A great response to some harsh and uncalled for criticism. Everyone is allowed their opinion but what I read was extremely rude towards one of the greatest choirs and choral directors in this country. I hope people that would not listen to a whole Mahler Symphony will at least get to know and maybe appreciate the music of this great composer although not in a version he would have known.

I suspect that Professor Higginbottom has the advantage over you in at least being able to spell charlatan (which, incidentally, means a pretender to false knowledge; by all means consider yourself a prime candidate for the title, though I can see no reason why it should apply to Professor Higginbottom). And who is talentless, - Professor Higginbottom as arranger, the array of composers featured on this disc, or the Choir of New College? Is it not obvious that a disc of this type seeks to bring a little enjoyment of classical music to the ordinary consumer who might otherwise pass it by altogether? Mahler himself thought a symphony should contain the whole of life. I would have thought his Fifth large enough in every sense to weather this approach and emerge undiminished. How ineffably tedious people like you and Mr Lebrecht (the self-appointed David Starkey of music) are, puffing up your fatuous feathers over nothing. I don't especially enjoy this sort of disc myself, but that isn't the point. Live and let live. It wasn't meant for you, plainly.

Utterly remarkable how people (viz. Mr. Lebrecht and Mr Winn, here) seem to be completely incapable of justifying their disagreement with any sound argument that is not based on egomaniacal emotions or flawed logic. Even the good Mr. Lebrecht failed to do so 'because it's getting sillier and sillier'. It's rather tedious to read different expressions of "Oh isn't this ridiculous? Look how ridiculous it is! Oh my, isn't it silly?". Tell us WHY you have such a strong reaction to something which is certainly not without precedent. It's not garbage (that much is obvious), it's not talentless, and this is from the choir that recently recorded unpublished Couperin as the latest in its exemplary recording history - certainly not a group of charlatans.

Once you've done that, do take an aspirin, have a lie down in a dark room, and calm down. Dear.

Carl Rosman's comments are intriguing, and my thanks for them. They open up the possibility of a Freudian interpretation of our contrafactum. 'Displacement' within Freudian analysis is the transference of certain emotions, ideas, or wishes from one object (or person) to another. The resonance of two Marias, Mahler's sense of his mortality (his pre-occupation with death), the infidelity of Alma, all these may suggest that setting a Marian text to the Adagietto does not lack sensitivity, or indeed validity. Through this displacement, Mahler gets to a place where the soul finds an ultimate comfort and security in the face of death, redirecting the passion of a human attachment. Another layer is of course the connection made between Love and Death. We are getting into deep water: none of this can be validated by asking Mahler what he thinks, if indeed he could be sure of that without having Freud at his side. I did not of course write the version we sing. But I remain happy to have recorded it!

Bravo, Edward and 'tutti'!