Claudio Abbado - Mahler: 10 Symphonies (2008)

This 12-CD box set from Deutsche Grammophon is representative of Claudio Abbado's somewhat varied Mahler output in the period from 1977 to 1993. These performances of the symphonies were recorded with three great orchestras, the Berlin Philharmonic (Nos. 1, 5, and 8), the Vienna Philharmonic (Nos. 2, 3, 4, 9, and the Adagio from No. 10), and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Nos. 6 and 7), and they should not be confused with Abbado's later live, all-digital releases, made in the 2000s with Berlin. While Abbado has not been extolled as one of the great Mahlerians, such as Walter, Bernstein, Solti, or Zander, he has contributed solid interpretations to the catalog and impressed listeners and critics with his deep understanding of the music and his passionate response to it. Because these recordings were made in different venues -- the Philharmonie in Berlin, Vienna's Musikverein, and Chicago's Symphony Hall -- the sound is a little variable, particularly in the acoustics, though DG's engineering is first-rate.