Symphony No 2

"Boulez understands the spirituality of this symphony, creating a profoundly moving, life enhancing interpretation. It's a powerful illumination of the deeper aspects of Mahler, opening up new approaches to inspire a new, reflective era in Mahler performance."
(MusicWeb Recordings of the Year 2006)

With his uncompromising approach to the score, Pierre Boulez's Mahler readings have long fascinated critics and audiences alike. Boulez eschews the romanticized readings common in performance tradition and instead reveals the real joy and terror in Mahler's large-scale symphonies.

As the penultimate recording of his Mahler cycle, Boulez tackles the Second Symphony Resurrection, one of the biggest and most popular of Mahler's works.

Vocalists Christine Schäfer and Michelle DeYoung join forces with the Wiener Philharmoniker and Wiener Singverein as the perfect ensemble to bring Boulez's vision of this gargantuan piece to life.

Once again critics are dazzled by Boulez's approach. As Larry L. Lash wrote in the Financial Times: "Boulez's Mahler is revelatory in its leanness: no frills, just the music . . . I was trembling by the end of the performance . . . This was not merely an evening's entertainment, but a life-changing experience for anyone who thought they knew their Mahler."