This was always going to be one of the hottest tickets of Toronto Symphony’s season. Mahler’s longest symphony is a collective journey, on a cosmic scale from the Dionysian force of Nature to the divine-human fusion of Love. Hearing it live, with its dramatic on- and off-stage effects, is crucial to its sonic and spiritual perspectives. Fortunately, unlike the previous TSO Mahler Third in 2016 under Peter Oundjian, conductor Gustavo Gimeno didn’t break the journey by adding a full intermission after the massive first movement, instead observing a long(-ish) pause. To offset the possibility of burnout, he kept power in reserve and didn’t drive the orchestra to the edge. His instinct for the emotional thread that blends one section with another allowed the first movement’s life force to break through as it should – stage by stage, episode by episode, with plenty of room for both Mahler’s mood swings and the devil in the detail to register. It was only the chaotic climaxes, such as the episode depicting what Mahler called the "rabble", and the coda as Summer and life finally triumph, that fell a little short on urgency and euphoric exuberance.​

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​The fifth movement was a burst of joy, thanks to the Toronto Children’s Chorus’s angelic “bimm, bamm” bell imitations. They managed to outshine the sopranos and altos of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, who could have benefited from a larger cohort – perhaps even a second chorus – in order to make the necessary impact. The neatly choreographed standing down was a charming way of negotiating the notoriously problematic transition to the hushed opening of the finale. Caring and noble, this was more contemplative than reverential, which may be no bad thing. Gimeno’s ability to sustain long lines carried us through to the liberating and radiant conclusion, making a fitting end to an inspiring season.​

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