Symphony No.8 : Stenz / Gurzenich Orchestra, etc (Hybrid)

Gustav Mahler:
Symphony No. 8 in E flat 'Symphony of a Thousand'

Barbara Haveman, soprano (Magna peccatrix)
Orla Boylan, soprano
Christiane Oelze, soprano (Una poenitentium)
Anna Palimina, soprano (Mater gloriosa)
Petra Lang, mezzosoprano (Mulier samaritana)
Maria Radner, alto (Maria aegyptiaca)
Brandon Jovanovich, tenor (Doctor marianus)
Hanno Muller-Brachmann, baritone (Pater ecstaticus)
Gunther Groissbock, bass (Pater profundus)
Madchen und Knaben der Chore am Kolner Dom Chor des Bach-Vereins Koln
Domkantorei Koln
Kartauserkantorei Koln
Philharmonischer Chor der Stadt Bonn
Vokalensemble Kolner Dom
Gurzenich-Orchester Koln
Markus Stenz, conductor

Live Recorded: 09/2011
SACD Hybrid
CD STEREO/ SACD STEREO/ SACD 5.1 SURROUND

I have just finished my Eighth. It is the greatest thing I have done so far, Gustav Mahler wrote euphorically to the conductor Willem Mengelberg in 1906.
It was to be four years before the Symphony of a Thousand had its first triumphal performance in Munich under the baton of the composer, with more than 1,000 performers on the stage.
And the splendid performances of the 8th Symphony to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Cologne Philharmonie in September 2011 were also a triumph for Markus Stenz, the Gurzenich-Orchester, the magnificent soloists and the choirs.
It was in this context that the present interpretation was created . a peak achievement in the ongoing recording of the entire cycle of Gustav Mahler's symphonies, which, with seven symphonies issued to date, is now approaching its completion.
The very first recording in the cycle, Mahler's 5th, was put on the list of best CDs chosen by the German Record Critics' Award. The CLASSIC fM Magazine named the recording of the 4th Symphony in October 2010 orchestral disc of the month and the magazine Stereo called that of the 3rd Symphony in April 2012 the CD of the month.
The current issue of Fono Forum writes: Despite the rapid rate of publication, the artistic quality and interpretative approach in the two complete recordings from Cologne of the symphonies of Tchaikovsky and Mahler on the Oehms label remain at a consistently high standard. ( Oehms )