Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
Symphony No. 3 (1896)
Catriona Morison (mezzo soprano)
Prague Phiharmonic Choir, Pueri Gaudentes
Czech Philharmonic/Semyon Bychkov
rec. 2024, Dvořák Hall of the Rudolfinum, Prague, Czechia
Text and translations provided
Pentatone PTC5187363 [2 CDs: 101]

Mahler invoked pantheism, the belief that God (or god) is in everything, as part of his inspiration for his third symphony, and that seems to be Semyon Bychkov’s view of it, too. Everything is the key to this longest and most universal of symphonies; perhaps the one which, more than any other, comes closest to Mahler’s ideal of the symphony that would “embrace everything.” Bychkov seems to understand that this symphony is all about everything, and so he and his Czech musicians throw the kitchen sink at it, and it works, triumphantly.

Every Mahler 3 takes the listener on a journey, so diverse are both its forces and its length, but Bychkov’s strength is that he and the musicians of the Czech Philharmonic are happy to take each twist of the kaleidoscope on its own terms and to present something that’s as diverse as it is dazzling. Bychkov’s pantheistic vision is secure, and his musicians are willing to follow him by tailoring their playing to each movement, or in some cases even each component of a single movement. 

Bychkov gets all the psychedelic brilliance of the opening movement, for example, that vast celebration of nature in all its glory and power. However, he revels in its brilliant eclecticism rather than trying to corral the whole 35-minute long sprawl into one particular shape. The opening march is clipped and precise, the horns loving their moment in the spotlight, but it broadens out majestically into something that broods with huge presence. The ensuing marches have a dazzling sense of ebullience – even, at times, of fun! – to them, and every part of the orchestra sounds like it’s revelling in the challenge. The wind band sounds like it’s thumbing its nose just before the big explosion at the 24-minute mark, and the strings can either whizz by in technicolour or eke out their path in chalky stillness. The final moments are a Bacchic riot, laying the seed for a similar eruption at the end of the Scherzo. 

Yet the miracle of it all is that it hangs together so beautifully, and that’s as true of the first movement as it is of the symphony as a whole. The second movement is playful in the faster sections and just a bit coy in the slower ones, while the third movement opens with a sly wink and some disgracefully sparky wind solos, but broadens out terrifically for both the shimmering dream sequence and for Pan’s appearance at the end. 

A beautiful sense of stillness then arrives with the fourth movement, a vast sense of space opened up by the basses at the start, with the horns gently rocking so as to give shape to the void. There is deep beauty to the whole thing, underpinned by the lustrous darkness of Catriona Morison’s mezzo soprano voice, and the violins quietly sing their melody in the central section in a way that almost mirrors her. That spell is broken rather marvellously by the terrifically characterful boys’ voices of Pueri Gaudentes, and the ladies aren’t far behind them in ebullience. There is a marvellously sunny bounce to the whole fifth movement, but the shadow that passes over its central section is still remarkably convincing. 

But it all culminates, as every Mahler 3 should, in a finale that’s little short of radiant. If this movement is Mahler’s representation of divine love, then the violins sound as though they’re praying right from the off, stilling the heart and grounding the soul. Or they did so for this listener, at any rate: the beauty of the sound has stopped me in my tracks every time I’ve listened to this recording. Of course, a questioning note comes later, and there’s tension and strain as part of the drama, but Bychkov holds the two sides in balance remarkably skilfully, and you always know you’re in the safest of hands (Bychkov and Mahler’s).The lead up to the final peroration is expertly judged, the choir of trumpets feeling like a benediction that ushers in transcendence, and there is soaring clarity to the final tutti, the brass intoning the opening theme while the violins spiral above them. The climactic drum strokes are paced just right, and the final chord is held for so long it’s as if Bychkov can’t bear to let it go, and who can blame him?

The orchestra responds fulsomely to the conductor’s vision when they play as a collective whole, but the solos are wonderful, too. That first movement, for example, is so great because it’s so precisely coloured, with keening trumpet cries, a roaring trombone solo, and winds of bleating uncertainty. The famous posthorn of the third movement is especially good, however, as it drifts in mysteriously like the ghost of a long-forgotten memory. 

It’s a fantastic Pentatone recording, too, which perfectly captures the space of the Rudolfinum. There’s a wonderful sense of clarity as each instrument paints a brush stroke onto the canvas, and the various offstage effects, so important in this symphony, are brilliantly captured. Gavin Plomley’s booklet essay is excellent, both for newcomers and for those who know the symphony well. But please, Pentatone: give us a detachable booklet in your CDs! It’s such a faff having to juggle the entire package if you’re trying to read the notes in a booklet that has been glued into the case.

In the overall pantheon of Mahler 3s this ranks pretty highly, especially among recent recordings. Sinopoli’s is fine but a little uncertain in comparison, and much as I love Rattle’s Mahler series, the third was never his strongest suit. No one can ignore Horenstein, Solti (twice) or Bernstein (also twice) and I loved Haitink’s live Munich recording. My favourite will probably always be the first one I bought: the LSO’s fantastically dramatic performance with Michael Tilson Thomas and Janet Baker an all but unbeatable soloist. However, this Bychkov one is the finest studio recording of the piece that I’ve heard in many a year, and is definitely worth exploring, even for those who already have a few on their shelf. I haven’t heard any of the others in his ongoing Mahler cycle, but I’ll certainly look out for them in future.

Simon Thompson

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