Set: Kubelik--came 20 years late to this cycle, but have fallen in love with Mahler all over again, very good with the music in between the "big moments." Sound is good but not demonstration quality.
1: Kubelik/Walter/Muti
2: Bernstein's DGG but $$$$ (we need a re-press) The entrance of the Organ pedal!
3: Kubelik, much like Barbirolli but better, more concentrated and rapt Finale
4: Walter but painful mono sound
5: don't know it enough
6: don't know it enough
7: Kubelik except for "moonlit" stretch of music in 1st mov't, which is far more magical under Levine
8: Tennstedt for sound and performance, a one-off by Wynn Morris (warning: warts) and the Kubelik again for "knocking the dust off."
9: Kubelik would be my hands-down favorite except for ever so slightly "flowing" Finale, though not as fast as Walter! The limo Mahler choice: Giulini, but what a plodding Scherzo!
DLVDE: two scandalously overlooked: Reiner, with the wonderful Forrester, (who's only downfall was *not* dying while the tapes were rolling), and the concertante playing of the Orchestra's first chairs is glorious. Blows the stereotype that Reiner was "cold." The other underdog is Jochum on DGG with the Concertgebouw: Why couldn't DGG always record like this? Merriman (sp?) has a tight vibrato, but all involved are competent and apposite in the best of ways.