Also available on Blu-ray

Chailly conducts a structural masterclass of the Seventh's first movement, formally considered Mahler’s most ‘problematic’ single movement. He marks an emphatic arrival on the brass cadence to close the first subject around five minutes in, and marshals the luscious second theme like a piece of the new Leoncavallo or early Strauss which Mahler apparently shaped so masterfully even while holding his nose at their frivolous realism.

What really distinguishes Chailly’s Mahler nowadays (from his earlier self but also from most of the competition) is that he pushes through the music with the Italianate passion that Abbado chose to efface over the years. Thus a brighter light than usual is shone on the two Nachtmusik movements, while the shadows run deeper as solo harp, then cello, then flute, then trumpet bring about the second movement’s reprise in a carnival-mask passing of the baton from Bruckner to Webern.

The balance favors trilling flutes and manic percussion but allows plenty of room for that guttural Leipzig brass and bass, which has surely never sounded finer.

- Gramophone

MAHLER, G.: Symphony No. 7 (Chailly) (Blu-ray, Full-HD)

Gustav Mahler
SYMPHONY NO. 7
(Blu-ray Disc Version)

Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly, conductor

Recorded live at Gewandhaus zu Leipzig, 27–28 February and 2 March 2014

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: PCM Stereo / Dolby Digital 5.1 / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Running time: 83 mins
No. of DVDs: 1 (DVD 9)