Asrael Symphony, Op. 27

"Asrael encompasses formal experiment, superb orchestration, a magnificent grasp of scale and, above all, an unerring feel for catharsis...Charles Mackerras's performance encapsulates all of these qualities...Not only does he see the staggering originality of Suk's vision, but, effortlessly, he folds into his interpretation the depth of his knowledge of the Czech repertoire...this is the closest to the definitive version we have."
(BBC Music Orchestral Choice May 2011)

"Mackerras has the advantage of an orchestra that has lived and breathed this music for 100 years - it was premiered exactly a century before these concerts - and his own deep involvement with Czech music gives him persuasive insights."
(Sunday Times)

"There are so many moments that come memorably to life in this reading...the driving energy of Mackerras's conducting is thrilling, and the combination of clarity and warmth that he finds in Suk's orchestral textures comes across impressively...it's quite simply the greatest performance I've ever heard of Asrael"
(International Record Review)

"Sir Charles Mackerras actually learnt Asrael from Talich and this performance, recorded on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday 2007, betrays an almost symbiotic identification with the music...this more recent Mackerras performance digs just that little bit deeper and for that reason edges nearest to the classics by Talich and Kubelík."
(Gramophone Award Finalist 2011 - Orchestral)