Hello,
After a long hiatus I had the pleasure to listen and watch to a Mahler concert.
Rafel Payare and the Staatskapelle Berlin performed Mahler 5 at the Philharmonie last Friday. I had not listened to the CD before, but your positive impressions were justified. I liked it very much, tempi very fitting for me, transparency, dynamics and energy, it was a great performance. Payare has a quite eccentric style to conduct, but it worked out. The other work was a cello concerto by Unsuk Chin with Alisa Weilerstein as soloist, and in some sense it related well to the Mahler symphony.
Michael
P.S.: I have watched the forum all the years, but started to really practice piano some 8 years ago. I found a great teacher, former conductor, even with the BPO, has conducted Mahler, too, and we share the Mahler passion, even if he is, of course, far beyond my understanding. This keeps me occupied and thus I listen to orchestral music, even Mahler, much less than before.
But thanks to you all for the many comments and discussions.