[...] HERE WAS AN ORCHESTRA OF ALMOST INCOMPARABLE POISE, REFINEMENT AND VITALITY SINKING ITS COLLECTIVE HEART AND SOUL INTO MAHLER'S MAGNIFICENT MUSINGS ON NATURE, LIFE AND LOVE. [...] HE DIDN'T BRING ALL OF THE OPENING MOVEMENT'S MYSTERIOUS AND EXHILARATING ASPECTS TOGETHER WITH COMPLETE AUTHORITY. HE PUSHED THE EXCITING EPISODES TO FRANTIC ENDS, AND HE NEUTRALIZED THE EBB AND FLOW OF PHRASES. [...] WELSER-MÖST'S PACING WAS BOTH PATIENT AND URGENT, WITH AMPLE SPACE FOR THE ORCHESTRA TO DEFINE MAHLER'S BENEVOLENT AND SUBLIME PHRASES IN ALL THEIR GLORY. [...]