By conducting an entire Mahler cycle in one year -- and releasing CDs of the live performances hot off the presses -- Gergiev ran the risk of letting certain works slide by.  This happens here in a Mahler First that varies between bland, slapdash, and quirky. Being new to Mahler, at least on disc, Gergiev also comes from a fairly blank Mahler tradition in Russia. He overcame that deficit in earlier releases of the Sixth and Seventh, but the First finds him in an unsympathetic mood. He impatiently strides through the forest morning in the opening movement, evoking no mystery at all and breaking into transitions with abrupt, curt tempo changes.

The second movement dances for once instead of lumbering, but beyond that it feels uninvolved, as does the third movement parody of a huntsman's funeral, despite some sharp rustic touches in the "Jewish" section, as I supose we now think of it. The finale, where you'd expect Gergiev to soar, is fairly tame and over-detailed, until we arrive at the singing second subject, where he finally finds his touch. But those glowing measures amount to a small portion of the overall work. The LSO plays beautifully, although I don't sense much involvement from them, either. The sonics, as in previous releases, are clear but a bit too distant for maximum impact.

I'm a committed Gergiev admirer and celebrate his arrival in London, but there are greater Mahler Firsts in abundance, beginning with Claudio Abbado and Leonard Bernstein, both on DG.
By conducting an entire Mahler cycle in one year -- and releasing CDs of the live performances hot off the presses -- Gergiev ran the risk of letting certain works slide by. This happens here in a Mahler First that varies between bland, slapdash, and quirky. Being new to Mahler, at least on disc, Gergiev also comes from a fairly blank Mahler tradition in Russia. He overcame that deficit in earlier releases of the Sixth and Seventh, but the First finds him in an unsympathetic mood. He impatiently strides through the forest morning in the opening movement, evoking no mystery at all and breaking into transitions with abrupt, curt tempo changes. The second movement dances for once instead of lumbering, but beyond that it feels uninvolved, as does the third movement parody of a huntsman's funeral, despite some sharp rustic touches in the "Jewish" section, as I supose we now think of it. The finale, where you'd expect Gergiev to soar, is fairly tame and over-detailed, until we arrive at the singing second subject, where he finally finds his touch. But those glowing measures amount to a small portion of the overall work. The LSO plays beautifully, although I don't sense much involvement from them, either. The sonics, as in previous releases, are clear but a bit too distant for maximum impact. I'm a committed Gergiev admirer and celebrate his arrival in London, but there are greater Mahler Firsts in abundance, beginning with Claudio Abbado and Leonard Bernstein, both on DG.