Volle's military narratives are crisp and direct, with splendid fanfaring from the Cologne players, rather than heavy-laden...there's plenty of point and with from both the spotlit orchestral solos and the singers throughout.

Oelze's performance is one of silvery radiance, with drama and humour aplenty. Volle delivers a highly atmospheric Tambourgesell, his dynamics and dramatic enunciation spinning a mood weighted with nervous doom. The orchestra is particularly light of touch, dancing and making love with youthful joy, but turning on the weight and gravitas when required.

Stenz provides vivid, no-nonsense direction...Michael Volle matches Fischer-Dieskau in "Revelge"...there is delight to be had from the operetta-like duets and in the prisoner-in-the-tower song where [Oelze] captures to perfection the schmeichlerisch ("flattering") quality Mahler requests

Both have voices that are ideally suited to this music and the poetry: they're not too knowing but are careful to sing what's written, and both have the ability to colour their voices most sensitively...Stenz is alert throughout to telling orchestral details without ever drawing the wrong kind of attention to them: this is remarkable Mahler conducting, full of imagination and colour.