What is a good intro to "Mahler"?

I've found that a lot of the Super Analogues sound this way, compared to the originals. It's the remastering process, not the recording process; don't know why they're so heavy handed with the bass, and it's not always done on their reissues, either. If you're thinking of getting some of these, you might call Robert Pincus at Cisco next time you want to order, as he's been honest with me about whether the record I'm curious about is a good transfer and worth getting. As far as the Solti, whose performance I like and the recording of which, if you can listen through the bass level, seems decent enough, goes, see if you can find a copy of the original Decca in the used record bins (make sure its his analog, not digital, cycle). It may be that Speakers Corner or whoever is re-releasing a lot of the old Deccas (and doing an excellent job of it, without jacking up the bass levels) will do this title--they've already reissued the Solti Mahler 1 and 2, and I just got his Sacre du Printemps from them, so maybe...?

I can confidently second Rcprince"s Solti Mahler 1 on analog Decca as possibly the best ever Mahler 1 (but not 2).
It easily outclasses Horenstein's 1 (but no one beats his 3rd) and both Bernstein Columbia and DG cycles. The bumped up bass on the reissues, is reminicent of the heavy handed MFSL work on most of thier reissues........Frank

Further to my earlier posts on the Solti Mahler 5, I managed to get a very nice London pressing of the performance and, while the bass drum in the first movement is a little overdone, the record is nowhere near as bass-heavy as the Super Analog reissue; worth looking for if you like the performance. Also, for Detlof and the rest of you with SACD players, the SF Symphony Mahler 1 and 6 SACDs are well worth buying, in my view, both sonically and interpretively. Plus it helps support the orchestra, in a small way anyway.

I can't believe noone mentioned the Mengelberg recordings!!!??? There are in my book, 2 illuminative Mahler interpreters (owners). Mengelberg- who championed Mahler's music, and Bruno Walter who was Mahler's assistant at the Vienna Phil. If you like Mahler as it should be played, listen to any Mengelberg recording, such as.... the 4th with concertgebouw, the 5th with concertgebouw, and then Bruno Walter's 9th with Vienna which is nothing short of miraculous. They are quite different, I would say the Walter approach is slightly more catholic, but they both get the spirit of Mahler right.

I have the Horenstein/LSO on LP (Unicorn). Although I enjoy the analog sound, but the coda of the first movement is on the side 2! It's irretating to break my mood in the miidle of a piece, especially for Mahler's music. The Solti/CSO No.8 (London LP) sounds congested on my MMF-5 and I am glad I got the CD version. A $10k TT plus $5k cartridge may make a difference. The only exception is Solti/Concertgebouw/Stahlman, the CD is a little bit hash compared to LP. All mentioned are great performances, however.

Defintely check out the SACDs of SFSO/Thomas No 1, and 6. These are the closest to the analog sound you can get from a digital format.

For a intro to Mahler, my order are:

a) 1 and 4, and if you are hooked...
Read some articles about Mahler's life.
b) 7 and Das Lied von der Erde (the first 5 movements).
Read more books about Mahler's life, and browse through some songs from the following (no particular order)
c) Kindertotenlieder,
d) Ruckert Lieder
e) Des Knaben Wunderhorn
f) Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
g) 2 and 3, and if you can sit listening through without stop, then
h) 5, 9, and Der Abschied (last movement from Das lied, and now you can appreciate this whole work from first to last without stopping), and
i) 6, 8, and 10 (get the Rattle/BPO/EMI)

I always think Mahler's music are probably the best to test your HiFi euqipment. He has everything in a symphony, you name it, opera, chamber music, instrument solo, dynamic, soundstage, tone color, pipe organ, guitar, mandolin, celesta, and even hammer!)
Hope this help.