The sunniest of Gustav Mahler's symphonies, the Symphony No. 4 in G major is well-served by conductors who have a natural sympathy for its cheerful Viennese style and a deep understanding of its deceptive naďveté. Fabio Luisi clearly understands these crucial aspects of the work and brings out both its sentiment and schmaltz, and convincingly communicates its odd blend of childlike simplicity and otherworldly wisdom. While he is rather free with rubato and uses tempos that are fairly elastic, this is in the interest of ...
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The sunniest of Gustav Mahler's symphonies, the Symphony No. 4 in G major is well-served by conductors who have a natural sympathy for its cheerful Viennese style and a deep understanding of its deceptive naďveté. Fabio Luisi clearly understands these crucial aspects of the work and brings out both its sentiment and schmaltz, and convincingly communicates its odd blend of childlike simplicity and otherworldly wisdom. While he is rather free with rubato and uses tempos that are fairly elastic, this is in the interest of creating rhythmic suppleness, and the unpredictability of his ritardandos and accelerandos keeps the music playful and full of surprises. On a deeper level, Luisi also knows how to draw out the purest tones and softest expressions, to bring across the ethereal aspect of the symphony, the heavenly joy directly addressed in the Finale. Luisi and the Mitteldeutschen Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester play with spontaneity and genuine feeling in the moment, and soprano Sandra Trattnigg delivers a...
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