Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde / Bernstein, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

After more than three decades, this remains the Lied of choice if you prefer Mahler's sanctioned baritone alternative in the alto songs. Bernstein's the hero of this intense, powerful reading. The Vienna orchestra, once led by Mahler himself, plays it to the hilt with expressive wind solos, deep, warm strings, and a searing response to Bernstein's (and Mahler's) emotional demands. King copes manfully with the cruelly difficult tenor songs, but Fischer-Dieskau is wonderful in the alto-baritone songs, singing with a great lieder specialist's textual nuance and vocal splendor. I've been imprinted with the versions featuring Ferrier with Walter and Ludwig with Klemperer but would not want to be without this great recording. --Dan Davis