Berlin Rattled

Mahler: Symphony No. 5. Berlin Philharmonic; Simon Rattle, conductor.

(EMI Classics 7243 5 57385) * * * *

To mark the official start of his tenure as music director of the Berlin Philharmonic in September, Simon Rattle sent out a very clear signal. The program contained a bracing work by a fellow Brit, Thomas Ades, who is out on the forefront of contemporary composers, and a symphony by Mahler, who was a specialty of the Berliners' two previous conductors, Herbert von Karajan and Claudio Abbado. There probably was no better way for Rattle to show his individuality - and his ability to measure up to past standards.

I can't vouch for how the Ades performance went, but, thanks to some busy engineers at EMI, I can attest to the insightful vision Rattle brought to Mahler's Fifth during that inaugural event in Berlin. This live recording, released very speedily by classical recording standards, captures a conductor and an orchestra at the peak of their powers. From the rock-solid trumpet solo that unleashes the opening funeral march to the giddy gallop of the finale, the music is alive and gripping.

It's hardly news that the Berlin Philharmonic is just about the best in the business, but it's always reassuring to drink in all that quality. Technical refinement, whether solo or collective, and superior cohesiveness can be savored at every turn. Stefan Dohr's horn solo in the Scherzo has a burning beauty. (He's recorded more closely than is typical, sitting at the front of the orchestra instead of back in the horn section; Rattle cites a Mahler letter as evidence of the intended prominence.)

The conductor's tempos always seem right, even when he goes in for some very broad stretching. There is a sense of almost spontaneous music-making here, which only underlines the mercurial aspect that makes Mahler's sound-world so irresistible. Above all, Rattle reveals the heart of this symphony, the anxiety and longing that gradually give way to exquisite joy.

There are, to be sure, quite a few top-drawer recordings of Mahler's Fifth already available. Make room for one more.

Apocalyptic Symphony

Karl Weigl: Symphony No. 5 (Apocalyptic) and Phantastisches Intermezzo. Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra; Thomas Sanderling, conductor.

(BIS 1077) * * * 1/2

The music of Karl Weigl has been a well-guarded secret for many of us. This release, offering the first recordings of his Fifth Symphony from 1945 and an orchestral piece from 1921, should help raise the composer's profile. The Viennese-born Weigl, who emigrated to the United States when the Nazis entered his country, studied with Zemlinsky and worked for Mahler at the Vienna Opera; his music attracted the attention of such noted conductors as Furtwangler and Szell. Yet major fame eluded him.

Although hardly an avant-garde figure, Weigl had a daring streak, as evidenced by the opening of the Fifth Symphony - the music emerges directly out of the orchestra's tuning up, a still-startling effect. That music is darkly colored, harmonically and instrumentally, with shadows of Bruckner casting an ominous cloud. An eerie, propulsive, expertly crafted scherzo, a slow movement that again recalls Bruckner's abstract grandeur, and an urgent finale complete the fascinating symphony. Even when Weigl's ideas lack defining character, the score exerts considerable force.

Conductor Thomas Sanderling's obvious commitment to this piece and its companion - the energetic Phantastisches Intermezzo, with its very Mahler-like orchestration and atmosphere - pays off in sturdy performances by the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Romantic cello

Mendelssohn: Cello Sonatas, Variations, etc. Mischa Maisky, cellist; Sergio Tiempo, pianist.

(Deutsche Grammophon 471 565) * * * *

For all of his obvious importance, Mendelssohn does not always get enough respect. Yes, there are several often-performed works, but a lot of his output gets only intermittent attention. This attractive recording reminds us how much we're missing. Mischa Maisky brings his familiar firmness of tone and richness of expression to the two engaging cello sonatas, which abound in melodic charm and instrumental coloring. The cellist is sensitively matched by pianist Sergio Tiempo, a Martha Argerich protege.

Filling out the disc are theVariations Concertantes and some welcome transcriptions of vocal and piano pieces. Maisky's own transcription of the familiar On Wings of Song could not be more persuasive; neither could the performance, with its ardent, rhythmically unfettered phrasing. Here and elsewhere the cellist demonstrates good old-fashioned romanticism at its best. Tiempo's equally intense concentration on tonal beauty, evenness of line and clarity of articulation seconds that motion.

American Journey

Chanticleer: Our American Journey.

(Teldec 0927-48556) * * * 1/2

Having reached its silver anniversary, the San Francisco-based male choral group known as Chanticleer is a bona-fide musical institution, eagerly welcomed on concert stages everywhere. The ensemble is also in a class by itself, thanks to an exceptionally cohesive sound, superb technique and refined tastes. All of these attributes light this remarkable celebration of Americana, from the church music of Spanish and English composers who made it to these shores early on to the ballads of Stephen Foster and George Gershwin. There's room, too, for some contemporary composers who have written specifically for Chanticleer.

The highlights just keep coming on this disc, including the riveting stillness of Jackson Hill's "Voices of Autumn," a tender treatment of "Wayfarin' Stranger," a positively gorgeous arrangement of Foster's "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair," and an even more gorgeous and endearing version of Gershwin's "Love Walked In." A few items don't quite rise to the standard of the rest, but the whole package makes for an arresting journey.