Customer Reviews

Schubert: Symphony in Bm No8, D759; Symphony in C No9, D944

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This splendid recording is an excellent testament to musical scholarship and performance at its finest. Mackerras leads the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in a spirited, consistently fine performance of Schubert's "Great" C Major (9th) Symphony noted for the steady, even tempi of its movements. Mackerras does a great job emphasizing the score's complex architecture without losing sight of its elegantly melodic qualities; sadly most performances I've heard live or recorded have tended to emphasize either the score's architecture or melodies, not both simultaneously (A classic case in point is Haitink's interpretation with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra which I heard last month at Carnegie Hall; Haitink was much more interested in the score's lyrical qualities.). Mackerras' deferrence to Schubert's original intentions, most notably with the opening horn solo of the 1st movement, makes much sense, especially in the transitions from pianissimo to forte (soft to loud) throughout the score. My only minor criticism is that the orchestra's performance of the fourth movement didn't sound as vibrant as the Vienna Philharmonic's (That may be due to the fact that waltz music is quite familiar to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; Schubert alludes to this Viennese music in this movement.); otherwise the level of musicianship is identical. Mackerras' interpretation of the 8th "Unfinished" Symphony is equally inspired, and rewarded with lush, warm playing from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Certainly both performances have to be regarded as the definitive versions of these symphonies. I own and admire greatly Mackerras' period instrument versions with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightment, but the Scottish Chamber Orchestra's playing sounds a bit warmer and more inspired. Telarc's sound quality is absolutely first rate.

Schubert's Symphony No. 9 is written on such a grand scale and full of such bravado that you cannot help but be inspired to conquer a small country while listening to it. Sir Charles Mackerras brings dedicated restraint into line with optimum tempo and the result is momentous. You will wish you were conducting yourself! The orchestra is an hybrid mix of modern instruments and natural horns. The effect is splendid on the ear and actually balances quite well. The Scherzo is thunderous and the Finale will stampede from your speakers. The "Unfinished" symphony is plaintive and actually seems quite remorseful. It is lovingly rendered here just after the 9th. So you will have to wipe the big smile off your face and reach for your hankie. Telarc captures all the nuances in shining clarity. You will not want to miss this recording!

With this CD, Sir Charles gives us, the listeners, a fresh new take on these two masterpieces. It features all of Mackerras' usual trademarks: an unbelievable tightness and clarity of sound as well as a rich yet controlled emotionalism--an earlier reviewer said that the finale of the "Great" symphony will "explode out of your speakers" or something to that effect, and that reviewer is right. The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is up to the task, responding with a nimble quickness that is paradoxically light and powerful at the same time; the players produce a rich, dark sound while at the same time staying together and keeping everything up-tempo. Part of this is the prominent role given to the brass, which sound more "natural" (i.e., period instrument type) than on other recordings; however, here as in many other Telarc recordings, the balance between instrument families is as close to perfect as it could possibly be. Overall, Mackerras and the SCO give these two recordings a grandiose, bravura feeling that's very rarely found anywhere else. I have only two minor complaints. One is that Mackerras tends to rush through the endings of movements, keeping the drama of the music from reaching its absolute, fullest potential (though it comes darn close). Also, stylistically the music doesn't feel as Viennese as on other Schubert recordings I've heard, and perhaps more than any other composer, Schubert needs to feel Viennese. In particular, the first movement of the Unfinished Symphony as it's recorded here doesn't seem to be a lamentation as much as an outburst. The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, strangely enough, did a better job ensuring that these symphonies were stylistically correct. However, if Mackerras occasionally sacrifices style for raw power, that's a small, small quibble with a CD that's otherwise so technically precise and passionate with such wonderful sound quality. In short, while this CD may not provide the "classic" or "definitive" interpretation of these two symphonies, it gives us a new take on said symphonies that's excellently done from start to finish, and definitely worth a place in any music lover's library.

Please feel free to check: I do not usually take the time to write a "negative" review (this obviously isn't too bad, also, I firmly believe any considered review may be helpful), but I have been listening through all my Schubert records in the last two months (all I could still find at least - stacks all over the floor), and I've come to the same conclusion as I have for years now, that this recording is overrated, perhaps because it's recorded in such pristine audiophile sound?

It is a CD I've owned since release (bought it after reading glowing reviews - mea culpa...), one that I've always wanted to like, but apparently can't warm up to. The "Great" is more convincing here, even so, the interpretations (to me at least) lack colour, inflection, forward drive, and worst of all, I tend to lose track of the long arching line (= what could be worse in Schubert, whose works one tends to know by heart after only a few, let alone multiple listenings?).

It's true that Furtwängler was recorded in so-so mono, and that in the sumptuous Krips golden age stereo recording a little tape noise can be detected during softer passages, but those are the kind of interpretations that make me sit up erect in my listening chair in rapt attention after all these years - and always will.

Nor is it all that hard to find an absorbing performance of the "Unfinished", e.g. Furtwängler again, Kleiber father and son etc., and even a stylistically questionable but gripping (hair-rising!) live performance such as Mravinsky's seems to me to deserve a longer shelf-life than comparatively uninspired, if well-executed mainstream.

If, like me, you end up not listening to this as often as the admittedly impeccable audiophile sound recording would seem to make it deserve (or your mind invariably keeps wandering off when you do), believe me, it's not Schubert's fault.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

Evaluating this CD has been an interesting intellectual exercise. Swayed by praise here on amazon and by one of the Stereophile columnists, I purchased this disc anticipating that it to be the end-all performance of these two very beautiful Schubert symphonies. I expected to like it - I wanted to like it - I ended up thinking that something went wrong during the studio recording process and would not recommend it. Not a bad disc, it's just that there are better alternatives.

So why do I think that? The performance just doesn't sparkle or come to life. I am fan of Mackerras and have enjoyed several of his CD releases greatly and my guess is that he and his orchestra went into the studio all set to give a vibrant and crack performance and somehow the plans and preparation didn't cohere. There is something a bit lifeless about the way all the wonderful Schubert melodies are presented. Perhaps the performers weren't having any fun? Likewise, the darker moments don't sound quite sincere. For example, yhe tragic first movement development of the Unfinished Symphony didn't carry the pathos it normally does for me. There is something off here.

This disc is from an audiophile label and is touted as a first-rate digital recording, but I beg to differ as the colors of the instruments are subdued and neutralized. I'm wondering whether some treble roll-off occurred in the process. This is not a disc I'd ever take with me if I were to demo stereo equipment. In its defense, there is none of the brightness that afflicts some digital recordings and it is very detailed. But that makes it neither bad nor exceptional.

After listening to this disc for a couple of weeks and never building up enthusiasm, I went back and fished out the old Bruno Walter recording of the 9th symphony, expecting it to be a sluggish performance with the bad remastering which has afflicted so many of Walter's great LPs. Instead, I immediately sat up alert: the instrumental colors were vivid, Walter knows exactly how to manage the transitions - making them both nuanced and forward-moving - and, most important of all, the orchestra musicians were playing with enthusiasm and clear love for the music. After spending an hour with the Walter disc, I was looking forward to hearing this recording again, very soon. It was an emotion never evoked by the Mackerras disc, unfortunately.

Intrigued by Sir Charles Mackerras's recording of Schubert's 10th Symphony in D with the SCO (Hyperion CDA 67000) I thought his Telarc recording of the 8th and 9th was worth a punt. Boy was it ever! Most recordings of the "Unfinished" tend to be melancholy. Most recordings of the "Great" tend to be flaccid and rambling. This recording is neither. The secret is using the manuscript's tempi. For the "Great" Mackerras reinstates the two beats to a bar tempo, instead of the usual four. This

produces a unified pulse in the music. Dramatic crescendos don't sound forced. And with a clearer laying out, the use of all repeats seems logical, not indulgent. The approach gives the "Unfinished" a fresh look; wistful not maudlin. Be warned though, natural horns brighten the sound considerably, but for me, clean up the usually muddled sound from the brass. A true revelation, beautifully recorded, and above all, a testament to detail and scholarship.