Customer Reviews

Symphony 9

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

 

 

I don't personally own this album; however, I have been lucky enough to hear it. I have also heard Shaw perform this live, and it was thrilling. I truly think that this recording of Beethoven's greatest work and one of music's masterpieces is second only to Toscanini's great 1952 recording of the symphony. Where is the dullness in the recording? Perhaps some listeners might like Shaw to take more liberties with the music-maybe that's their idea of excitement. But Shaw offers a straightforward,direct performance of the symphony. Excellent playing from the ASO and absolutely brilliant choral singing.

A 2005 update to this review:

This album is no longer in print because the recording company that first released it back in 1985 seems to have gone out of business, and so far, no other recording company, not even Telarc, which records most of the Atlanta Symphony releases, has picked up the slack. That is a shocking reflection on recording companies, IMHO. This is one of Robert Shaw's "signature pieces", and as such, every effort should be made to restore this recording and reissue it, even if the Atlanta Symphony has made a more recent recording of it. No one can match Shaw at conducting the "Ode to Joy".

I purchased this CD in Germany when it was first issued in 1985, unfamiliar (then) with the ASO or Robert Shaw, and little knowing that it would become the one CD I cannot do without! I have the original pressing, not this issuance however, so I cannot speak to the tone quality of this issuance; the original was vibrant and satisfying, thunderous and harmonically complex at the choral climaxes, and lilting but present during the softer segments. I stumbled upon this listing whilst searching for a copy for a friend, and cannot believe that the catalog has been allowed to fall out of print as has been noted - for SHAME! Robert Shaw is a master - classical recordings are a dime a dozen and there are many recordings of each piece, but only a master conducter can command an orchestra with the precision required to create the symphonic beauty these pieces were written for! I mislaid my copy once and bought an inexpensive version by another less-well-known orchestra, and was very disappointed. No other version of Beethoven's 9th will ever do for me!