Zander is arguably the most devoted Mahlerian of the day, and the sixth symphony has passionately exercised him. I do not hope to hear a more wrenching yet heartwarmingly lyrical account on disc. The textures have brilliant clarity and the deeply pondered yet spontaneously felt tempi and phrasing hold one in a sometimes terrifying grip.

The work has also exercised Zander scholastically. He gives the four movements in their original, but not definitive order, the Andante coming third which is surely right. Amazingly, two finales are included, the first with the original three hammer blows, the second in Mahler's version reducing superstitiously them to two.

Three stars (max of three)

Paul Driver