Mahler Symphony No. 8 discography

The first complete recording of Gustav Mahler's Eighth Symphony was made on 9 April 1950, with Leopold Stokowski conducting the New York Philharmonic and combined New York choirs.[1] The recording was of a live performance at the Carnegie Hall. Nearly two years earlier the Hungarian-born conductor Eugene Ormandy had recorded the "Veni Creator Spiritus" movement, with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra in a performance at the Hollywood Bowl in July 1948.[1] Since Stokowski's version at least 70 recordings of the symphony have been made, by many of the world's leading orchestras and singers, mostly during live performances. This number includes recordings which were for private or limited distribution and were not issued under commercial record labels.[2]

Gustav Mahler in 1907

Some of the recordings have won high critical praise. On its first release in CD form in 1988 the historic Stokowski recording was described by critic Kevin Conklin as "the most consistently satisfying performance of the Mahler Eighth I know, and a powerful argument for preferring a live recording of the work".[3] Simon Rattle's 2004 version with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra was BBC Music Magazine Disc of the Month for May 2005, and was Gramophone magazine's Disc of the Month in April 2007. A Leonard Bernstein 1975 recording, when issued in DVD format in 2005, was Gramophone's DVD of the Month choice in February 2006. The DVD of the Klaus Tennstedt 1991 recording, praised for its "passionate commitment", was a finalist in the annual Gramophone Awards in 2007.[4]