After the purely instrumental Fifth Symphony and the
Fourth with soprano solo in the final movement, the
Cologne Mahler cycle now moves to a work with
extensive vocal music. In addition to a large orchestra,
soprano and mezzo-soprano solos, the Second
Symphony requires a large mixed choir. For this
recording, no fewer than five renowned ensembles
from Cologne and Bonn joined forces.
The recording was made under studio conditions
in the outstanding acoustics of the Cologne
Philharmonie.
Right from the start, the Mahler cycle of the
Gürzenich-Orchester Köln under the direction of
Markus Stenz attracted great attention. Within the
extensive range of Mahler cycles, it has established
itself as a well calculated complete recording that
unabashedly expresses the extremes of the composer‘s
inner world while not sinking to insubstantial sensationalism.
The sound technology used here captures
the orchestral sound with complete naturalness,
reflecting the most cutting-edge technological standards.