Customer Reviews

Schubert: The Complete Symphonies, Vol. 1

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

These are extremely fine accounts of early Schubert, played with grace and style. As fine as his Schubert set is, Karl Bohm does not match the kind of flair offered here by Sawallisch and the Staatskapelle. Additionally, the sound of the Philips discs enhances the sense of fun and pleasure exuded by these youthful gems. One repeatedly gets the sense that this is the way Schubert should be played and enjoyed. In the overtures, Raymond Leppard does not really convey the kind of charm and spirit Sawallisch does in the symphonies. It might also be that the London Philharmonic does not have this music in their blood the way the Staatskapelle does. Sawallisch easily gets five stars. Leppard, if rated separately, would get three. Bravo the Sawallisch/Staatskapelle Schubert !

Sorry to say, I cannot agree with the other reviewer on the overall excellence of this recording. I find Sawallich tends to overdo the music in its dramatic moments, a sin he commits most blatantly in the opening movement of the "Tragic" Symphony No.4. The sobriquet "tragic" seems to Sawallich to mean "fast and dramatic". To others, it indicates something much different.

There is little in anything on the second CD of this set that compares with what I've heard of the better Schubert sets by Karajan, Bohm and Abbado. The first CD is better, however. In particular, Sawallich and his Dresden forces find a youthful sweep and majesty in the Symphony No. 1 and repeat some of that flight of fancy in the Symphony No. 2.

The four overtures on this CD conducted by Raymond Leppard reinforce his reputation as a specialist in Renaissance and Baroque music and his shortcomings in early Romantic repertoire. All told, I find no lasting enjoyment value in this set and am very disappointed with it. I hoped for better than this.

This first volume of the Schubert symphonies offers classy, gorgeously played accounts by the Dresden Staatskapelle with Wolfgang Sawallisch. Other reviewers mention Walter, Beecham and Bohm and rather than dispute the merits of those magnificent conductors I would simply say that Sawallisch at his best, as he is here, is of the same standing. The sound on this disc is crisp but warm late sixties analog with plenty of ringing presence to highlight the spectacular ensemble playing of one of the great "Eastern Bloc" orchestras of the Cold War.

I'm sorry to write this, but Wolfgang Sawallisch's Schubert Symphonies strike me as having rushed tempos and are no competition for comparable recordings by Karl Bohm/Berlin Philharmonic (DG), Sir Thomas Beecham/Royal Philharmonic (EMI, Symphonies 3,5,6); or Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony (Sym. 5,9) or Walter/New York Philharmonic (Sym. 8) (all Sony "Bruno Walter edition"). Although the Dresden Staatskapelle plays at a very high standard, the tempos Sawallisch sets seem fast and breezy, and many musical details are lost in the haste. I expected more from this set than it delivered: Sawallisch is known as a sort of heir to Karl Bohm's musical legacy, at least with many performances at the Bavarian State Opera, and the excellence of his Mozart MAGIC FLUTE (Philips DVD or VHS) unfortuneatly does not apply here.

I would recommmend listeners go with Bohm/Berlin (DG, budget priced); Beecham/RPO (EMI, mid price); or the Walter releases (Sony, mid-price). There are also some fine recordings of Schubert 1,2,3,4, and 6 by Michael Halasz/Failoni Orchestra (Naxos), and Ormandy/Philadelphia in Schubert 4 (Sony "Essential Classics") is also very fine. There are other options, which I would recommend over this release.