Mahler: Symphony No. 7

"Abbado's view of Mahler's Seventh Symphony is judicious and clear-sighted. The playing of the Chicago Symphony is exceptionally refined, free of all inadvertent exaggeration and histrionic display. Aided by a clean acoustic and poised, clearly projected solo playing in the orchestra, the most intimate details of Mahler's huge score seem effortlessly to carry. As ever, Abbado is the unpretentious, keen-eared elucidator: it is a measure of Abbado's general skilfulness that the somewhat episodic structure is held in a reasonably clean focus." Gramophone

". . . judicious and clear-sighted . . . [the playing of the Chicago Symphony] is exceptionally refined, free of all inadvertent exaggeration and histrionic display . . . Aided by a clean acoustic and poised, clearly-projected solo playing in the orchestra, the most intimate details of Mahler's huge score seem effortlessly to carry . . . As ever, Abbado is the unpretentious, keen-eared elucidator . . . The central meditation is unusually fine in this performance, notable for the concentration and fine-grained sensibility of the Chicago playing . . . [Abbado's clear appraisal of the score should] win friends for the work, not least because of the Chicago orchestra's distinguished and distinctive realization of Mahler's difficult and, at times, technically innovative writing." Gramophone