Sym.3: Lopez-cobos / Cincinnati.so

Although it is unlikely to replace Jascha Horenstein's 1970 performance with the London Symphony Orchestra as THE Mahler 3rd to own, Jesus Lopez-Cobos' recording with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is a surprisingly winning account. This is Lopez-Cobos' second Mahler symphony on disc, following the 9th, also with Cincinnati.
This conductor and orchestra won't need the full 90 minutes of this symphony to banish all thoughts of calling them minor players on the American musical field--this Mahler is quite good. Mezzo Michelle DeYoung lends a rich, mysterious tone to Nietzsche's words in the fourth movement, and the choruses in the fifth movement ring out their "Bim, bam" clearly and joyfully. Lopez-Cobos captures the fire of the opening movement aptly and gives the final "Langsam" a rare transparency which makes it seem truly glacial, even though it is actually slightly faster than Bernstein, Haitink and Levine. Telarc's warm, atmospheric surround sound makes it all the more irresistable.