Bernard Haitink, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - Mahler: Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor (2007) [SACD]

Bernard Haitink recorded Gustav Mahler‘s Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1970 in a quadraphonic format for Philips Classics; that recording is at last available as a multichannel hybrid SACD in this remastered edition from PentaTone. This extraordinarily vivid performance excels in all matters of interpretation, execution, and expression, and had it been heard on a quad system in its day, it would have been a sensationally popular recording, not just for its brilliant sound but also for its heights of musicality and profound depths of feeling. Every effort has been put into making this SACD version true to its original sources, from connecting the direct stream digital converter to a precisely tuned analog tape machine, to preserving the original four-channel format without adding echo, extra channels, or boosting the sound in any way. What comes out of the speakers sounds phenomenally spacious, natural, and crisp in all details, thanks to the elaborate microphone placement and the careful planning that went into recording this amazingly lucid performance. Not only are secondary and tertiary parts plainly audible, and pitches at every dynamic level captured in the wide frequency range, there are striking displays of color that are seldom heard so distinctly, and the faintest effects in Mahler‘s orchestration are scrupulously reproduced. Audiophiles and beginners alike will find this SACD to be one of the most compelling listening experiences of the year, and worth adding to any collection; no matter how many copies of Mahler‘s Fifth you may already own, this fabulous recording is required listening. Absolutely recommended!