Mahler is at his most tuneful in this movement, which ends with a truly magical evocation of the expectant hour just before dawn, with lingering dream fragments -- dancing bassoon figures, widely spaced high and low muted strings, trilling flutes and clarinet dying away as night lifts its spell to make way for day (the last movement)
Bernstein is unsurpassed in this music, but I also recommend the CD with Levine conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (RCA, 1982).
Mahler is at his most tuneful in this movement, which ends with a truly magical evocation of the expectant hour just before dawn, with lingering dream fragments -- dancing bassoon figures, widely spaced high and low muted strings, trilling flutes and clarinet dying away as night lifts its spell to make way for day (the last movement)
Bernstein is unsurpassed in this music, but I also recommend the CD with Levine conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (RCA, 1982).
agmndg 2 months ago