Keith Johnson has recorded this performance in state-of-the-art sound, the end result being a disk that is a must-have for all Mahler fans. In terms of performance, it may not be quite as dramatically expressive as the Klemperer recording on EMI; however, as good as the Klemperer disk sounds, it cannot match the sheer sonic majesty of this new version. My fist choice in terms of performance remains Klemperer, but this new disk will retain a space on my shelf and get played often.
"As a complement to Klemperer's EMI disk, then, this new recording from Reference Recordings earns my highest recommendation; as I said above, for Mahler fans, this is simply a must-have recording." --Sensible Sound Nov/Dec 1999.
Selections: The Song Of The Earth: The Drinking Song Of Earth's Sorrow, The Song Of The Earth: The Lonely One In Autumn, The Song Of The Earth: Of Youth, The Song Of The Earth: Of Beauty, The Song Of The Earth: The Drunkard In Spring, The Song Of The Earth: The Farewell: Schwer, The Song Of The Earth: The Farewell: Sehr Massig, The Song Of The Earth: The Farewell: Fliessend, The Song Of The Earth: The Farewell: Schwer, The Song Of The Earth: The Farewell: Nicht Eilen, The Song Of The Earth: The Farewell: Sehr Massig.