★★★★★ Abbado uses freedom to maximize the emotional impact in the Mahler 6th--one of the very best

Mahler: Symphony No. 6

Abbado had many strengths as a conductor, but his cumulative triumphs in Mahler will probably go down as his greatest achievement. Somehow he managed to fully enter the emotionally volatile world of the symphonies while maintaining his sensitivity and naturalness. His Mahler sounds free and limitless, with searing melodic lines that take the breath away.

Karajan made a famous recording of the Mahler 6th, and critics still argue over it. Some find it relentlessly heavy and unmusical while fans point to the power and breadth of Karajan's control. I'm still undecided myself; a good case can be made on both sides. But either way, when we come to Abbado's recording, we hear the Berliners without Karajan's homogenized sheen and iron grip. Here one senses spontaneous freedom and great individuality in the orchestra. A whole new world of beautiful sounds is opened. Whichever side you take on Karajan's reading, Abbado has more variety; you won't catch yourself looking at your watch.

That's not to suggest that Abbado takes a lightweight approach, however. In fact, this is one of the most harrowing readings I've ever heard. In the first movement, Abbado is piercing with decisive rhythms, but he's primarily aiming for emotional impact, not sheer bigness of sound. If Karajan made the Andante grand and noble, Abbado is freewheeling and lyrical, clocking in at just under 14 minutes compared to Karajan's 17 minutes. In the Scherzo, (placed third with Abbado, and second with Karajan), I can imagine listeners preferring Karajan. Abbado isn't as chilling with the hammering opening chords; he's still on a high level, though, and the Berliners have all the virtuosity one could ask for. It's in the finale, though, that I think Abbado trumps Karajan. It can take endurance to sit through a half hour of intense sounds, and Karajan leaves the listener drained, even though his control is impressive. Abbado is scintillating and adaptable; he reads into the drama instead of bulling his way through. We feel devastated at the end, not merely exhausted.

The discography is too crowded to name any Mahler recording as the best (although I'd be tempted to make an exception for Abbado, in the "Titan"). But I will say that after repeated listening, Abbado moves me more than anyone else in the 6th. Certainly this recording stands at the top of the list.