I've listened to the entire recording once, the first movt. very carefully, but the rest of the symphony somewhat casually.
Based my first hearing (on the regular CD track) this, especially the first movt., may just be my dream Mahler Ninth.
It was also my first encounter with Jonathan Nott's recording of any music and I am tremendously impressed.
It is as if Nott has completely mastered all the previous Ninths, notably those by Levine, Chailly, Karajan, Dohnanyi, Bernstein, and combined the best elements from each to produce his own, very unique vision of this great symphony. The first thing I noticed is that Nott's conducting is incredibly sensitive and thought-provoking. But at the same time he does not spare fire and energy whenever called for; the central climaxes are carefully scaled and integrated and they come and go like huge waves or volcanoes. He gets all the tempi and temp relations perfectly right. He gets the balance and dynamics right. More to the point, he hits all the important marks without a single failure. One example: too often the timpani roll at the end of the first climax trails off too early without much impact. Not here. Nott prolongs it just enough to overlay slightly with the following page, the beginning of the development section, thereby adding more tension and heft. In fact, the timpani is very strong and prominent. It's not sharp a la Bernstein but has a somewhat thick quality that adds to the presence of the bass. Thanks God, the tam tam is very audible throughout, especially at the third climax, while the bell is not too prominent as it should not. The woodwinds are beautifully laid out and played with much sensibility. The recording sound is a little bit too close and dry but has a well balanced stage with a good depth and width. In other words, this is Mahler Ninth I. that is played and executed as perfectly as I can imagine. After hearing the movt. this way I cannot imagine it could be done any other ways, doubt that it could be done better.
I think the rest, especially the Finale, is as good as I. but I will report on that later after a few more listenings.
John,