Mahler
Symphony 2 'Resurrection' Bamberg SO & Ch/Jonathan Nott - Tudor 7158 (SACD hybrid, two discs)
Founded by Czech refugee musicians in 1946, the Bamberg Orchestra has been working with its English conductor for a decade now, and they are part-way through a Mahler cycle. More akin to Bruno Walter’s than Georg Solti’s, Jonathan Notts’ ‘Resurrection’ proves more than the sum of its parts and is fascinatingly detailed. Climaxes sound huge, although the recording perhaps exaggerates the rawness of brass and the tenor voices. Lioba Braun’s ‘Urlicht’ suffices, but that’s all. There are recent concert releases with CSO/Haitink and LPO/Tennstedt, yet this Bamberg Second (also live) exerts a certain grip.
Sound Quality: 70%