G. Mahler

Symphony No. 4 In G Major G. Mahler

Otto Klemperer was the third and youngest of Mahler's three "protegees" who promoted his music after his death (the other two were Willem Mengelberg and Bruno Walter). The first movement is taken by Klemperer at a comfortable tempo. Klemperer's insistence on precise and perfectly audible enunciation in winds and brass pays dividends throughout, as also do his divided violins at his left and right. The theme and variations 3rd movement keeps pulse so it comes through in a way that appears faster then it actually is, and works as fine as one can possibly aspire. And he continues this through the Scherzo, the Adagio and the finale, the children's view of heaven : "Wir genießen die himmlischen Freuden" beautifully sung by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf.