The Symphony No. 9 in C major, D. 944, known as the Great (published in 1840 as “Symphony No. 7 in C Major”, listed as No. 8 in the Neue Schubert-Ausgabe), is the final symphony completed by Franz Schubert. Originally called The Great C major to distinguish it from his Symphony No. 6, the Little C major, the subtitle is now usually taken as a reference to the symphony's majesty. Unusually long for a symphony of its time, a typical performance of The Great takes around 55 minutes, though it can also be played in as little as 45 minutes by employing a faster tempo and not repeating sections as indicated in the score. Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D.759 commonly known as the "Unfinished Symphony" , is a musical composition that Schubert started in 1822 but left with only two movements—though he lived for another six years.
The disc, well recorded in 1987, is a very good performance of both the symphony and the overture. The symphony makes use of corrections made by studying the manuscript scores specially for this set of recordings. Only the first three symphonies had previously been checked in this way. In reality the differences are relatively small and concern various accenting marks and a few inserted bars. The most interesting potentially is the time signature for the slow movement which Schubert had marked as 2/2 time rather than the printed 4/4 time. This implies a faster pace with two bats per bar rather than four.
Peter Gülke and the Brandenburger Symphoniker recorded Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 9 in C major, "The Great" in June of 2017 for MDG, marking 20 years since Gülke last appeared on that audiophile label. It is also significant for being Gülke's return to recording after a long absence, and the symphony was recorded less than two months after the conductor turned 83. This performance of Schubert's last completed symphony is fairly modern and mainstream in its tempos, ensemble size, and performance style, and while Gülke has made no attempt at re-creating a period performance in terms of instrumental techniques or interpretation, he delivers a lucid and energetic rendition that does justice to Schubert's vast symphonic form and relentless rhythmic drive,
Abbado’s complete Schubert symphony cycle is a benchmark recording, exhibiting a “freshness of approach and authentic Schubertian warmth and glow” (Gramophone). Not only does this collection contain the entire collection of Abbado's Schubert symphonies, it also features the added bonus of Joseph Joachim’s great orchestration of the "Grand Duo", originally for piano duet, now a virtual symphony in its own right.
It’s a shame that Végh never recorded a complete Schubert symphony cycle: he was virtually unmatched as a conductor of classical period music. No one knew better how to float a melody (to hear his way with the opening of the Fifth Symphony check out my review of the dreadful Minkowski cycle). It was a combination of characterful phrasing, perfect balances, and (crucially) players encouraged to get involved in the interpretation and characterize their individual parts. In other words, these performances are true collaborations.
'The 94-year-old elder statesman of classical music' (The New York Times) joins forces with the Gewandhausorchester for a Schubert programme of Symphonies No. 8 ('Unfinished') and No. 9 ('The Great'), released just in time for his 95th birthday on 11th July 2022. The choice of repertoire for his late debut with Deutsche Grammophon was quickly made: Herbert Blomstedt, at 94 the world's 'longest-serving' conductor and still one of the most vital, chose Franz Schubert's last two symphonies, the 'Unfinished' in B minor and the 'Great' in C major. With the Gewandhaus Orchestra, which he presided over as Gewandhauskapellmeister from 1998 to 2005 and has since been closely associated with as honorary conductor, he had at his disposal an orchestra that is very familiar with Schubert's music.
The Schumann is a revelation. it crackles with rhythm and sparkles with Casals zest for life. I've rarely heard a more beautiful recording. It is not the straight laced type of affair that often comes out on CD these days. And its as far from Gardiner's Schumann as any I know.
While still a controversial matter, there seems to be general agreement that Schubert's "Grand Duo" is a symphony that the composer failed to find time to orchestrate (or perhaps a piano reduction of one which he actually did orchestrate). In any case, there isn't a trace of piano style in the music, and in any of its various orchestral arrangements it makes a fully mature Schubert orchestral work. Raymond Leppard's performance is a very fine one, and it's excellently recorded. Along with a jaunty performance of the zippy Third Symphony, this disc makes a very appealing novelty.
Twenty years ago musicologists were not aware that Schubert's Tenth existed. The detective story leading to its revelation is told by Brian Newbould in the booklet of this CD. The manuscript was discovered in a folio in Vienna containing no fewer than three uncompleted Schubert symphonies including No 10, which the composer was working on when he died. It is therefore his very last music. Professor Newbould's work involved deciphering Schubert's sketches and then reconstructing the work and orchestrating it. In three movements, the symphony is a wonder, with a first movement containing one of Schubert's loveliest melodies, and a sombre and Mahlerian slow movement of great poignancy.
This is the less commonly available of two recordings made of a complete realization of Schubert's "Tenth" Symphony in D Major (D. 936A), a collection of piano sketches of parts of three movements with some instrumentation notes, which Schubert was working on during the very last days of his life. Even though Schubert may have intended the work to have only three movements, with the last serving as a combination Scherzo/Finale, for this recording Bartholomee adds in the scherzo from an earlier abandoned symphony in D Major (D. 780A) as the third movement; Schubert evidently recycled this prototype as the scherzo of the Great Symphony.