Valery Gergiev brings emotion, imagination and versatility in his endeavour to reclaim some original sound of Mahler’s prodigious language. The LSO display unsurpassed talent and brilliance through the interpretation of this masterpiece which features a sense of drama and despair and the eventual acceptation of Mankind’s mortality’
Monograma (Spain)
**** (Excellent)
Giuseppe Rossi - Musica - November 2011
IRR Outstanding
Nothing can detract from the excellence of this disc: it is quite outstanding in every respect, a very fine conclusion to a most worthwhile integral series of performances and recordings.
Robert Matthew-Walker - International Record Review - October 2011
Valery Gergiev’s live performance of the ninth brings to an end one of the more daring cycles of recent years the LSO Live Mahler cycle leaves more questions that it answers, which is just as the composer intended
Norman Lebrecht
It is in the two cenral movements that Gergiev’s interpretation works best. The opening section of his Ländler is characterised with a suprisingly delicate lightness of touch, while the conductor relishes Mahler’s "etwas täppisch und sehr derb" marking for the section that follows, with the strings really digging in The whole effect is one of bracing exhilaration this final issue (together with No’s 7 & 8) represents the best of this illuminating and stimulating Mahler cycle.
SA-CD.net
We can listen to this recording over and over again with great satisfaction one of the most pertinent versions on disc.
ResMusica (France)
this final instalment is outstanding. Perfectly paced the London Symphony are in superb form, the engineers producing stunning sound in the wide mood swings
The Yorkshire Post
The inner movements bristle with existential alarm, and the exhausted collapse at the height of the Rondo Burleske is particularly well done superbly played.
The Guardian
In Valery gergiev’s monumental version the shadows are ever there, but void of undue sentiment or heavy-laden despair. The symmetry of this performance is overwhlming; the outer movements mountainous in dimension; the second movement ländler grounded but vivi; the Rondo-Burleske infused with spiky sarcasm; but all roads leading to the extraordinarily intense magnitude of the finale and its magical fading away to nothingness.
The Scotsman
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