But it's Scherzo No. 1 and the finale that most benefit from Mazzeti's treatment--here his choice of instrumentation rings true, even if some of it sounds strange after years of listening to Cooke. But we must remember that much of Cooke's version is itself only an educated guess as to Mahler's final intentions, and cannot be viewed as a standard. Mazzeti's achievement is remarkable for the consistent clarity of line amid whirlwind counterpoint that was a hallmark of Mahler's craft. There are moments where I had that special sensation of listening to a Mahler symphony for the first time. While many Mahlerians had understandable misgivings about Mazzeti's first attempt, they owe it to themselves to audition this far superior effort.

Superior too is Lopez-Cobos' performance with the Cincinnati Symphony, who sound far more at ease with the score than Leonard Slatkin and his Saint Louis band. (Lopez-Cobos' reading of the Adagio, at 22 minutes, is one of the most flowing and cogent ever.) The Telarc recording has such a wide dynamic range that you need an absolutely silent listening area for the soft passages to register. But don't crank the volume too much, or the tuttis will blow you away.