Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 9: Historic Recording (EMI "References" Series) Conducted by Bruno Walter Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Known as a live recording with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at the Musikverein in Vienna on January 16, 1938. Label: EMI (References Series) Catalog No.: CDH 7 63029 2 The sound quality is very easy to listen to. Disc condition: Good Slight staining on the booklet This performance has a very important aspect as a "document" in the history of classical music. World's First Recording: The first commercial recording of Mahler's Symphony No. 9 in the world. Historical Context: It was recorded just two months before the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany. For Walter, who was Jewish, and the Vienna Philharmonic, it became one of the last testaments to the sound of the "old Vienna Philharmonic" before the rise of the Nazis. Performance Characteristics: Compared to Walter's 1961 stereo recording (Columbia Symphony Orchestra), the performance is about 11 minutes faster overall, and its intense tension and passion are sometimes described as "white heat."