Those that have listened to Mahler would say that his music is not the happiest to listen to. Since I have only listen to his "Symphony of a Thousand", I would believe that he did have his moments of optimism. The first part (Disc 1) is a hymn or a prayer to the Holy Spirit. The second part (Disc 2) is a kind of concert musical drama from the final scene of Goethe's "Faust". Faust experiences redemption through the love of a good woman.
If there is a recording that is full of that optimism, I would recommend this recording. When there are powerful moments in this piece, the ensembles do it well. One can hear all the voices most of the time. Sometimes, the boys' choir can be overpowered by the soloists. The soloists may not be famous singers, but that is not a reason not to buy this recording. They are powerful one moment and gentle the next.
Pierre Boulez may not be a composer whose music a person should rush to buy, but Boulez as a conductor of Mahler's 8th Symphony should be one to consider if a person wants to listen to "A Symphony of a Thousand".
