Zander provides wonderful, leisurely Mahler symphony

ROBERT SPANO, CONDUCTOR; ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS; Berlioz, Requiem, Op. 5 (Telarc) ** 1/2

Conductor Benjamin Zander is one of today's foremost Mahler interpreters. With the Philharmonia Orchestra, he has recorded a number of the Austrian composer's symphonies for Telarc.

His readings have consistently been characterized by insightful interpretations that are dynamic yet nuanced, with a finely tuned sensitivity to the subtleties found in Mahler's orchestrations.

The Third is Zander's most recent Mahler recording. His gives a richly expressive reading of the score, one in which he coaxes a nuanced performance from the orchestra and singers. Zander takes everything at a leisurely pace, allowing for an expansive unfurling of the music. Although not without its dramatic moments, his interpretation does tend to lag occasionally. But despite this, it is nevertheless quite a forceful performance.

Mezzo-soprano Lilli Paasikivi sings exquisitely. Her rich, warm voice adds an expressive layer to the orchestra in the fourth movement. The Tiffin Boys' Choir and the women of the London Philharmonic Choir also give an impressive performance.

While this is not the best recording of the Mahler Third on the market today, it still has much to commend it, thanks to Zander's perceptiveness and innate understanding of the music.

• BERLIOZ'S REQUIEM is perhaps his most sincere, honest and heartfelt work. It's a score that is not plagued by the pompousness that creeps into some of his other large-scale orchestral/choral works. It's a magnificent creation that is stunning for its choral writing and demands a chorus of the highest artistic caliber.

Fortunately for Telarc's recording of the Requiem, the Atlanta Symphony Chorus is such an ensemble. Thanks to Robert Shaw's legacy (he led the Atlanta Symphony for many years), the chorus sings marvelously, giving a performance that is nothing short of spectacular.

Conductor Robert Spano, however, takes a too reverential approach to the work as a whole. The result is an interpretation that lacks spontaneity and is marred by a dullness that could have been lethal if not for the Atlanta Symphony's first-rate playing, and, above all, the chorus' compelling singing and execution.

E-mail: ereichel@desnews.com