A Mahler performance with Paavo Järvi and the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich thrilled the audience in the Golden Hall.

Vienna reviews Mahler 1 and 2 

The Tonhalle Orchestra brought Mahler with them on their excursion to the Musikverein, the current subject of a cycle of performances and – less than 20 years after the orchestra recorded the complete Mahler works under Dennis Russell Davies – corresponding recordings (Alpha). Typical of Paavo Järvi, who loves cycles as well as discographic expansion. He is thus hot on the heels of his father, Neeme, regarding the title of the most recorded living conductor.

Friday evening featured the First Symphony (the Second followed on Saturday) – and it already sounded very promising. Initially, Mahler's first attempt seemed somewhat slick, clean, and swiftly played, gliding like an ice skater on Lake Zurich. More elegant than rustic. A tendency toward anonymity, even though the attempt was made to bring out the accents the music offers in abundance and its climaxes. With Mahler's First, that's actually enough: when it gets loud and hectic, as in the finale of the first movement (fantastic, crisp timpani strokes!), it can't help but impress.

But it didn't stop there. From movement to movement, the interpretation improved, revealing more character, becoming more colorful, more rustic. In the third movement, "Frère Jacques," the solo double bassist was unfortunately far too good and assured. Lyrically, almost cello-like, he played his part. But what one wants to hear here is a sweat-drenched, raw panic. But who can forbid their musicians from playing beautifully? On the other hand, the Jewish-Bohemian influences were played with such relish and luscious portamenti that it was pure joy. The leaping clarinet notes in the introduction to the second movement, "Frère Jacques," were also delightful.

It was a magnificent First Symphony.

The fourth movement then launched into a truly furious roar, with Järvi masterfully maintaining the lines and arcs of tension, releasing them at precisely the right moment, so that one had to follow the music with one's entire body. Mahler, it seems, doesn't quite work on its own when it's meant to be more than just "decent." And so it was a magnificent First Symphony—fitting for the 125th anniversary of its first performance at the Musikverein. One could almost forget that Schumann's Cello Concerto had been played beforehand. Sol Gabetta's performance was very refined, but the overall impression was truly "only" beautiful, well-behaved, and tasteful. Lively, but not gripping.