execution, this is one of the finest Mahler discs of the year. Highly recommended.
–Blair Sanderson

Performer:
Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich
David Zinman, conductor

Tracklist:
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
Sinfonie Nr. 7 E-moll
01. I. Langsam (Adagio) - Allegro risoluto, ma non troppo
02. II. Nachtmusik 1: Allegro moderato - Tempo 1 subito, molto moderato (Andante)
03. III. Scherzo: Schattenhaft - Trio: Fließend, Aber nicht schnell
04. IV. Nachtmusik 2: Andante amoroso
05. V. Rondo-Finale: Allegro ordinario - Allegro moderato, ma energico

EAC LOG

Exact Audio Copy V1.0 beta 3 from 29. August 2011

EAC extraction logfile from 6. May 2013, 17:14

Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra & David Zinman / Mahler - Symphony No.7 - David Zinman

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AccurateRip summary

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Track 2 accurately ripped (confidence 8) [38AC14B1] (AR v2)
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End of status report

Thanks to the original releaser

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