Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz; Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno; Margarita Vilsone; Evelyne Krahe; Michael Muller-Kasztelan; Derrick Ballard; Michael Francis - Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 3, 5, 7 & 9; Coriolan; Leonore Overtures; String Quartet Op. 95 - The Mahler Re-Orchestrations

Whenever Gustav Mahler spoke of Beethoven, he did so with an air of reverence: Among poets and composers of more recent times we can, perhaps, name but three: Shakespeare, Beethoven and Wagner. Even so, Mahler the conductor considered Beethoven's scores primarily as a challenge, as material that needed to beadapted forthe orchestras and concert halls of his time. Richard Wagner had already studiedBeethoven's scores intensively and written about them in great detail. The balance insound of the classical orchestra had developed, and a return to previous proportionswas out of the question, given the increased size of the concert halls. People knew of the existence of Mahler's adaptations, but it was not until 1927 that Erwin Stein, the composer, pianist and music journalist active in Schoenberg's circles, was able to report that all of Mahler's conducting scores, replete with his 'Retuschen' (retouchings), had in fact survived.