Czech Philharmonic & Semyon Bychkov deliver a precise but emotionally restrained take on Mahler’s vast Third.

Though Gustav Mahler is often associated with Vienna, his roots lie in what is now the Czech Republic—he was born in Kaliště, Bohemia, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Yet despite this connection, the Czech Philharmonic has historically maintained a curious distance from Mahler’s music. Under the direction of chief conductor Semyon Bychkov, however, that’s beginning to change. Their recording of Symphony No 3 marks the halfway point in their Mahler cycle for Pentatone.

Bychkov’s personal connection to the piece dates back to his childhood in Leningrad, where hearing a rehearsal of the symphony first ignited his love for Mahler. That early spark, however, doesn’t fully translate into this interpretation. At 104 minutes, the performance is expansive but leans towards the reserved. Bychkov has called this one of Mahler’s “least hysterical” works—a puzzling claim for a composer known for emotional extremes, especially in a symphony that attempts to “contain the world.”

The result is a rendition marked by clarity and control, but one that often feels emotionally muted. While the orchestra plays with polish and precision, the performance seldom touches the heights of ecstasy or depth found in the finest readings of this monumental work. The radiant final movement, in particular, lacks the transcendent fervor captured in Claudio Abbado’s searing 1999 live performance with the Berlin Philharmonic, or Bernard Haitink’s deeply moving recording with the Bavarian Radio Symphony. This is a respectful and technically accomplished interpretation, but it doesn’t quite reach the spiritual intensity Mahler’s Third so powerfully demands.