Customer Reviews

Schubert: Symphony No 9 / Wagner: Siegfried Idyll ~ Solti, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
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... which isn't to say this superb version of one of mankind's greatest creative achievements isn't lacking in drama, or sharpness of attack. To quote Solti's comments from the booklet notes on the music, Schubert's Ninth should sound like "precision and gentleness achieved simultaneously." Passage after gorgeous passage rolls crisply but freely along like a mountain stream; and the famous Vienna band play their hearts out.

Stravinsky once quipped about a hard-driven Solti performance of a Mozart opera: "Mozart is poorer than that." But Solti, whose energetic interpretations can sound inappropriately rocket-fueled at times, is obviously in love with Schubert's Ninth and gives it the time and space it needs to breathe. And breathe it does. If you're looking for a modern instrument version of this great work that you can live with for a long time, this is a true classic. Warmly recorded by Decca's master sound mages. As a substantial bonus, it comes with a dreamy version of Wagner's "Siegfried Idyll."

The price is right; the performance is timeless. Go for it!

For me, it began slowly - a solo French horn playing a hauntingly beautiful, stately melody. This tune was repeated softly by the orchestra, with variations. It was then gradually assimilated by another slower, sweeter melody. Finally, the orchestra burst forth with joyful exuberance into the first movement's main theme, a dance-like allegro. For another 53 minutes and three additional movements, I sat enraptured as I listened to a wellspring of gorgeous melodies and musical themes pour forth from my stereo.

In this manner was I first introduced to Franz Schubert's greatest orchestral masterpiece - his Symphony No. 9 in C major, nicknamed the "Great" Symphony.

Schubert's Ninth Symphony, which lasts nearly one hour, is a masterpiece of gigantic proportions. The composer wrote it near the end of his short life (he was only 30 when he died.) The symphony was discovered by fellow composer Robert Schumann several years after Schubert's death. Schumann immediately recognized the composition for what it was: the singular masterwork of a pure genius.

The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO), under the direction of the late Sir Georg Solti, offers a magnificent performance of this great work. Solti had a reputation for demanding crisp precision and fast tempi from the orchestras he conducted. The VPO and Solti do not disappoint with Schubert's Ninth. Tempi are uniformly faster than the other versions of this work that I've heard. The effect is to give the overall performance a warm, sunny disposition, even in the slower movements.

This performance of Schubert's "Great" Symphony has few, if any peers, from the standpoint of warmth, passion, and vitality. It is one of my personal favorites. This magnificent recording should not be missed by any classical music lover; I heartily recommend it as an essential addition to every classical music CD collection!

This is one of great Schubert recordings of all time, by most counts. The Penguin Guide and Gramaphone agrees that it is a first choice among Schubert's Ninth recordings. Newly remastered and at midprice makes it a simple decision.

For all of us looking for "the" performance, we can forget it. I recently bought a newer recording with "original" instruments, and it represents one way, and I can see what the conductor is doing. He sets a medium tempo in the first movement, and maintains it throughout.

I prefer Solti's more traditional style; slow intro, fast main section (a la Haydn). Schubert symphonies are much more classical than his lieder, and Solti plays it as a modern performance of a classical symphony.

And as for the venom being spilled around here (whew!), this simply represents another "way". I think Solti sees the piece as a whole, not unfolding in time. Solti's driving tempos inspire the orchestra to great heights. You have never heard the last movement violin triplets so light. The inner movements don't dawdle, and move with appealing drama. Unlike some older conductors, Solti takes all the repeats, which gives much pleasure. We cannot know what Schubert intended, but this is one "way" to do the piece, and a fine performance it is.

I will no doubt have another recording before I hit the last double bar, and considering the greatness of this piece, so should you.

Solti calmed down enough not to ride roughshod over the Schubert Ninth, and this was enough to send British critics into rhapsodies--the Gramophone and Penguin Guide both put this Schubert Ninth near the top of their list (the same reviewer wrote both critiques). But it's still Solti, and coming to this CD from the outside, it's hard to believe that he could have much feeling for Schubert's mystery and humnity, his good humor and ineffable innocence, even though the Vienna Phil. is to the manner born.

With somewhat too bright sonics from Decca (tamed in this remastering), this reading does avoid being too hard-driven and angular in its contours -- the Andante of the opening movement tends, if anything, to sag a bit. Solti bites into the Scherzo too hard, but not seriuosly. The best movement is the finale, played with panache and brio by the orchestra and kept well proportioned by Solti. Only the lyrical second subject loses momentum.

Overall, the reading is very good, but lots of other conductors, including Klemperer, Bernstein, Sinopoli, Furtwangler, and Giulini, have done much better. However, this CD has one great selling point. The Siegfried Idyll that serves as a filler is quite magical, one of Solti's very best efforts.

I bought this recording specifically because (another reveiwer) said Solti takes all the repeats. No! he does not. It's a great performance, but so is Ormandy's, which I already have. I wanted a recording by a great conductor with the repeats. This is not it.

Anyone considering buying this CD should first be clear about what it is they are about to purchase. Take a good look at the picture. This is not Schubert's music. This is not Wagner's music. This is SOLTI's music. The written notes make that very clear. Almost no information about Schubert or Wagner. You'll notice how "SOLTI" is in all capitial letters while the composers' names are relegated to regular type.

Of course, if you are a lover of Georg Solti, this is nothing new. The music quality itself is good. Just "good," not excellent, and what quality it has can be attributed to the fact that it is played by the finest orchesrtra in the world, the Vienna Philharmonic. There was nothing about Solti's conducting that was extraordinary. There are plenty of conductors who unlike Solti don't have the money and freinds to make them world famous but pull off great performances.

If you can get over the packaging, this is a nice CD. I was looking for the "Great" Symphony and the Siegfried Idyll and by chance found them together here. This is one of the minority of recordings of the Idyll with the original small orchestra.