Mahler's music, already vehemently expressive at every turn, does not need to have its underlinings underlined. That the r esult is so effective is great testament to their skill. They give these readings of the First String Quartet and the Piano Quintet the ebb and flow the works need to breathe. It's clear an immense amount of preparation went into this and that the decision to perform without retakes paid dividends. The Allegretto scherzando, supposedly poking gentle fun at Maelzel's newfangled metronome, is pointed and infectious.
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