Conductor Philipp von Steinaecker and the Mahler Academy Orchestra present a special performance of Mahler’s Ninth Symphony, recorded in Toblach, the place where the composer himself wrote the work in 1909. Performed on historical instruments and with a playing style closely aligned with the practice of Mahler’s own time, a sound world emerges that feels both new and familiar. The balance between the orchestral groups is transparent, allowing details that often disappear in modern performances to come to the fore here. The result is an earthy, direct, and spontaneous whole in which robust power alternates with fragile intimacy.
Von Steinaecker emphasizes the expressive richness of the score: unexpected twists, capricious dance rhythms, and seductive glissandi are given extra colour by the specific timbre of gut strings, woodwinds, and brass from Mahler’s time. The inspiration with which he leads his musicians is unmistakably audible and infectious. This recording can rightly be called a milestone and is a valuable addition to the already impressive discography of Mahler’s Ninth.

2025