I think the main point is that this is a Mahler performance from Haitink that is much, much more up-to-tempo than his previous Mahler releases from Chicago. As an "interpreter", he seems a bit rudderless to me now. Thus, I think he's at his best when he allows the music to speak for itself. That was certainly the case in his 60's/70's Amsterdam recordings.
To be a bit more specific, the first movement is up-to-tempo, and with a very strong climax leading into the recapitulation. I like it that he doesn't dilly-dally in the Intermezzo-like second movement, yet doesn't take the scherzo too swiftly either - performing it more at the tempo of the original song from "Des Knaben Wunderhorn" (St. Anthony's Sermon To The Fishes). Stojtin is terrific, and the finale has plenty of power from the legendary CSO brass. Haitink's biggest miscalculation is in regards to the offstage trumpets & percussion (cymbals/bass drum) at the climactic passage of the long march section. He fails to bring the offstage trumpets in closer before the rest of the orchestra joins in at a full fortissimo. But as I pointed out earlier, a lot of people get this logistical issue wrong. The CSO Chorus does a knock-out job near the end of the symphony, but the deep bells certainly could have been better, close to the very end of the work (high/low pitched gongs seem adequate). As you pointed out, you CAN hear the d__n organ! (what's with M2 & M8 recordings that have little or no organ?).
Barry
Topic: Interesting new review of Haitink's Chicago M2 (Read 6860 times)