Listening Guides
The recommended recordings listed below were compiled by Lewis M. Smoley, President of the Gustav Mahler Society of New York and author of a two-volume set of critical commentary on all extant recordings of Mahler’s symphonies. Listings within each category are in alphabetical order by conductor.
Symphony No. 1
Bernstein/Royal Concertgebouw (DG 427303-2)
Eschenbach/Houston SO (Koch 3-7405-2H1)
Horenstein/Vienna SO (2-Vox Box CDX 2 5508)
Horenstein/London SO (Unicorn UKCD 2012)
Kubelik/Bavarian RSO (DG 449735-2)
Symphony No. 2
Gvazava, Larsson, Abbado/Lucerne Festival Orch. (EuroArts DVD 205)
Armstrong, Baker, Bernstein/LSO (DG Video 072200-3)
Valente, Forrester, Kaplan/LSO (MCA 110011)
Harper, Baker, Klemperer/Bavarian RSO (EMI 66867 2)
Mathis, Procter, Kubelik/Bavarian RSO (10-DG 429042-2)
Cundari, Forrester, Walter/NYPO (2-Sony 45674)
Symphony No. 3
Ludwig, Bernstein/NYPO (2-DG 427328-2)
Lipton, Bernstein/NYPO (2-Sony Classics SM2K 47576)
Van Otter, Boulez/VPO (2-DG 289474038)
Procter, Horenstein/LSO (2-Unicorn-Kanchana UK CD 2006/07)
Schwarz, Sinopoli/Philharmonia Orch. (2-DG 447 051)
Baker, Thomas/LSO (2-Sony M2K 44553)
Symphony No. 4
Fleming, Abbado/BPO (DG 5759-02)
Loose, Kletzki/Philharmonia Orch. (Royal Classics ROY 6468)
Murray, Litton/RPO (Virgin Classics 0946 363277)
Battle, Maazel/VPO (CBS/Sony MDK 44908)
Hendricks, Salonen/LAPO (Sony Classical SK 48380)
Raskin, Szell/Cleveland Orch. (Sony Classical SBK 46535)
Symphony No. 5
Abbado/Lucerne Festival (EuroArts DVD 2054078)
Bernstein/VPO (DG 423608-2)
Boulez/VPO (DG 453416-2)
Chailly/Royal Concertgebouw Orch. (London 289458860)
Solti/CSO (Sony Video SHV 46377)
Tennstedt/LPO (EMI CDC 49888)
Symphony No. 6
Abbado/BPO (DG 2894775573)
Abbado/Lucerne Festival (EuroArts DVD 2055648)
Bernstein/VPO (2-DG 427697-2)
Horenstein/City of Bournemouth SO (2-BBC Legends BBCL 4191)
Zander/BPO (2-IMP DMCD 93)
Symphony No. 7
Abbado/Lucerne Festival (EuroArts DVD 20454628)
Bernstein/NYPO (Sony SMK 60564)
Bernstein/NYPO (2-DG 419211-2)
Horenstein/New Philharmonia Orch. (Music & Arts MUA 727)
Symphony No. 8
Bernstein/VPO (DG Video 072-216-3)
Horenstein/LSO (2-BBC Legends 4001)
Olson/MahlerFest (2-MahlerFest MF8-1)
Rattle/City of Birmingham SO (EMI 557945)
Solti/CSO (2-London 414493-2)
Tennstedt/LPO (2-EMI Classics CDCB 47625)
Das Lied von der Erde
King, Fischer-Dieskau, Bernstein/VPO (Decca 289 466 381)
Hodgson, Mitchinson, Horenstein/BBC Northern (BBC Legends 4042)
Ludwig, Wunderlich, Klemperer/Philharmonia Orch. (EMI Classics 566944)
Ferrier, Patzak, Walter/NYPO (Decca Legends 289466576)
Miller, Haefliger, Walter/CSO (Sony 61981)
Symphony No. 9
Abbado/VPO (2-DG 423564)
Bernstein/Royal Concertgebouw (2-DG 419208-2)
Bernstein/BPO (2-DG 435378-2)
Haitink/Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (2-Philips 6700 021)
Karajan/BPO (2-DG 439024-2)
Walter/VPO (1938) (EMI Classics CDH 63029)Walter/CSO (2-CBS M2K 42033)
Symphony No. 10
Chailly/Berlin RSO (2-London 421 182-2)
Gielen/SWR SO Baden-Baden & Freiberg (Hänssler CD 93.124)
Ormandy/Philadelphia Orch. (Sony 82876-78742)
Sanderling/Berlin Symphony (Ars Vivendi 2100225)
Kindertotenlieder
Ferrier, Walter/VPO (EMI Classics CDH 61003)
Baker, Barbirolli/Halle Orch. (EMI Classics CDC 47793) (EMI Classics CDZB 62707)
Fischer-Dieskau, Böhm/BPO (DG 415 191-2)
Das klagende Lied
Dunn, Fassbaender, Baur, Hollway, Schmidt, Chailly/BRSO (London 425719)
Lear, Söderström, Hoffman, Burrows, Haefliger, Nienstedt, Boulez/LSO & Chorus (Sony Classical SK 45841)
Shaguch, DeYoung, Moser, Leiferkus, Thomas/SFSO & Chorus (RCA 09026-68599-2)
Des Knaben Wunderhorn
Hampson/Parsons (piano version) (Teldec 903174726)
Ludwig, Berry, Bernstein (piano version) (CBS MK 42202)
Forrester, Rehfuss, Prohaska/Vienna Festival (Vanguard Classics OVC 4045)
Schwarzkopf, Fischer-Dieskau, Szell/LSO (EMI Classics CDC 47277)
Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
Baker, Barbirolli/Halle Orch. (EMI Classics CDC 47793) (EMI Classics CDZB 62707)
Fischer-Dieskau, Böhm/BPO (DG 415 191-2)
Hampson/David Lutz (piano version) (Teldec 903174726)
Von Stade, Davis/LPO (Sony Classical SBK 46535)
Rückert-Lieder
Baker, Barbirolli/Halle Orch. (EMI Classics CDC 47793) (EMI Classics CDZB 62707)
Ferrier, Walter/VPO (London 433 802)
Hampson, Rieger (piano) (EMI Classics CDC 56443)
