(5 out of 5 stars) I was in Avery Fisher hall when this CD was recorded. I had never heard this work before, but from the first note, I was transfixed by the music. The hall could have burned to the ground around me and I would not have noticed. Apart from a short pause between the first and second movements, the piece was performed continuously. For me, it was the most intense musical experience of a lifetime. Even though I had been attending concerts for years, I had never realized that music could be like this. This CD is a precise rendition of that performance. Every time I play it, I am transported back to that magical moment when I first heard it.To enhance the recording, the audience was given a special sheet of instructions on how to keep silent. Cough-drops were passed out at the door, and people were asked not to cough or to make any other sound during the performance.According to the program notes, this recording was to be part of a complete Mahler cycle with