Search - Gustav Mahler, Zubin Mehta, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra :: Mahler: Symphony No. 1 in D "Titan"

Mehta's third Mahler First falls well below his first

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 07/25/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Decca has released Zubin Mehta's Mahler First from Los Angeles when he was in his glory days as a young media star. His career hasn't panned out critically--he rarely gets better than ho-hum reviews. One of the best things about him, though, is his loyalty to the Israel Phil., with whom he frequently tours. Here they perform the Mahler First rather dutifully. We've gotten so used to world-class orchestras dazzling us in Mahler that to hear a decent, medium-good reading feels like a letdown.



Mehta takes mostly relaxed tempos, far from the intense passion of Bernstein. He approaches the slow movement as an actual dirge, not a parody. The peasants don't dance with earthy robsutness in the Scherzo; they're a bit sleepy after working all day. As other reviewers point out, the finale is slow and non-dramatic. the best thing here is the discarded "Blumine" movement, which Mehta leads with affection.



What can you say aobut a conductor who keeps coming back to Mahler decade after decade without making much of an impression?"