Mahler: Symphony No. 2 [Resurrection] [SACD Hybrid]

[Machine Translation]

[Track Listing]
Gustav Mahler:
Symphony No. 2 in C minor, "Resurrection"
[1] Movement 1: Allegro maestoso (Mit durchaus ernstem und feierlichem Ausdruck)

[2] Movement 2: Andante moderato (Very leisurely, without haste)

[3] Movement 3: Scherzo (In a calm, flowing movement)

[4] Movement 4: Urlicht "O Roschen rot!" (Very solemn, yet simple, in the style of a chorale)

[5] Movement 5: In the tempo of the Scherzo (bursting forth wildly) -

[Performers]
Isobel Buchanan (soprano)
Mira Zakai (contralto)
Chicago Symphony Chorus
(Choral Director: Margaret Hillis)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Sir Georg Solti
[Recording] May 5-7, 1980, Medina Temple, Chicago
[First International Release] DECCA D229D 2 (1981)
[First Japanese Release] LONDON K25C 121/2 (July 21, 1981)
[Original Recording]
[Producer] James Marinson
[Recording Engineers] John Dunkerley, James Rock
[Super Audio CD Producer] Motoaki Omachi (Esoteric Mastering Center)
[Super Audio CD Associate Producer] Minoru Yoshida (Esoteric Mastering Center)
[Super Audio CD Remastering Engineer] Shinya Higashino (Esoteric Mastering Center)
[Super Audio CD Remaster] May 2026, Esoteric Audio Room, "Esoteric Mastering" System
[Liner Notes] Kozo Asari, Kotaro Yamazaki
[Planning & Sales] TEAC Corporation
[Planning & Cooperation] Tokyo Denka Co., Ltd.

This is a superb recording of Mahler's *Resurrection* by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra-a highly accomplished ensemble that cultivated a close, harmonious partnership with the maestro Solti. The performance, with its meticulous attention to every detail, showcases the precision unique to Solti. It is also brimming with audio appeal. This recording allows you to savor the classic Decca sound, with both the loud and soft passages offering a truly rewarding listening experience. Please enjoy this new mastering, which thoroughly pursues high sound quality based on the original master.

- A Super Audio CD hybrid release featuring Esoteric's signature attention to detail
ESOTERIC's classic reissue series continues to receive high acclaim for its relentless commitment to the original master sound and the overwhelming improvement in sound quality achieved through Super Audio CD hybrid technology. We have DSD-mastered these masterpieces-which have been hailed as definitive classics since their release and have never disappeared from the catalog to this day-using technology and artistic sensibility evolved from the original masters, achieving the world's first Super Audio CD hybrid format. This time, we are releasing Super Audio CD hybrid editions of legendary performances and recordings from Decca's catalog dating back to the early digital era.

- Flawless, exceptional orchestral control delivered through the majestic Decca sound
Among the definitive Mahler performances that Solti-who had already completed a complete set of Mahler symphonies during the analog era-undertook in the early digital era, this Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection," stands out as one of the finest. His collaboration with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra-a highly skilled ensemble with exceptional technical prowess-is in perfect harmony. Here, the very essence of Mahler, unfolding exactly as Solti intended, is on full display. Featuring two female vocalists and a mixed choir, this quintessentially Mahlerian *Resurrection* is depicted on a grand scale, centered around the lengthy scherzo movement. It offers immense satisfaction not only to music lovers and Mahler enthusiasts but also to audiophiles, and can truly be called a work made for an exceptional audio system. To achieve this, it is essential that the original recording be of the highest quality. The combination that best meets this requirement is undoubtedly that of Solti-with his impeccable, masterful orchestral control and the majestic Decca sound-paired with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a highly skilled ensemble capable of rendering every detail with precision.

- *Resurrection*, Which Finally Became a Concert Staple in the 1970s and Beyond
Mahler was so renowned as a conductor during his lifetime that he remarked in his later years, "My time will come eventually." It took nearly half a century for his symphonies to become widely known. During the SP era, recordings were scarce, with only a few releases by his beloved disciples-Walter, Mitropoulos, and Ormandy. After the advent of the LP in 1948, the number of recordings began to increase gradually, and from around 1960, the number of recordings skyrocketed. By the early 1970s, Bernstein, Solti, Haitink, Kubelik, and others were actively undertaking complete symphony cycles. This was likely due in large part to the longer playing times made possible by the widespread adoption of LP records, and above all, to improvements in recording technology that enhanced sound quality. This marked the arrival of the so-called "Mahler boom." And this work, Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection," became a staple of concert programs from the 1970s onward.

- Solti, Who Had Eagerly Sought to Record Mahler Since His Youth
Along with Walter, Bernstein, and Klemperer, Georg Solti (1912-1997) -one of the driving forces behind the Mahler boom-was born in Budapest, Hungary, and made his debut in 1938. Shortly thereafter, his homeland was annexed by the Nazis, forcing him to flee to Switzerland. His full-fledged career as a conductor began in 1946, after the war, when he was appointed Music Director of the Bavarian State Opera; however, from the 1950s onward, he was active throughout Europe and the United States and made numerous recordings. The catalyst for his rise to fame was likely the "Ring Cycle"-a series of operas led by Wagner's *Das Rheingold*, recorded in its entirety with the Vienna Philharmonic starting in 1958 and often referred to as an immortal masterpiece of the 20th century. This work elevated him to worldwide fame, and Solti cemented his reputation with the Mahler symphony series he began in 1961, upon assuming the position of Music Director at the Royal Opera in London. Solti's first Mahler recording was Symphony No. 4 with the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, which was previously released as part of the Esoteric Masterpieces Reissue Series. John Karshaw, who had served as chief producer since 1955, harbored a certain aversion to Mahler's symphonies; however, upon learning of Solti's ambitious desire to record the complete Mahler symphonies, Karshaw arranged for the London Philharmonic Orchestra to record Symphony No. 1 in 1964, following the recording of Symphony No. 4. However, the masterful Karshaw did not personally oversee the recording; instead, he entrusted the Mahler recordings to the young David Harvey. Sholti then worked with Harvey and the London Philharmonic to record Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection," in 1966; Symphony No. 9 in 1967; Symphony No. 3 in 1968; and, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1970 to 1972, Symphonies Nos. 5 through 8 and *Das Lied von der Erde*, thereby completing the complete set. Following this sequence of events, when Decca became the first label in Europe and the United States to begin digital recording in 1979, the orchestra re-recorded Mahler's Symphonies Nos. 1-4 and No. 9-which had been recorded in the 1960s with orchestras other than the Chicago Symphony-between 1980 and 1983, thereby completing the complete set with the Chicago Symphony.

- Digital Recordings from an Era When the Classic Decca Sound Was Still Alive
Another significant aspect of these Mahler recordings is that they were made in the 1980s. This was an era when the remnants of the early LP days-when record companies were still searching, through trial and error, for their own distinctive sound-were still very much alive. American labels such as CBS and RCA, along with European labels like EMI, Deutsche Grammophon, Philips, and Decca, had all established orchestral sounds that were instantly recognizable upon first listen. Among them, Decca stood apart from other labels with its so-called "Decca Sound," which garnered immense support not only from music fans but also from audiophiles. Its trademark was a dynamic sound-ranging from a rich, deep bass to a sparkling high end-that made it seem as though the quality of one's home audio system had improved severalfold. The pinnacle of this sound was undoubtedly the recordings by Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. From the very beginning of the CD era, the sound quality of Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra received high praise. The label released high-fidelity CDs, including Gold CDs, of Mahler's Symphony No. 3, and the "Esoteric Masterpiece Reissue Series" featured Bartok's "Concerto for Orchestra"-all part of the "Esoteric Masterpiece Reissue Series"-were among the many legendary recordings widely used in audio demonstrations throughout the 1980s. Like No. 3, "Resurrection," this No. 2 can also be considered a representative recording of Decca from the early digital era. However, after Decca merged with Philips in the mid-1990s, that majestic "Decca Sound" began to fade into the background. Around the same time, other labels also saw their distinctive sonic personalities begin to wane. One reason for this may be that, with the evolution of digital technology, there was a growing emphasis on a neutral balance that more closely resembled a live concert... In that sense, it could be said that this *Resurrection* was the last work in which the "Decca Sound"-inherited from the analog era-was faithfully preserved even in the digital age.

- Realized as a Super Audio CD hybrid in optimal condition
Solti's first Mahler recording using digital technology was Symphony No. 2, *Resurrection*, performed at the Medina Temple in May 1980. When it comes to Solti's *Resurrection*, his 1966 recording with the London Philharmonic had long been renowned as a masterful performance and recording; in particular, the overwhelming power of the low strings' presentation of the theme at the beginning of the first movement caused a huge sensation upon its initial release and and was frequently used for equipment demonstrations at audio fairs and similar events. However, this re-recording is even more remarkable for its grand-scale interpretation, which makes the most of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's sophisticated technical prowess and expressive power, From the first movement-which Mahler called a "Funeral Festival"-through to the fifth movement's "Resurrection Hymn," which celebrates the Last Judgment and the glory of God, this is a masterful performance that presents the entire work with grandeur and unwavering tension. This remastered hybrid disc has been crafted to allow listeners to appreciate the excellence of both the performance and the recording with even greater clarity. As always, we carried out our work without compromise, from the selection of the master recordings to the final DSD mastering process. In particular, for the DSD mastering, we utilized "Esoteric Mastering," employing ESOTERIC's top-of-the-line equipment-the Master Sound Discrete DAC and Master Sound Discrete Clock-which had been meticulously calibrated. Furthermore, by making generous use of MEXCEL cables, we were able to capture the information contained in the original master on disc with a rich, expansive sound.

4907034226313
ESSD90326

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