The National Symphony performed Mahler’s redrawing of Beethoven symphonies last week. “What we heard was an interpretation that was obsessed with microscopic details of color, timbre and phrasing, one that added exclamation points to all the notes that Beethoven had already outlined in bold. Tempos fluctuated wildly to accentuate the arrival of dramatic or lyrical themes. Pregnant pauses heralded melodramatic climaxes. Altered bowings dissected phrases for closer scrutiny.” In short – it was magnificent. – Washington Post