Konzerthausorchester Berlin / Alice Sara Ott / Joana Mallwitz

"The Fifth is a cursed work. Nobody understands it," complained Gustav Mahler. That was in 1905, and the symphony, premiered in 1904, had just met with little enthusiasm in Hamburg. Mahler, in general, was celebrated during his lifetime primarily as a conductor; as a composer, his global musical visions overwhelmed the audiences of his time. Mahler's symphonies have long since been appreciated – especially his magnificent Fifth, which remains his...