None of Leonard Bernstein's Mahler is bad, but this was probably the weakest performance in his first complete symphony cycle. As an interpretation, it's certainly convincing, but the playing of the orchestra is not really top-notch, and the recorded sound was always a bit constricted. In addition, Bernstein's remake on DG is sensational in every respect, and this should decide the matter for fans of both Mahler and Bernstein. --David Hurwitz