This post acts as a heads-up to those who are unaware of this marvellous recording's existence.
Recently I have acquired a copy of Inbal's Mahler 3 with the NHK Symphony Orchestra on Denon. It's an incredibly rare release, and as far as I know, distributed only to NHK subscribers and not available for the general public.
http://www.suruga-ya.jp/database/pics/game/230048276.jpgRecorded live in December 1993, this is Inbal's second recording of M3, between the FRSO/Denon recording (1985), which I own, and the TMSO/Exton recording (2013), which I don't. A thread on the TMSO recording noted the extremely fast run time; this NHK recording bears similar timings to the FRSO recording (32:17/9:53/17:15/10:19/3:57/25:11).
I wasn't particularly impressed with the FRSO recording (and in fact most of the Inbal FRSO cycle) because of the variable orchestral playing (brass often crack) and the sonics which I find cold and analytical. But Inbal's genius generally managed to shine through those flaws in execution. This NHK recording has all that amazing dedication to the score as with the FRSO, but this has much more secure yet exciting orchestral playing and a recording whose realism is to die for. Despite the rather characterless woodwinds (though they sound absolutely gorgeous in their solos), the strings are admirably rich while the brass pack a huge punch in the first movement, and percussion is always enthusiastic. That fifth movement is unquestionably the most ebullient version i've heard, with a particularly cute sounding children's chorus, and a finale sporting strings playing with the intensity of the opening of M9 finale. All in all, one of my favourite M3s.
