Gustav Mahler was one of Hans Rosbaud’s great favourites. Rosbaud did not record all his symphonies, nor the song cycles, but everything we have speaks for itself and demonstrates that, as an all-round musical genius, Rosbaud was not only one of the greatest Mahler conductors of his time, but one of the best ever. He does not just reveal a work’s structure to perfection and with maximum faithfulness to the score – an essential complement to a strong sense of musicality – but lays out the whole range of Mahler’s passion. Each moment is given an individual expression.

We now present the first release of all the Mahler recordings Rosbaud made for SWR in one box set. Significantly, it revolutionises any image of Mahler we may have previously held, providing us with a more comprehensive understanding based on all the structural and expressive dimensions of Mahler’s music. Nobody but Hans Rosbaud was able to render these aspects so perceptible in every detail and in every respect.

Recordings: 1951–1961