'Right from the start, with those dark, dragging rhythms, there’s a sense that something special is afoot here ... Gergiev charts the whole labyrinthine course with thrilling assurance [whilst] the virtuosity and sensitivity of the London Symphony Orchestra – in solo or ensemble writing, or in rich tuttis – is a continual exhilarating delight.'
The Seventh is often regarded as Mahler’s 'Cinderella' symphony and, after the tragic theme of the Sixth, proves far more enigmatic. The funereal march of the opening movement gives way to the serene Nachtmusik (night music) movements, and a ghostly scherzo before culminating in a feverishly joyful finale.
