{"id":3722,"date":"2025-10-01T21:58:57","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T19:58:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pulsations.art\/?p=3722"},"modified":"2025-10-01T22:40:59","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T20:40:59","slug":"mahler_rco_chiefconducrors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pulsations.art\/en\/mahler_rco_chiefconducrors\/","title":{"rendered":"Mahler at the Concertgebouw: A Review of the RCO&rsquo;s Chief Conductors Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3722\" class=\"elementor elementor-3722\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1d00199 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"1d00199\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-27e8f28 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"27e8f28\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2b6fbb3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2b6fbb3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/pulsations.art\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/cover-mahler-set-768x768.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-image-3723\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pulsations.art\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/cover-mahler-set-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pulsations.art\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/cover-mahler-set-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pulsations.art\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/cover-mahler-set-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/pulsations.art\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/cover-mahler-set-12x12.jpg 12w, https:\/\/pulsations.art\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/cover-mahler-set.jpg 780w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1980ac4 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"1980ac4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ccee84e elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"ccee84e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cd81750 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cd81750\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">Gustav Mahler &#8211; The Chief Conductors Edition<\/span><\/strong><\/p><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s2\">Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra &#8211; RCO Live, 2025<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Format<\/span><span class=\"s2\">: 15 CDs, limited edition box set<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Label<\/span><span class=\"s2\">: RCO Live \/ AVROTROS<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Release date<\/span><span class=\"s2\">: May 2025 (to coincide with Amsterdam Mahler Festival)<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Contents<\/span><span class=\"s2\">:<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Complete Symphonies Nos. 1\u20139<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Das Lied von der Erde<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Symphony No. 10 (Deryck Cooke performing version)<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Performers<\/span><span class=\"s2\">: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Conductors featured<\/span><span class=\"s2\">: Willem Mengelberg, Eduard van Beinum, Bernard Haitink, Riccardo Chailly, Mariss Jansons, Daniele Gatti<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Recordings<\/span><span class=\"s2\">: Live radio broadcasts from the Concertgebouw, various years (1939\u20132016)<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2796a68 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"2796a68\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2b7cc46 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"2b7cc46\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6ef96ac elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6ef96ac\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Mahler at the Concertgebouw: Great Performances, Weak Presentation: The Missed Promise of the Chief Conductors Edition (2025)<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6003e3c elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"6003e3c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f3e976b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f3e976b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">To mark the 2025 Mahler Festival, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra has issued a 15-CD box set spanning a century of its chief conductors in Mahler. The ambition is immense, the heritage unquestionable - yet the execution raises questions.\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2cd6391 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"2cd6391\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2cf79dd e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2cf79dd\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c2af987 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"c2af987\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0f36b4d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0f36b4d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Gustav Mahler\u2019s historic link to Amsterdam and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (RCO) looms large in the marketing of this set. Mahler himself conducted the Concertgebouw Orchestra several times between 1903 and 1911, even exclaiming, \u00ab\u00a0The music culture in this country is astonishing! The way these people can listen!\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0. Those early encounters have been burnished into legend, forming the basis of the RCO\u2019s vaunted Mahler tradition . Indeed, the notion that no ensemble can claim a more tenacious Mahler lineage has become a proud article of faith in Amsterdam. It is no surprise, then, that this new box set \u2013 <i>Gustav Mahler: The Chief Conductors Edition<\/i> \u2013 leans heavily on that legacy. Timed to coincide with the Concertgebouw\u2019s May 2025 Mahler Festival, the limited-edition set assembles live recordings of all of Mahler\u2019s symphonies (plus <i>Das Lied von der Erde<\/i> and the Cooke completion of the <i>Tenth<\/i>) as conducted by the orchestra\u2019s successive chief conductors: Willem Mengelberg, Eduard van Beinum, Bernard Haitink, Riccardo Chailly, Mariss Jansons, and Daniele Gatti . On paper, it\u2019s a Mahlerian dream spanning over a century of tradition. In practice, however, this release falls short of its formidable promise in several respects.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-606714f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"606714f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Artistic survey: highlights and letdowns<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dd67acd elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"dd67acd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Taken as a whole, the artistic quality of the set is respectable but uneven. The concept of showcasing each chief conductor in \"their\" Mahler is intriguing, and indeed we hear a broad range of interpretive styles, from Mengelberg\u2019s old-world rubato to Gatti\u2019s modern polish. Yet the results vary widely in merit. A closer look at each entry in this Mahler parade reveals a mix of gems, curiosities, and redundant inclusions:\n\t<br><br>Symphony No. 1 (Riccardo Chailly, 1999): Chailly launches the cycle with a First that boasts flawless contemporary sonics and the glorious playing you\u2019d expect from the RCO. He has an acute ear for Mahler\u2019s orchestral color, inner details (like harp glissandi and tam-tam strokes) register vividly, and the technical execution is beyond reproach. Interpretively, however, Chailly\u2019s approach comes off as a bit too sleek and controlled. There\u2019s a certain inelasticity in his tempos and phrasing, which keeps much of the performance emotionally lukewarm. Only in the finale does the interpretation catch fire, where Chailly pushes the music to a grandiloquent conclusion, forcefully underlining the march\u2019s almost Verdian melodrama and finally igniting the excitement that the earlier movements somewhat lack.<br>\n<br>Symphony No. 2 (Daniele Gatti, 2016): The \"Resurrection\" under Gatti is a study in contrasts. The opening movement unfolds in broad, lyrical strokes, at times impressively weighty and earthbound (indeed, an \"earthy, chthonic\" quality permeates the low strings and rumbling basses). Gatti is attentive to Mahler\u2019s markings and draws out some beautifully hushed playing. Yet for all its polish, the performance feels spiritually inert. The finale is massive and imposing, but also heavy-handed and oddly empty: the climaxes turn bombastic, and the music\u2019s transcendence never arrives. At its bloated extremes, Gatti\u2019s Second feels closer in spirit to Klemperer\u2019s granite-faced <i>Seventh Symphony<\/i> than to a true <i>Resurrectio<\/i>n. Even fine contributions from the soloists (mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill delivers a steady, warm \"Urlicht\") cannot rescue the drawn-out, almost perfunctory final peroration. It\u2019s a grandiose but curiously un-moving account.<br>\n<br>Symphony No. 3 (Eduard van Beinum, 1957): This live Third is one of the set\u2019s historical curiosity. Van Beinum, the RCO\u2019s chief in the 1950s, offers a straightforward, somewhat brisk traversal of Mahler\u2019s panoramic score. The recording (a mono radio tape from 1957) has limited fidelity, expect some peak distortion and a constrained dynamic range typical of the era. Still, the remastering (uncredited, unfortunately) has cleaned it up reasonably, and the unique Concertgebouw sonority of the 1950s comes through: the wind playing is pert and characterful, the trombones have a narrow, bright sound, and the trumpets vibrate with old-school color. The first movement, often taken ponderously by modern conductors, here has a refreshing rustic swing, the strings dig into those marching rhythms with gusto. There is less sheer profundity or weight than we might hear today, but the performance charms with its vigor and authenticity. As a historical document, van Beinum\u2019s Third is valuable (especially since he never made a studio Mahler recording), though by present-day standards it isn\u2019t a top contender for everyday listening.<br><br>\nSymphony No. 4 (Willem Mengelberg, 1939): Mengelberg\u2019s legendary Fourth Symphony has long circulated among collectors, but here it appears in a freshly remastered form. This is the earliest performance in the set (recorded in November 1939, just months before the world plunged into war) and it\u2019s a fascinating time capsule of Mahler performance practice as filtered through Mengelberg\u2019s highly personal style. The interpretation is anything but literal \u2013 Mengelberg uses extreme tempo fluctuations and elastic rubato, effectively reshaping the music\u2019s narrative on the fly. At times the Viennese lilt and flexibility he brings are thrilling, lending an improvisatory, mercurial character to the journey. The famous sleigh-bell opening is brisk and playful, but later passages breathe and linger unpredictably, often stretching the fabric of Mahler\u2019s score to its limits. Soprano Jo Vincent, Mengelberg\u2019s soloist, sings with a sweet timbre in the finale\u2019s child\u2019s-eye view of heaven; however, her German diction is rather cloudy, and modern ears may find her vibrato-rich style dated. As an interpretation, Mengelberg\u2019s Mahler 4 is controversial, some will find it irresistibly heartfelt and others will deem it mannered and indulgent. Love it or bristle at it, it remains a seminal piece of the RCO\u2019s Mahler heritage. This performance is undoubtedly a flawed gem: not one for everyday listening, but essential for understanding how differently Mahler was heard in the early 20th century.<br><br>\nSymphony No. 5 (Riccardo Chailly, 1997): Chailly\u2019s Fifth is a bit of a puzzling inclusion. It\u2019s a superb performance in many respects: taut, virtuosic playing with a keen structural grip, yet it\u2019s practically identical to Chailly\u2019s well-known studio recording of the Fifth for Decca (which was made at the same time). In fact, this live October 1997 concert occurred during the week Chailly was recording the symphony for commercial release, so the interpretation and even many tempos are the same. The RCO brass blaze brilliantly in the opening funeral march, and the famous Adagietto is smoothly lyrical (if rather swift). There\u2019s absolutely nothing wrong with this account; it\u2019s excellent Mahler by any standard. But it adds nothing new if you\u2019re already acquainted with Chailly\u2019s Decca cycle,  it\u2019s essentially a duplicate under slightly different circumstances. As such, this feels like a redundant pick driven by the \"chief conductor\" concept, rather than something that enriches the set artistically.<br><br>\nSymphony No. 6 (Bernard Haitink, 2001): By the early 2000s, Haitink was an elder statesman of Mahler, and his live Sixth from December 2001 distills both the strengths and weaknesses of his approach. On the positive side, the performance has exceptional clarity and balance. Haitink\u2019s fidelity to the score is unwavering \u2013 every detail is in place, the structure is meticulously laid out, and the dreaded acoustic muddiness of the Concertgebouw is minimized by careful control. The tragic sweep of the Sixth comes across in a grim, methodical way. However, what\u2019s missing is a certain ferocity and willingness to take risks. Compared to more visceral accounts (whether the demonic charge of a Szell or the anguished extremes of a Bernstein), Haitink\u2019s reading feels notably restrained. The hammer blows land with precision but not gut-punch impact; the Alma theme sings but doesn\u2019t quite sob. Haitink also adheres to his longstanding view of the score by placing the scherzo second, an order that maintains symmetry but arguably diffuses some of the shock between movements. In sum, this is a dignified, finely crafted Mahler Sixth \u2013 one that earns respect, if not wild enthusiasm.<br>\n\t<br>Symphony No. 7 (Mariss Jansons, 2016): Jansons, who led the RCO in the 2000s, is represented with a late-career Seventh (from 2016). This performance showcases Jansons\u2019 strengths in eliciting refined, beautiful playing, but it doesn\u2019t quite grapple with the strange heart of Mahler\u2019s most enigmatic symphony. The execution is unquestionably polished: the <i>Nachtmusik<\/i> serenades glisten with a Straussian sheen, the orchestral solos (like the tenor horn\u2019s calls) are spot-on, and the complex contrapuntal episodes are handled with transparency. Yet, as a whole, the reading feels oddly inert. The first movement lacks a firm underlying pulse, it comes off episodic and a bit lethargic. The central movements fare better (the shadowy <i>Scherzo<\/i> has atmosphere), but in the <i>Rondo-Finale<\/i>, where Mahler\u2019s irony and exuberance should collide in a burst of confusing triumph, Jansons gives us a smooth, almost bland celebration. It\u2019s all very \"nice\" and musical, but arguably misses the eccentric edge and delirium this work needs. Listeners who desire a safer, more neatly packaged Seventh may appreciate this, but those attuned to the score\u2019s inherent weirdness might be underwhelmed. (Interestingly, Jansons\u2019s earlier Mahler Seventh with the Oslo Philharmonic shows a bit more verve, suggesting that by 2016 his take had mellowed considerably.)<br><br><br>\nSymphony No. 8 (Mariss Jansons, 2011): Jansons also contributes the massive Eighth Symphony (<i>Symphony of a Thousand<\/i>), recorded in 2011 with a starry cast and huge choral forces. In many ways this is one of the better executions in the set. The RCO\u2019s famously rich sonority suits the cosmic grandeur of the Eighth, and Jansons\u2019 meticulous preparation yields dividends: the complex Part I (the Veni Creator hymn) is transparent and exciting, with the conductor keeping a tight rein so that the music doesn\u2019t descend into chaos. Part II, Mahler\u2019s setting of the final scene from Faust, unfolds with luminous serenity, the orchestra and chorus achieve genuinely glorious sonorities in the closing pages. The team of vocal soloists is largely excellent, headed by soprano Christine Brewer who soars effortlessly above the stave. If there\u2019s a weak link, it is the principal tenor, whose contribution lacks the heroic heft one might want in Dr. Marianus\u2019s part, a minor flaw in an otherwise strong lineup. Jansons\u2019s interpretive stance in this Eighth is to avoid any overtly personal idiosyncrasies: he smooths over transitions and minimizes grandstanding, aiming for a coherent, radiant sound. The result is a beautifully executed performance that perhaps errs on the side of safety. It may not erase memories of more electrifying Eighths (like Bernstein\u2019s or Tennstedt\u2019s for instance), but it stands as a respectable, at times moving account of this notoriously unwieldy work.<br><br><br>\n<br><i>Das Lied von der Erde<\/i> (Bernard Haitink, 2006): One of the real highlights of the box is Haitink\u2019s Das Lied, taken from a 2006 concert with mezzo-soprano Anna Larsson and tenor Robert Dean Smith. Haitink, then in his late seventies, brings a lifetime of Mahlerian wisdom to this piece. The performance is expansive and glowing, evoking a warm Mediterranean clarity, one might even imagine the golden light on the waters of Lake Bracciano (a poetic metaphor that seems apt for the translucent textures Haitink achieves). Larsson delivers the alto songs with deep, burnished tone and stoic expressivity, while Dean Smith\u2019s lighter tenor rides easily over the orchestra in the drinking song and the jaunty \"Von der Jugend\". The true test of any <i>Das Lied<\/i> is the final \"Abschied\", and here Haitink excels: he unfolds the farewell at a leisurely, 30-minute span, yet it never drags. Time feels suspended as the music gently rises and falls in soft, late-summer breaths. The Concertgebouw players respond with a refinement and color that few orchestras can equal, listen for the plaintive oboe and the delicate tam-tam strokes that shimmer like distant thunder. It\u2019s hard not to be transported by the end, as Haitink lets the closing bars dissolve into silence with utmost delicacy. This Das Lied is, in a word, sublime, easily one of the set\u2019s most indispensable offerings.<br><br>\n<br>Symphony No. 9 (Bernard Haitink, 2011): Haitink\u2019s late Mahler is again on display in the Ninth, taken from 2011, and it provides a fittingly valedictory statement. This is a spacious, unhurried Ninth, all four movements are given ample breathing room. In the first movement, Haitink adopts a flowing, almost detached approach; the music\u2019s seething undercurrents are present, but kept on a tight leash. The \"L\u00e4ndler\" second movement lumbers along in deliberately heavy-footed fashion (some might find it too restrained, missing the grotesquerie others bring out). The \"Rondo-Burleske\" third movement is clean and pointed rather than outright savage. Everything, however, is building to the Adagio finale, and in that final farewell, Haitink and the orchestra truly shine. The long closing pages are achingly beautiful, with the strings producing a radiant, silken tone as the music ebbs away. Haitink doesn\u2019t wring out overt angst; instead, there is a sense of profound acceptance and inner peace. It\u2019s the sound of a great conductor at the end of a long Mahler journey, saying goodbye on his own dignified terms. While this Ninth won\u2019t be to all tastes (those seeking a nightmarish, shattering vision will not find it here), it has a glow and poise that can be deeply moving. In context, it\u2019s also poignant to note that Haitink would soon retire from the Concertgebouw, this performance was effectively his parting gift to the orchestra\u2019s Mahler tradition, and it feels like a gracious farewell blessing.<br><br><br>\nSymphony No. 10 (Riccardo Chailly, 2000): The set concludes with Chailly\u2019s live Tenth Symphony (performing Deryck Cooke\u2019s edition of the unfinished score) from 2000. This turns out to be one of the more exciting surprises in the collection. Chailly had recorded the Tenth once before (in the 1980s with the Berlin Radio Symphony), but this later performance with the Concertgebouw is on a different level. The conductor seems far more at home with Mahler\u2019s fragmented, otherworldly swansong here. The opening <i>Adagio<\/i> is deeply felt and wonderfully paced, building to a wrenching brass-climax and a haunting, distant disintegration. In the central movements, Chailly brings out biting character, the evil grin of the second movement Scherzo, the bizarre, clattering sarcasm of the brief <i>Purgatorio<\/i> third movement, and the woozy <i>L\u00e4ndler<\/i> of the fourth all come through vividly. Notably, Chailly makes an interpretive tweak in the finale: just before the last movement\u2019s funeral march begins, he has the drummer play a series of extra grace-note ruff figures leading into the main drum stroke motif. This added touch (not in the published score, but arguably hinted by Mahler\u2019s sketches) creates an arresting military tattoo effect, ratcheting up the tension before the final <i>Adagio<\/i>\u2019s anguished cry. It\u2019s a fascinating detail that shows Chailly\u2019s willingness to be imaginative. The finale itself is very well-shaped, with the RCO brass and strings pouring out a rich, Mahlerian soundscape of grief and release. By the end, one feels that something important has been achieved \u2013 the performance communicates urgency and conviction. Alongside Haitink\u2019s <i>D<\/i>as <i>Lied<\/i>, Chailly\u2019s <i>Tenth<\/i> stands as one of the few truly essential items in this box set.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d247950 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d247950\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">editorial failings: a prestige project undercut by poor presentation<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8a746f1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8a746f1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><p style=\"text-align: start\"><span><span style=\"font-size: 20px\">With<\/span> an institution as prestigious as the Concertgebouw and a project tied to a major festival, one would expect top-notch editorial presentation. Unfortunately, this set\u2019s producers have delivered a scandalously poor booklet and packaging. There are no detailed recording notes or technical information about the sources and remastering, a baffling omission given that many of these performances are historic broadcasts being released on CD for the first time <\/span><span><\/span><span>. For example, the <i>Third<\/i> and <i>Fourth Symphonies<\/i> are <\/span><span>advertised<\/span><span> as newly remastered <\/span><span><\/span><span>, yet the booklet fails to even mention who undertook these remasterings or what was done. Contextual notes about <\/span><span>why<\/span><span> these particular recordings were chosen (over alternate performances in the archive) are likewise absent; instead, we get only a generic celebratory essay. For a project of this scope, such a meager effort is inexcusable.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit\">Equally egregious is the lack of texts or translations for Mahler\u2019s vocal works. The set includes <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: inherit\">Das Lied <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: inherit\">von der Erde<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: inherit\"> <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit\">and the choral <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: inherit\"><i>Eighth Symphony<\/i><\/span><span style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit\">, yet provides no song texts, poetry, or translations for the listener. Seasoned Mahlerians may not need a libretto, but omitting these basics in a luxury edition shows a surprising indifference to scholarly and listener needs. It\u2019s a stark contrast with the self-congratulatory rhetoric in the label\u2019s promotional materials, which trumpet the orchestra\u2019s history and the \"unique\" nature of this edition <\/span><span style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit\"><\/span><span style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit\">. In essence, the marketing promises a landmark release, but the execution feels more like a cut-price product. Even the physical design of the box is underwhelming, a flimsy package that, according to some reports, tends to spill its contents if handled carelessly (a minor annoyance, but symbolic of the overall carelessness). All told, the editorial and presentation aspect of this set is disappointing to the point of being <\/span><span style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit\">scandalous<\/span><span style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit\"> for such a high-profile endeavor.<\/span><\/p><br><p><span>In the end, this Mahler box set proves to be a missed opportunity. The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is justly celebrated as one of the world\u2019s greatest Mahler ensembles, which is precisely why we were entitled to expect <\/span><span>the very best<\/span><span> from a release like this. With the occasion of the 2025 Mahler Festival and all the fanfare invoking Mahler\u2019s own history with the RCO, this could have been a definitive collection to crown the orchestra\u2019s tradition. Instead, we have an edition that delivers intermittent greatness but falls short of consistent excellence, and which is hampered by regrettably poor editorial choices.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: start\"><span style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px\">T<\/span>o be sure, there is much to admire across these 15 CDs: moments of sheer interpretive insight, superb orchestral playing, and a palpable sense of the Concertgebouw\u2019s unique Mahler <\/span><span style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit\">heritage<\/span><span style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit\">. Die-hard Mahlerians and RCO devotees will find enough here to savor, and for them the set might well be indispensable as a document of a storied legacy. However, the general listener or collector in search of the <\/span><span style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit\">ultimate<\/span><span style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit\"> Mahler cycle might be better served elsewhere, by more unified cycles or individual recordings that capture these works at their best. The Chief Conductors Edition stands as a grand souvenir, a compilation that memorializes the past more than it illuminates the present.<\/span><span><\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit\">In summary, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: inherit\"><i>Gustav Mahler - The Chief Conductors Edition<\/i><\/span><span style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit\"> offers an illuminating but uneven journey through Amsterdam\u2019s Mahler tradition. It reminds us of the RCO\u2019s long love affair with Mahler\u2019s music, even as it exposes the pitfalls of trying to curate that history into a \"complete\" box set. Our final verdict:<\/span><span><\/span><\/p><p><b><span style=\"font-style: inherit\">Artistic value:<\/span><span style=\"font-style: inherit\"> \u2605\u2605\u2605\u00bd\u2606 (3.5\/5)<\/span><span><\/span><\/b><\/p><p><b><span>Editorial value:<\/span><span> \u2605\u2605\u2606\u2606\u2606 (2\/5)<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d67703a e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"d67703a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-700c0eb title_position_default title_hover_border_default title-default img_hover_animation_default readmore-btn-default-style grid-hover-overlay-type-always grid-hover-overlay-height-default hover-overlay-height-default tpg-border-bottom-disable elementor-widget elementor-widget-tpg-grid-hover-layout\" data-id=\"700c0eb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"tpg-grid-hover-layout.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n        <div class=\"rt-container-fluid rt-tpg-container tpg-el-main-wrapper grid_hover-layout1-main \"\n             id=\"rt-tpg-container-3628674856\"\n             data-layout=\"grid_hover-layout1\"\n             data-sc-id=\"elementor\"\n             data-el-settings=''\n             data-el-query=''\n             data-el-path=''\n        >\n\t\t\t            <div class='tpg-header-wrapper '>\n\t\t\t\t            <\/div>\n\n            <div data-title=\"Loading ...\"\n                 class=\"rt-row rt-content-loader grid_hover-layout1 tpg-even grid-behaviour grid_hover_layout_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"rt-col-md-4 rt-col-sm-6 rt-col-xs-12 default rt-grid-hover-item rt-grid-item\" data-id=\"3722\">\n\t<div class=\"rt-holder tpg-post-holder \">\n\t\t<div class=\"rt-detail rt-el-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"rt-img-holder tpg-el-image-wrap has-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a data-id=\"3722\" href=\"https:\/\/pulsations.art\/en\/mahler_rco_chiefconducrors\/\" class=\"tpg-post-link\" target=\"_self\">\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pulsations.art\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/cover-mahler-set-768x768.jpg\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t class=\"rt-img-responsive\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t width=\"768\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t height=\"768\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t alt=\"Mahler at the Concertgebouw: A Review of the RCO&rsquo;s Chief Conductors Edition\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"overlay grid-hover-content\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-hover-content\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\"><h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a data-id=\"3722\" href=\"https:\/\/pulsations.art\/en\/mahler_rco_chiefconducrors\/\" class=\"tpg-post-link\" target=\"_self\">Mahler at the Concertgebouw: A Review of the RCO&rsquo;s Chief Conductors Edition<\/a><\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"tpg-excerpt tpg-el-excerpt\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"tpg-excerpt-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGustav Mahler &#8211; The Chief Conductors Edition Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra &#8211; RCO Live...\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"post-footer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"post-footer\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"read-more\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a data-id=\"3722\" href=\"https:\/\/pulsations.art\/en\/mahler_rco_chiefconducrors\/\" class=\"tpg-post-link\" target=\"_self\">Lire l&#039;article<\/a>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"rt-col-md-4 rt-col-sm-6 rt-col-xs-12 default rt-grid-hover-item rt-grid-item\" data-id=\"3360\">\n\t<div class=\"rt-holder tpg-post-holder \">\n\t\t<div class=\"rt-detail rt-el-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"rt-img-holder tpg-el-image-wrap has-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a data-id=\"3360\" href=\"https:\/\/pulsations.art\/en\/mravinsky-shostakovitch-tchaikovsky-grieg-lyadov-leningrad-philharmonic-orchestra\/\" class=\"tpg-post-link\" target=\"_self\">\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pulsations.art\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Mravinsky_Helsinki_Cover_Optimized-768x761.png\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t class=\"rt-img-responsive\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t width=\"768\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t height=\"761\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t alt=\"Mravinsky \/ Shostakovitch-Tchaikovsky-grieg-lyadov \/  Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"overlay grid-hover-content\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-hover-content\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\"><h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a data-id=\"3360\" href=\"https:\/\/pulsations.art\/en\/mravinsky-shostakovitch-tchaikovsky-grieg-lyadov-leningrad-philharmonic-orchestra\/\" class=\"tpg-post-link\" target=\"_self\">Mravinsky \/ Shostakovitch-Tchaikovsky-grieg-lyadov \/  Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra<\/a><\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"tpg-excerpt tpg-el-excerpt\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"tpg-excerpt-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMravinsky 1961 \u2013 Live at the Sibelius Festival, Helsinki Label: Janus Classics | JACL-7 Format: 2...\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"post-footer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"post-footer\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"read-more\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a data-id=\"3360\" href=\"https:\/\/pulsations.art\/en\/mravinsky-shostakovitch-tchaikovsky-grieg-lyadov-leningrad-philharmonic-orchestra\/\" class=\"tpg-post-link\" target=\"_self\">Lire l&#039;article<\/a>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"rt-col-md-4 rt-col-sm-6 rt-col-xs-12 default rt-grid-hover-item rt-grid-item\" data-id=\"3260\">\n\t<div class=\"rt-holder tpg-post-holder \">\n\t\t<div class=\"rt-detail rt-el-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"rt-img-holder tpg-el-image-wrap has-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a data-id=\"3260\" href=\"https:\/\/pulsations.art\/en\/paul-kletzki-anton-bruckner-symphony-no-7-brso\/\" class=\"tpg-post-link\" target=\"_self\">\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pulsations.art\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/BRUCKNER7-768x762.png\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t class=\"rt-img-responsive\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t width=\"768\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t height=\"762\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t alt=\"Paul Kletzki \/ Anton Bruckner \/ Symphony no. 7 \/ BRSO\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"overlay grid-hover-content\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-hover-content\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\"><h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a data-id=\"3260\" href=\"https:\/\/pulsations.art\/en\/paul-kletzki-anton-bruckner-symphony-no-7-brso\/\" class=\"tpg-post-link\" target=\"_self\">Paul Kletzki \/ Anton Bruckner \/ Symphony no. 7 \/ BRSO<\/a><\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"tpg-excerpt tpg-el-excerpt\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"tpg-excerpt-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAnton Bruckner (1824\u20131896): Symphony No. 7 in E Major, WAB 107 (1885 revision, Leopold Nowak...\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"post-footer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"post-footer\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"read-more\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a data-id=\"3260\" href=\"https:\/\/pulsations.art\/en\/paul-kletzki-anton-bruckner-symphony-no-7-brso\/\" class=\"tpg-post-link\" target=\"_self\">Lire l&#039;article<\/a>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n\t\t\t        <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4572cd4 e-flex e-con-boxed elementor-invisible e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"4572cd4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;slideshow&quot;,&quot;background_slideshow_gallery&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:1890,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/pulsations.art\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/fond-music-partition.jpg&quot;}],&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;,&quot;background_slideshow_loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;background_slideshow_slide_duration&quot;:5000,&quot;background_slideshow_slide_transition&quot;:&quot;fade&quot;,&quot;background_slideshow_transition_duration&quot;:500}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div 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limited edition box set Label: RCO Live \/ AVROTROS Release date: May 2025 (to coincide with Amsterdam Mahler Festival) Contents: Complete Symphonies Nos. 1\u20139 Das Lied von der Erde Symphony No. 10 (Deryck Cooke performing version) Performers: Royal 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