Chamber Mahler a scaled down delight

The Mahler Chamber Orchestra give Mahler's Symphony No.4 the space to bloom and under Daniel Harding the results are remarkable

Composer: Mahler
Repertoire: Symphony No.4
Artists: Dorothea Röschmann (sop); Mahler CO/Daniel Harding
Rating: 4/5 
Genre: Chamber
Label: Virgin Classics 545 66523

The use of a chamber orchestra rather than the full-sized equivalent makes for remarkable results: some of Mahler’s more spacious perspectives lose out but the playing has exceptional grace, precision and detail. Harding steers the symphony with convincing skill, letting things flow and making both the dark and the ecstatic moments really happen. Dorothea Röschmann sings the finale and three songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn with winsome involvement.