Mahler, Janet Baker, Arleen Augér, City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, CBSO Chorus, Simon Rattle – Symphony No. 2 · ("Resurrection")

Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection”
Janet Baker · Arleen Augér · City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra · CBSO Chorus · Simon Rattle

A monumental interpretation of one of the great symphonic statements of the late Romantic era, this recording of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 is led by Simon Rattle with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, featuring distinguished soloists Janet Baker and Arleen Augér.

Gustav Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony is an expansive journey from darkness to transcendence, exploring themes of death, struggle, and spiritual renewal. Rattle’s approach draws out both the architectural scale and the intimate emotional detail of the work, allowing its vast structure to feel coherent and deeply expressive.

The opening Allegro maestoso unfolds with urgency and weight, setting a dramatic tone that carries through the symphony’s emotional arc. The scherzo movement introduces uneasy motion and irony, while the famous “Urlicht” - sung here by Janet Baker - provides a moment of profound stillness and human vulnerability. The final movement builds gradually toward an overwhelming culmination, where chorus and orchestra converge in a vision of transformation and release.

This performance is notable for its clarity, emotional control, and cumulative power, capturing both the grandeur and fragility at the heart of Mahler’s vision.

A defining recording of a symphony that remains one of the most ambitious and emotionally charged works in the orchestral repertoire.

Tracklist:

Symphony No. 2 in C minor “Resurrection”
1–1 – I. Allegro maestoso
2–1 – II. Andante moderato
2–2 – III. In ruhig fließender Bewegung
2–3 – IV. “Urlicht” (Sehr feierlich, aber schlicht)
2–4 – V. Im Tempo des Scherzos: Wild herausfahrend
2–5 – Wieder sehr breit
2–6 – Ritardando … Maestoso
2–7 – Wieder zurückhaltend
2–8 – Langsam. Misterioso
2–9 – Etwas bewegter
2–10 – Mit Aufschwung, aber nicht eilen