And that's the beauty (and frustration) of Mahler's music.

He may have only composed ten symphonies and a handful of song cycles, but one's Mahler collection can never be complete......just listen and marvel at Sir Simon Rattle's recent recording of the 5th where the obligato horn soloist is placed at the front of the orchestra during the scherzo as in a concerto......this casts the movement in a whole new light, thus another hugely successful but unique interpretation of the fifth is born.

Such is the depth, complexity and flexibility of the material, there is no one definitive performance of any of his symphonies. Sure, there are many, many superb and differing interpretations of each symphony, but it is impossible for there to be a 'perfect' Mahler performance because huge tracts of his symphonies can be interpreted in a multitude of differing but equally successful ways. Of course, to many, one or two good versions of each of the symphonies will suffice, but to a real Mahler enthusiast (such as myself) that would only scratch the surface of the music's true potential.

For instance, the staggeringly powerful opening movement of the 6th symphony is usually played at a rather brisk pace, after all it is a military march seemingly designed for speed......and many conductors, such as Sanderling, Tennstedt, Solti, Karajan, etc have given us flawless performances of this movement, each with their own distinct merits, subtleties, nuance and emphasis, and each played at nearly the same brisk pace that is the accepted norm. However, Sir John Barbirolli's famously eccentric interpretation of the opening movement performed by the New Philharmonia back in the '60s gives the music a whole new meaning and emphasis. Incredibly, Barbirolli slows the tempo of the march significantly, thus what was before a propulsive, galloping charge becomes a fearsomely determined and unswerving march (or trudge, to many Mahlerians who have dismissed this performance).......Barbirolli actually makes the movement more powerful than it could ever be when played at the 'normal' faster pace, but this is not to say his interpretation is 'better' than all of the others, only different. Therefore, because no SINGLE performance of Mahler's 6th can give us both Barbirolli's extraordinarily powerful slower pace AND the more commonly heard faster pace (with each interpretation being equally valid and successful), no single performance of this symphony can be described as 'definitive'. Of course, the same can be said of every piece of music ever written, but never more so than with Mahler's.

For anyone out there new to Mahler, here's a brief description of each symphony - I list them in order of ease of approach. I believe the Mahler novice will gain access to this composer's soundworld much more easily by becoming familiar with the symphonies in the following order. Following that, I give a list of each symphony and my favourite recommended recordings.

Symphony no. 1 (7 out of 10)

Easily one of Mahler's most accessible works. The opening movement begins with mysterious strings and gradually builds into a charming bucolic melody complete with birdcalls from the woodwinds and echoing brass. This movement was successfully used as underscore in the 1974 James Caan drama THE GAMBLER. The second movement scherzo is a memorably rumbustious Viennese waltz, with an extraordinarily beautiful trio. Whilst the second movement waltz betrayed Mahler's Viennese identity, the beautifully melancholic third movement funeral march demonstrates his Jewish roots. The symphony's finale is a lengthy summary of the earlier movements, ending the work on a triumphant note. This may have been Mahler's first symphony but it is nonetheless a major work by any standards.

Symphony no. 4 (10 out of 10)

Mahler's most sublimely beautiful work. A disarmingly simple opening five minutes develops into the most sophisticated of musical development one is ever likely to come across in a symphony. The orchestration is of a rare beauty, evoking the sensations one may feel on a warm and hazy summer's evening - music doesn't get any better than this. The demonic second movement scherzo features solo violin and no end of gorgeous melodies and remarkable thematic development. The third movement is another one of those great Mahler adagios, this time interrupted by sporadic increases in tempo. The final movement featuring a solo soprano and sleigh bells is one of Mahler's greatest creations - utterly gorgeous.

Symphony no. 2 (9 out of 10)

The symphony begins with a massive funeral march, is followed by a warm andante, a hectic scherzo, the famous 'Urlich' with solo voice and a monumental final movement featuring massed choir, two solo voices and a plethora of off-stage performers including a military band. Easily one of Mahler's most obviously enjoyable symphonies.

Symphony no. 5 (10 out of 10)

A supercharged opening movement is replaced by an even more powerful second movement. These two movements comprise a whirlwind of romantic brilliance all based on the memorable funeral march theme which opens the symphony. The third movement scherzo is an otherworldly masterpiece which defies description. The fourth movement adagietto is familiar to us all, and the symphony's final fifth movement serves as a joyous tonic following the preceding movements' emotional intensity.

Symphony no. 6 (10 out of 10)

To many, Mahler's ultimate masterpiece, the sixth begins with a colossally powerful march. The second movement, usually the andante these days, is Mahler at his most lushly romantic and warmly nostalgic - whilst being audibly Viennese, this evokes Elgar's end of empire musings. The third movement scherzo is a grotesque distortion of the opening movement's march, and the final movement is perhaps Mahler's most memorable creation - 30 minutes of the most powerful and harrowing music ever written - the symphony ends in tragedy and utter despair - but don't let that put you off listening.

Symphony no. 9 (10 out of 10)

Mahler's intended valedictory is a masterpiece of conflict and the bittersweet. A towering opening movement built around a grotesque waltz develops into a series of intensely emotional orchestral passages which speak of regret and fear and longing far more eloquently than words ever could. The second movement landler has Mahler returning to the Viennese waltz for inspiration - the results are extraordinary, similar in impact to Prokofiev's 'Dance of the Knights'. The third movement Rondo Burlesque is Mahler at his most ferocious. Unrelenting orchestral fury is briefly interrupted by a ghostly anticipation of the final movement adagio - and what an adagio! Mahler's 'farewell' is one of the most moving pieces of music ever written. Even now, I get goose bumps every time I listen to it.

Das Lied von der Erde (10 out of 10)

A symphony in all but name, Mahler's late, autumnal and elegiac song cycle for two solo voices and orchestra is full of ravishing melodies and remarkable orchestral innovation. The opening 'movement' has the tenor or baritone leading the orchestra through some powerfully emotional musical territory - this is the sort of music that'll blow your mind. The second movement is a very quiet and melancholy meditation for soprano or contralto which erupts into outbursts of the most exquisite tunefulness. The third movement has tenor back in ebullient mood, before the remarkable fourth movement 'scherzo' with its extravagantly over the top orchestral outbursts and infectious rhythms. The fifth movement sees the last of the tenor as he light-heartedly chuckles his way out of the picture. The final sixth movement is as long as all of the preceding movements put together and is a remarkably orchestrated masterwork in its own right - one of Mahler's greatest creations. Exotic evocatively Oriental instrumentation combines with the female voice and some exceptionally beautiful melodies to create an intimate and life-changing piece of music.

Symphony no. 3 (7 out of 10)

Perhaps the longest symphony ever written, the first movement is a monumental march with wave after wave of embellishment - a truly magnificent creation, but it needs to be performed well. The second movement is a gorgeous representation of a hazy summer meadow, the third the mystery and magic of the forest, the fourth a beautiful langsam for solo voice, the fifth a real oddity featuring a boys choir and the sixth Mahler's first gigantic slow movement. For all of this symphony's 'magic', the overall experience is somewhat less satisfying than his other symphonies, perhaps because of its length - still a great listen, mind you.

Symphony no. 8 (8 out of 10)

This symphony's common name, 'symphony of a thousand', is no exaggeration. Massive forces create a dynamic choral/orchestral mix during the symphony's part one. Part two begins with an extensive adagio for orchestra only before the massed choirs and soloists return to create an enraptured soundworld that will live with the listener long after the symphony has finished playing. There's just too much going on in this symphony to even begin to describe here.

Symphony no. 7 (6 out of 10)

Mahler's 'problem' symphony begins with an interesting but somewhat lacking march/funeral procession with expected embellishments and development. However, the next three movements are Mahler at his most inspired. The first nachtmusic (familiar because of its use in the Castrol GTX adverts) is a remarkable nocturnal march/journey full of unique woodwind trills and effects and some of his most memorable thematic material. The central movement is a demonic scherzo that would have had Liszt spooked - shuddering strings and shrill woodwind transfix the listener. The fourth movement andante (second nachtmusic) is an absolute gem prominently featuring mandolin and guitar - this is music oozing with sensitivity. The bombastic final movement finds Mahler on an off-day, but in the right hands, a good conductor will 'accentuate the positive'.

Symphony no. 10 (8 out of 10)

Deryck Cook's completion of the tenth provides the listener with a valuable insight into what the composer had in mind before he died prematurely. Mahler virtually completed the staggeringly powerful opening adagio and purgatorio anyway, but the remainder of the symphony only existed as sketches. For this reason, many respected Mahler conductors, including Bernstein chose to reject Cook's work. Nevertheless, this is music of the utmost beauty, and, unlike the 9th, disarming positivity......it's as if Mahler had resigned himself to impending death and was now composing as if he were already 'in heaven'. The opening adagio is quite simply my favourite piece of music with its haunting theme and utterly satisfying development. The following three movements comprise two scherzos and the aforementioned purgatorio - great stuff but the scherzos are lacking a certain Mahler quality. As is the admittedly beautiful closing adagio.

And then there's the song cycles Kindertotenlieder, Ruckert-Lieder, Das Knaben Wunderhorn, Das Klagende Lied and Songs of a Wayfarer which are best approached any time after the fifth.

And so to the recordings, here are my particular favourites -

Symphony no. 1 - Sir George Solti conducting the London Symphony Orchestra (Decca)

Solti's typically dominant approach to conducting works well here. The conductor gives the work cohesion (where other conductors often ramble) without losing the nuance and subtleties which abound throughout. Rafeal Kubelik conducting the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra on Deutche Grammophon is recommended also.

Symphony no. 2 - Rafael Kubelik conducting the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (DG)

A well-balanced and perfectly judged performance. The opening movement is necessarily forthright, the andante and scherzo are spot on and I've never heard a better 'Urlicht' (Norma Procter). The final movement is both monumental and moving, building to the most ecstatic of climaxes, just as it should be. The only slight downer is the rather less than perfect sound quality, it's sometimes a bit grainy, but there is surprisingly little distortion during the more powerful moments, so overall I wouldn't worry about it too much. There are many other great interpretations that I enjoy listening to from time to time, such as Klemperer's 1963 recording with the Philharmnia on EMI, Claudio Abbado with the Chicago on DG, and Solti again with the LSO, but each has its weaker elements and it is the Kubelik I always return to for a superb all round performance.

Symphony no. 3 - Klaus Tennstedt conducting the London Philharmonic (EMI)

Tennstedt (along with Solti and Karajan) is often regarded by die-hard Mahlerians as being somehow unsuited to Mahler. Well, although this may be true when it comes to Mahler's more intimate later compositions, in my opinion these three men have done a great job with Mahler's earlier and middle symphonies (up to Symphony no. 8, but not including the 'difficult' no. 7). Here, Tennstedt gives a remarkably bold and clear-headed account of Mahler's longest and most extravagantly scored symphony - although this approach leads to a disappointingly 'brisk' final movement langsam. Despite that, everything else about this performance is 'perfect' from the thunderous march of the first movement to the wistful charm of the 'what the flowers in the meadow tell me' to the haunting poignancy of the lone posthorn of the 'beasts of the forests' - every moment of this symphony creates a magical atmosphere. Bernstein's New York Philharmonic recording on Sony (endorsed by HRH The Prince of Wales) is also wonderful, full of this conductor's typical flourishes, and idiosyncrasies (the opening movement march being particularly 'jaunty' in places). Jascha Horenstein's LSO recording on Unicorn-Kanchana has gone down in legend, and sure enough it is a superb performance slightly let down by less than perfect recording balance - but it's not a major problem. And Bernard Haitink conducting the Berlin Philharmonic on Philips is also excellent, though somewhat 'matter of fact' at times during the symphony's monumental opening movement and a little too laboured during the langsam. Nevertheless, each of these uniquely differing recordings has much to say about a truly fantastic symphony.

Symphony no.4 - Herbert von Karajan conducting the Berlin Philharmonic (DG)

Mahler's fourth symphony is without a doubt his most easygoing and endearing. Nevertheless, there are moments of tension and swift changes of mood, but these quickly pass and the bulk of the fifty minute score is pure ecstasy. As I said earlier, Karajan is one of those conductors who has been rather unfairly branded 'unsuitable for Mahler' by a large proportion of Mahler-lovers. Well, whatever anyone else says, I have yet to come across a performance of Mahler's fourth which aspires to the same level performance as this, apart from George Szell's legendary performance on Sony with the Clevelanders. The sound quality is excellent (though with some very minor distortion at times), but it is the interpretation of the conductor and the exquisite playing of the orchestra that make this my personal favourite 'Mahler 4th'. To me the tempo throughout is perfectly judged......too often performances of this symphony are blighted by too quick a pace, whilst others become stagnant and ponderous just when an extra burst of velocity is required. Karajan ensures that all of the symphony's sublime nuances are made prominent without overemphasising, and the pace quickens and slows in all the right places. Oh, and Edith Mathis is near perfection in the final movement. My other favourite performances of this truly beautiful symphony are all excellent and worthy of a prominent place in any Mahler-buff's collection, but all have minor deficiencies which make them 'less great' than Karajan and Szell. Jascha Horenstein coaxes some magical playing from the London Philharmonic on his EMI collaboration with Dame Margaret Price. But Maggie's voice doesn't quite have that 'naive tone' necessary to bring the fourth movement to life, and the sound quality isn't the best either (good enough though). Klemperer's fourth with the Philharmonia on EMI is up there with the best, but his is a more 'direct' interpretation than most, and to my taste I prefer a more romantic and flexible reading. However, to many Mahlerians this is the best fourth and who am I to argue? There are dozens of other more than satisfactory recordings of this work, but one that sticks out prominently in my collection is Fritz Reiner's 'Living Stereo' account with the Chicago Symphony on RCA. Okay so the performance may be a little hurried in places, but the quality of the sound is phenomenal - this was recorded in 1958 and I am yet to hear a 'digital' recording that comes anywhere near to reproducing the clarity and depth of sound found on some of these early analogue stereo recordings.

Symphony no. 5 - Sir Charles MacKerras conducting the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic (EMI)

For obvious reasons the most recorded of all of Mahler's symphonies. But apart from the famous adagietto, this symphony has Mahler at his most passionately and intensely romantic. It's another huge symphony (over one hour) and covers vast musical territory, so the chances of coming across that 'definitive' performance are even more remote than usual. Even more surprising is the contents of a modestly produced budget-priced jewel case contain Sir Charles' 1990 recording of this romantic epic. MacKerras's take on the symphony is surprisingly uncomplicated. A smooth, unhurried pace allows the nuances and subtleties to thrive, and the playing of the orchestra is so precise that one could imagine Mahler himself nodding in appreciation of this representation of the fifth. Not only that, sound quality is excellent, but it is the expert placement of the mics that allows the listener to fully appreciate the full depth and complexity of melodic invention and orchestration. Other excellent recordings of the fifth I wouldn't be without include Bernstein with the Vienna Philharmonic on DG, Barbirolli's famous but flawed EMI recording with the New Philharmonia, Benjamin Zander with the Philharmonia on Telarc and Danielle Gatti's cool interpretation with the Royal Philharmonic on RCA......happy listening!

Symphony no. 6 - Herbert von Karajan with the Berlin Philharmonic on DG

This is about as good as Mahler's sixth gets. Karajan brings his ice-cool sensibilities to perhaps the most harrowing of all major romantic compositions and the results are spectacular. The pounding opening movement has rarely sounded as relentless and unstoppable as it does in Karajan's hands, and the grotesque distortion of the march later in the movement is particularly awe-inspiring. The grotesque is emphasized still further in the second movement scherzo with the plaintive ending particularly moving. The ice melts with the andante, this is how it should be played, lush and measured with every violin, viola and cello allowed to sing. The cataclysmic final movement doesn't disappoint either. The double CD also includes excellent performances of the Kindertotenlieder and Ruckert-Lieder - with none other than Christa Ludwig. Of the other great recordings, Solti comes up trumps again with a typically forceful performance from the Chicago Symphony on Decca, Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic's almost relaxed performance is a joy in itself, and Kurt Sanderling and Klaus Tennstedt also supply the goods - each of these performances is subtly different, but the aforementioned 1968 Barbirolli interpretation is positively bizarre, and yet, in my opinion it is one of the best. This hugely powerful performance with the New Philharmonia is made doubly successful by the extraordinary sound quality - I've never heard anything so good. Only the paradoxically fast-paced andante mars an otherwise magnificent performance.

Symphony no. 7 - Claudio Abbado with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (DG Masters)

Mahler's 'problem' symphony contains some of the composer's most inspired work, and yet, overall, it is the least satisfying of all his symphonies. This is mainly due to the somewhat disappointing first and last movements - both movements still shine, but the music isn't quite of the same quality as what we are used to with Mahler, particularly the rather 'ramshackle' final movement. However, in the right hands, any perceived deficiencies in Mahler's vision can be obscured by the conductor. And that's exactly what Abbado does here - he emphasizes the movements' strengths and plays down the weaknesses. Of course, the central three movements are pure genius, and Abbado doesn't disappoint here either. The one big drawback with this CD is the rather opaque quality to the sound recording. The orchestra sounds distant, and the featured mandolin and guitar fail to impact fully because of this. Nevertheless, this is a priceless recording of an under-recorded work. Bernstein's rendition with the New York Philharmonic on Sony is excellent too. It's also very idiosyncratic, as one would expect from Bernstein. The sound quality is great and the pacing leisurely - a little too leisurely perhaps in the Andante Amoroso, but this time the mandolin and guitar feature superbly - this is the boldly personal performance of a master interpreter of Mahler's agenda.

Symphony no. 8 - Mahler's 8th is simply stunning, and is a perfect example of the depth and complexity of his output in that the music can be interpreted in so many contrasting ways. My favourite interpretations are Solti's 1971 recording with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (powerful and aggressive) and Tennstedt's much subtler 1986 reading with the London Philharmonic. Gielen's 1981 recording is yet another distinct and successful interpretation.

Symphony no. 9 - Sir John Barbirolli and the Berlin Philharmonic (EMI)

Now we're into Mahler's particularly personal and intimate stage of composing and a special 'relationship' with the composer's idiom is essential, and nobody did it better than Barbirolli. This 1964 recording ranks with my very favourite CDs in my entire collection. Superb quality sound for starters, but it's the extraordinarily compelling performance of this most intensely beautiful music that satisfies most. The anger, ecstasy and heartache of the first movement is transformed into pure energy during the Landler before the Rondo Burlesque transports the listener to another dimension with its ferocious pace and jaw-droppingly romantic anticipation of the final movement adagio. Bruno Walter's 1961 recording with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra on Sony is very special too - coming late in Walter's life, the music takes on an even more nostalgic air than usual. Karel Ancerl's recording with the Czech Philharmonic on Supraphon is brilliant also, as is Abbado with the Vienna Philharmonic. Many wet themselves over von Karajan's 1982 recording with the Berlin Philharmonic - be warned though, it's good, but full of mistakes, so is nowhere near the best on offer.

Symphony no. 10 - James Levine conducts the Philadelphia Orchestra (RCA)

Deryck Cook's completion of the tenth is still somewhat underperformed. I'm sure this will be corrected in the coming years but for now Levine's interpretation is more than adequate, especially the great opening adagio. Avoid Sir Simon Rattle's much vaunted recording with the Berlin Philharmonic on EMI - a fine performance maybe, but the sound quality is surprisingly poor, with a lack of clarity throughout and some very badly judged placement of seemingly under-powered mics. Best go for his earlier performance with the Bournemouth. Also excellent is Kurt Sanderling's Berlin Classics performance, so too the recent Naxos release of the Joe Wheeler performing version - I highly recommend both.

Das Lied von der Erde - Otto Klemperer conducting the Philharmonia and New Philharmonia (EMI)

There's only one version of Mahler's autumnal masterpiece you'll need, and its this phenomenal 1967 recording with the legendary Fritz Wunderlich and Christa Ludwig. Every note of this masterpiece is lovingly brought to life by a team of artists at the peak of their powers. However, Raymond Leppard's recording with the BBC Northern Symphony on BBC Music is very fine, as is Kurt Sanderling's Berlin Classics performance and Bernstein's Vienna Philharmonic interpretation on Decca (this one has the alternative baritone/tenor combination - I prefer the mezzo soprano myself).

Das Knaben Wunderhorn - George Szell and the LSO (EMI)

There really is only one recording of this remarkable song cycle worth having. In 1968 Dame Elizabeth Schwarzkopf and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau joined George Szell and the LSO to create a little bit of magic. Much like Beecham's famed interpretations of Delius, it's hard to see how this recording of Mahler's seminal song cycle could be bettered.

Of the other song cycles, such as the Songs of a Wayfarer, Kindertotenlieder and Ruckert-Lieder, you'll find perfectly satisfactory performances bundled with many of the symphonies described. The Simon Rattle recording of Das Klagende Lied on EMI is excellent though.

Some may find it remarkable I haven't recommended many recordings from one of Mahler's greatest champions and advocates of recent years - Sir Simon Rattle. Well, most of his Mahler recordings are good, but none in my experience come anywhere near to being the best, mostly due to the strangely poor sound quality of Rattle's recordings - a shame.

Anyway, I'd love to hear from anyone who can recommend recordings I haven't discussed above. And also, let me know if you disagree with anything I have said - appreciating a performance of music is so personal and subjective, it's always fascinating to hear alternative opinion.

As I said earlier, one can own a dozen performances of each of Mahler's symphonies (each recording as good as the next but different in interpretation), and yet one's collection would still be nowhere near complete. Indeed, there will no doubt be many new and unique and innovative and great performances to come in the future.