Schubert: Symphonies No.8 "Unfinished" & No.9 "The Great"
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Free Music Notes for Schubert: Symphonies No.8 "Unfinished" & No.9 "The Great"
Free Music Review: Absolutely the best
Hit: 5 Stars
There's not much I can say that other reviewers haven't covered in spades, but I do want to call attention to David Hurwitz's line about balancing passion with discipline. This is particularly true in the "Unfinished" symphony, which always runs the risk of being bogged down with sap by well-meaning but overly Romantic conductors. Szell's "Unfinished" is appropriately spooky and atmospheric, tender and lyrical, and furious by turns, but its hallmark is that it keeps moving, never allowing the momentum to flag. It's similar to Carlos Kleiber's famous recording, but I think Szell's is even better: Kleiber brings an intensity that almost overwhelms the work's atmosphere, whereas Szell balances his momentum with a keen ear for the mood of each movement, resulting in a performance that perfectly captures the completely unique sound of this symphony. The same is true in the "Great" symphony, wherein Szell and the Clevelanders somehow combine incisive rhythmic attacks and metronome-perfect precision with the singing quality unique to Schubert's music. Listen in particular to the sharply accented opening of the Scherzo (with the strings digging away at their instruments!), and then contrast it with the lilting, bucolic Trio, in which Szell calls attention to the beautiful scenery without bogging down the whole works in Romantic admiration. A truly thoughtful, well-considered performance that isn't afraid to be intellectual *or* powerful, and does indeed miraculously combine the two. A seemingly impossible feat? Yes, but this is Szell and Cleveland - impossible was the order of the day. The hell-for-leather last few measures of the "Great", with that last note that blasts out of the speakers, cement the greatness of the rest of this disc. This disc would be a bargain at ten times the price, but for the price it's offered at, you should feel no hesitation at clicking that "Buy" button right now. As far as I know, this CD's out of print, so don't wait until it's gone.Free Music Review: La mas grande
Hit: 5 Stars
George Szell al igual que Eugene Ormandy son dos grandes directores desplazados por la fama de Bernstein, Karajan y otros, pero que sin duda son de lo mejor.
Szell a cargo de la Orquesta de Cleveland llega cerca de la perfeccion, un sonido grandioso unos solistas en su esplendor.
En este caso Schubert por partida doble con lo mas reconocido, primero el inicio incomparable de la "inconclusa", esas notas que todos han escuchado y que son indescriptibles.
Continua este Cd con la sinfon?a N? 9 "La grande", no sabes si por la estructura, quizas por su duraci?n, pero prefiero decir que por su fuerza, solemnidad y espiritu. Es una sinfonia mas bien alegre y energica, bastante vivaz, no incluye ningun adagio parte comun en casi todas las sinfonias.
Cada movimiento es un pieza genial estimulante, e independiente del resto, no son obras separadas pero denotan un juego de libertad y luminosidad, es un andante, que sigue a otro, un scherzo vivaz y un allegro vivace grandioso antes de un allegro vivace solemne y radiante, alegria y ritmo tras otro.
La orquesta esta a su mejor nivel, Szell hace suyo a Schubert y nos entrega una version sin igual, tengo que decirlo tambien, que hay otra grabacion de Szell de la 9a sinfon?a editada en los 80, tambien SONY (CBS) en la coleccion denominada "Greatest Peformances" no disponible actualmente que es aun mejor, es algo asi como perfecta.
Disfruten entonces de Schubert en la direcci?n de Szell y sabran por que es... "La grande".
Free Music Review: Excellent in all respects.
Hit: 5 Stars
My favorite recording of the Great C Major remains Furtwangler/Berlin Philharmonic on DG. Szell's view is from an opposite pole, but no less enthralling. Here, both symphonies are beautifully recorded, and if one wanted to introduce a neophyte to classical music, better examples would be hard to find.This is my favorite recording of the 'Unfinished' Symphony -- classic, poised, yet romantic, song-like, touched with mystery and sorrow in the second movement.
It's hard to believe quality can be had this cheap!
Free Music Review: Dazzling Schubert
Hit: 5 Stars
I recently purchased the CD reissue of this recording for Szell's reading of the Unfinished. I remember being impressed with it in its original coupling with the Mendelssohn Italian Symphony on vinyl disc. Szell's recordings of both the Eighth and the Ninth Symphonies are superb. I played two other vinyl disc recordings of the Unfinished before playing Szell to select a recording for inclusion on a tape of Schubert's music. I listened to Karajan, then Giulini. I found the Giulini superior to the Karajan, but the Szell vastly superior to both. Listen to the Unfinished on bookshelf speakers. Szell gives everything in interpreting this music, restraint in the piano passages, thunder in the fortissimos, perfect pacing and warmth throughout. I have been a rabid collector of classical recordings since the early 70's, and I regard this recording along with Solti's complete Carmen opera and Ormandy's Pathetique on Sony as representing the very pinnacle of the recorded romantic repertoire.Free Music Review: Not all there
Hit: 2 Stars
I'm not a qualified music critic, much less a connoisseur. I just know what I like. I first heard the First Movement of the Unfinished Symphony when I played it in my high school band. I've been in love with it ever since. I enjoy reading these reviews, but I'm not as concerned about the nuances of the sound or the style of the conductors or the other issues being discussed here. This is what I do know: I paid for the 8th Symphony and got a CD with an abridged First Movement. There is nothing about this on the CD packaging or the web page. Maybe it doesn't matter and I'm overreacting - the quality of the music is very good and the price is low - but I would prefer to know in advance if any work is abridged.