Search - Mahler, Hynninen, Segerstam :: Symphonies 8 & 10

Finnish conductor Leif Segerstam recorded a very impressive Mahler cycle for Chandos, nowhere more so than this extremely impressive, and above all well-recorded performance of the mammoth Eighth Symphony. The title is a misnomer, not only in terms of the number of people required to do the work justice, but also because Mahler as often as not treats huge forces like a series of chamber ensembles. If you expect nothing but huge sound effects, you're apt to be disappointed. So it's important that the conductor prove himself adept both at traffic management during the loud bits, and at sustaining interest in the many quiet, lyrical passages. Segerstam clears both hurdles, finding the right balance between introspection and opulence. Very satisfying. -- David Hurwitz