best mahler no. 5

I own six different Mahler's Fifth, and my favorite is Solti's Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1970 (London). Very emotionally involving. You need a good system to play it. Try playing it on a so-so system and the sound just falls apart. The bass tympanis at the end of Movement 1 (Trauermarsch) just become distorted noise. On a highly resolved system, the impact is entirely different. Highly recommended.

thank for the the big help meni

I have Solti's Chicago 1970 LP for more than 20 years and did not have chance to compare it with Haitink. I agree with Vtvu; it is very emotionally involving.

I second the recommendations for both the Solti and Haitink. I've often thought old Bernard didn't get the critical acclaim I feel he deserves less because of the Concertgebouw and his work and more because he wasn't idiosyncratic enough, i.e., too conventional. (His Bruckner cycle is also very, very good.)

try Inbal or Barbirolli...both of them will make you forget Solti and Bernstein and Haitink...especially Inbal...