Sorry to disagree with you boys, but I feel that the new Barenboim M9 is easily the best single disc Mahler 9th out there. As Hurwitz pointed out, the two inner movements are executed fabulously. But I feel that the two outer movements are done really well also. Yes, the main climax of the first movement could be more powerful. But I like how Barenboim's first movement doesn't sound like a piece written by a composer who had already died. "How so?", you ask. Well, listen to how Barenboim eschews excess sentimentality during the exposition of the main, lullaby-like melody. He keeps the pace moving; allowing the "sappy", lullaby quality of that melody to speak for itself. But near the end of the movement - after the heartaches, and getting ourselves dragged through the mud - Barenboim permits himself to just wallow in that melody. This is an interpretive touch that's as obvious as it is brilliant; leaving one wondering why no-one else had stumbled upon the same solution before. Think I'm wrong? Listen to it again; carefully. Listen to how - after the first big climax, located about a minute into the movement - Barenboim takes the main melody in an almost swift manner. Then check out the last two minutes of the movement. It's really almost miraculous. Combined with the slightly slower than usual Rondo-Burlesque (but very, very rhythmic), what I'm reminded of here is Solti's first M9 with the LSO. Barenboim has that same sort of Straussian sweep to his first movement. Granted, Solti has a stronger main (anti)climax to the first movement. But Barenboim has a far, FAR better fourth movement than Solti. Listen to how Barenboim pours on the coals during all of those loud and sweeping, string-dominated passages. Yet, after the main climax of the fourth movement (done quite well, I feel), he slows down right along with Bernstein, Abbado, Karajan - you name 'em. His last two minutes are recorded fabulously - sans audience, thank goodness. To put all this another way, our protagonist doesn't die until the last two minutes of the entire symphony.
Bernstein always spoke about how the 9th was written by a composer who wanted to keep on living, yet needed to say farewell. To that end, I feel that Barenboim trumps him.
I've heard the Abbado M9 from the 1995 Mahlerfest, and I honestly feel that you can keep it. To me, it's yet another one where the 9th just sounds like a giant concerto for a huge string section - a piece written expressly for big strings, loud horns, and loud timpani. I think there's a lot more to this seminal work than just that. I prefer the aesthetics of this Barenboim one, where the emphasis is placed far more on woodwind colorings. If nothing else, it's a refreshing change.
