Schubert Symphonies

Otto Klemperer was born on 14th May 1885 in Breslau, Silesia (now Wroclaw, Poland) and died on 6th July 1973 in Zurich and hence next year we mark 40 years since his passing. Although disfigured by a stroke suffered whilst a brain tumour was being removed he became a world-renowned conductor whose recordings became and remain touchstones for the EMI catalogue.

The nineteenth century brought various changes to the symphonic form. Although both inspired by Beethoven, Berlioz’s experiments with instrumental colour and orchestral size are a world away from the colossal symphonies of Brahms. Composers such as Mahler and Bruckner pushed the traditional symphonic landscapes to their limits, in sharp contrast to the uplifting Classically-based symphonies of Mendelssohn and Schubert. The nationalistic flavours apparent in the programme symphonies of Schumann, Strauss and Dvořák exemplify the way in which the symphonic form flourished in the Romantic era, whilst the visceral impact of the Gallic panache is typified by the symphonies of Franck and Saint-Saëns.

Symphony No. 6 was composed by a 20-year-old Schubert who wished to pay tribute to one of his heroes at the time: Rossini. This is the second disc in an on-going cycle of Schubert’s symphonies with the SCO and Thomas Dausgaard, described by BBC Music Magazine described as ‘an excitingly combative, and ultimately very plausible new look at Schubert.’

Franz Schubert - Symphonien 1-8, Dialog & Eplilog - Jonathan Nott & Bamberger Symphoniker (2011) {6CD Set, Tudor TUD301610}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.80 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 1.11 Gb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 40 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2011 Tudor Recording | TUD301610
Classical / Orchestral / Romantic

Starting in 2003, Jonathan Nott and the Bamberg Symphony pursued the ambitious project of recording Franz Schubert's symphonies Nos. 1-8, and the SACDs were individually released later that decade to considerable critical praise. This 2011 set of six SACDs brings together the four albums with the symphonies, plus two collections of modern compositions inspired by Schubert's music. Nott's conducting tends to be on the fast side in Schubert, and the Bamberg Symphony is sometimes a little uneven in sound quality. But by and large, they demonstrate a great understanding of Schubert's styles, both in his Classical and Romantic veins, and acquit themselves with enthusiasm and brilliance.

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.

In 1956, Bernard Haitink conducted the Concertgebouworkest for the first time and together they would play more than 1,500 concerts across the globe. Besides his modesty, his humanity, his musical taste, and his honesty to the music, three words come to mind when one thinks of Haitink and his orchestra: Sound, Trust and Magic. Jörgen van Rijen, Principal trombone of the Concertgebouworkest, said at a memorial concert in February this year, “Every time with him [Haitink] the orchestra sounded warmer, deeper and richer, from the first moment he started to rehearse. How he did that is difficult to tell … he always gave us musicians the feeling he trusted you, that he was there to help, not to interfere.”

Franz Schubert - Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9
Swedish Chamber Orchestra - Thomas Dausgaard
SACD ISO (2.0/MCH): 3,82 GB | 24B/88,2kHz Stereo FLAC: 1,29 GB | Full Artwork | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: BIS # BIS-SACD-1656 | Country/Year: Sweden 2010
Genre: Classical | Style: Romantic

…The recorded sound is magnificent! Two different engineers worked these sessions (Martin Nagorni for the "Unfinished" and Andreas Ruge for the "C Major") and they were recorded at the Orebro Concert Hall, Sweden. A near-perfect blend of direct and hall sound - not over-resonant - make for an immediate and satisfying listening experience. If you are curious about how these works sound in chamber orchestra garb, rush out and buy this. You won't be disappointed!

Transcriptions of chamber works to orchestral works have been interesting asides for composers for a long time - whether the transcription are alterations of a composer's own songs or chamber works to full orchestral size or those of other composers for which the transcriber had a particular affinity. Stokowski's transcriptions of Bach's works are probably the most familiar to audiences. The two transcriptions on this recording are the creations Gustav Mahler and his election to transcribe the quartets of Beethoven and Schubert is not surprising: Mahler 'transcribed' many of his own songs into movements or portions of movements for his own symphonies. Listening to Mahler's transcriptions of these two well known quartets - Franz Schubert's String Quartet in D Minor 'Death and the Maiden' and Ludwig van Beethoven's String Quartet in F Minor 'Serioso' - provides insight into both the orginal compositions and the orchestration concepts of Gustav Mahler. The themes of these two works would naturally appeal to Mahler's somber nature. Mahler naturally extends the tonal sound of each of these transcriptions by using the full string orchestra and in both works it is readily apparent that his compositional techniques within string sections are ever present.

Franz Schubert - Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9
Swedish Chamber Orchestra - Thomas Dausgaard
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 328 MB | Full Artwork | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: BIS # BIS-SACD-1656 | Country/Year: Sweden 2010
Genre: Classical | Style: Romantic

…The recorded sound is magnificent! Two different engineers worked these sessions (Martin Nagorni for the "Unfinished" and Andreas Ruge for the "C Major") and they were recorded at the Orebro Concert Hall, Sweden. A near-perfect blend of direct and hall sound - not over-resonant - make for an immediate and satisfying listening experience. If you are curious about how these works sound in chamber orchestra garb, rush out and buy this. You won't be disappointed!