Schubert's 9th Symphony - Recordings that you like

[Mandryka]

Ahh I know a couple of these.

Ithe interpretation by Erich Kleiber w/ RSO Cologne on LP (it has probably been reissued in the meantime

Yes I have it and love it. It's probaby my favourite too for exactly the reason you say.

#3 Vienna Philharmonic / Herbert von Karajan (late 40s, EMI)
Driven, hard-hitting, brutal, dark and violent vision from Karajan.

Oh my god. I always imagined you were a nice, easy going, fun guy. That is just about the most severe, unsmiling performance of anything by anyone. I can't imagine what state of mind you would be in to think "right, I'm going to treat myself. I'm going to lie back and enjoy Karajan's 1946 VPO Schubert 9."

Still, it's an interesting recording.

You know, this symphony is open to so many different ways of playing it.

[Verena]

Another vote for the Kleiber and Furt live, though my favorite is probably the beautifully restrained Wand which was recorded as part of the cycle. I think I prefer this to the BPO version.

[Drasko]

Oh my god. I always imagined you were a nice, easy going, fun guy. That is just about the most severe, unsmiling performance of anything by anyone. I can't imagine what state of mind you would be in to think "right, I'm going to treat myself. I'm going to lie back and enjoy Karajan's 1946 VPO Schubert 9."

Still, it's an interesting recording.

You know, this symphony is open to so many different ways of playing it.

I guess we all have our dark side. And yes, I agree, it is open to quite wide range of interpretations.

[Verena]

I guess we all have our dark side. And yes, I agree, it is open to quite wide range of interpretations.

Perhaps this openness is a hallmark of Schubert's greatest works in general - I'm thinking in particular about the D 960 sonata

[Sergeant Rock]

I guess we all have our dark side.

I know I do    I can't find the recording though; nothing but Berlin performances for sale. Is it still in print?

Sarge

[Drasko]

I know I do    I can't find the recording though; nothing but Berlin performances for sale. Is it still in print?

Sarge

Shouldn't it be in one of those EMI all-inclusive boxes? Single disc is not in print but relatively cheap copies are available:
http://www.amazon.de/Karajan-Karajan-Wien-Vol-2/dp/B000002SSY

[Gurn Blanston]

I'm delighted to see this thread revived. I know that quite a few of you weren't here for one reason or another back when I started it up, and I'm still as interested in the input as I was back then.



----------------
Now playing:
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra / Ferenc Fricsay - Op 125 Symphony #9 in d 4th mvmt pt 2 - Presto - 'O Freunde, nicht diese Töne' - Allegro assai

(1958 - first ever stereo recording of this symphony)

[Sergeant Rock]

Shouldn't it be in one of those EMI all-inclusive boxes? Single disc is not in print but relatively cheap copies are available:
http://www.amazon.de/Karajan-Karajan-Wien-Vol-2/dp/B000002SSY

Thanks.

[DarkAngel]

Another vote for the Kleiber and Furt live, though my favorite is probably the beautifully restrained Wand which was recorded as part of the cycle. I think I prefer this to the BPO version.

I am with you 100% here.......
Just listened to both again and I definitely prefer the Wand Koln 9th included in complete Wand set compared to the 2CD 8 & 9 live with BPO........BPO is just a bit too relaxed and smooth, I need more energy and dramatic contrast especially after hearing Szell

BTW for people recommending Furtwangler and E Kleiber live please be more specific......which recording from what year, there are several versions

[Verena]

I am with you 100% here.......
Just listened to both again and I definitely prefer the Wand Koln 9th included in complete Wand set compared to the 2CD 8 & 9 live with BPO........BPO is just a bit too relaxed and smooth, I need more energy and dramatic contrast especially after hearing Szell

BTW for people recommending Furtwangler and E Kleiber live please be more specific......which recording from what year, there are several versions

"My" Kleiber recording is in the 6 CD Decca Recordings Box by Kleiber (Cologne RSO, however, I can't find the box set right now, so I can't give the date) - same problem with the Furtwängler  (but I think it was around 1944 or 1942, and unfortunately not in good sound)

[Verena]

I am with you 100% here.......

Just listened to both again and I definitely prefer the Wand Koln 9th included in complete Wand set compared to the 2CD 8 & 9 live with BPO........BPO is just a bit too relaxed and smooth, I need more energy and dramatic contrast especially after hearing Szell

BTW, there is yet another Wand version, which may be even a tad livelier than the Koln version: with the NDR Symphony Orchestra; for what it's worth, I think this recording received a prize from one of the French classical music magazines . Today I listened to the first two movements and had to stop then; I liked the first movement very much; but in the second, the orchestral execution left something to be desired IMO - although I usually do not pay too much attention to this. Have to give it a complete listen one of these days.

[DarkAngel]

"My" Kleiber recording is in the 6 CD Decca Recordings Box by Kleiber (Cologne RSO, however, I can't find the box set right now, so I can't give the date) - same problem with the Furtwängler  (but I think it was around 1944 or 1942, and unfortunately not in good sound)

There is a 1942 BPO version in this boxset and available seperately on various labels, this is probably what you have. The 1952 studio DG Originals fortunately has very good sound and does not require you to listen through the bad sound to enjoy the performance

[Verena]

There is a 1942 BPO version in this boxset and available seperately on various labels, this is probably what you have

Yes, this is it probably. Though I have it on a different ("cheap") label; have to buy a decent version of that recording soon

[ccar]

BTW for people recommending Furtwangler and E Kleiber live please be more specific......which recording from what year, there are several versions

A list may help:

FURTWANGLER (various labels) :  Dec 1942 - Berlin - BPO / May 1943 - Stockholm -VPO  / Jun 1950 – Berlin  -BPO / Dec 1951 – Berlin (DG studio) – BPO / Aug 1953 – Salzburg – VPO / Sept 1953 – Berlin – BPO

ERICH KLEIBER : Nov 1953 - Cologne – CologneRSO (Decca and other labels) / Apr 1954 - Hamburg – NDRSO (Tahra)     

[mjwal]

I am with you 100% here.......
Just listened to both again and I definitely prefer the Wand Koln 9th included in complete Wand set compared to the 2CD 8 & 9 live with BPO........BPO is just a bit too relaxed and smooth, I need more energy and dramatic contrast especially after hearing Szell

BTW for people recommending Furtwangler and E Kleiber live please be more specific......which recording from what year, there are several versions

Well, I did specify Kleiber/Cologne RSO - and say "preferably live Furt", but to be precise about the latter I meant BPO 1942 and '53.
I too have gathered that the Wand NDR is the one to choose, but haven't heard it. There are really remarkable things in the Szell, I agree - I started re-listening to that yesterday but got distracted after the 1st side of the LP. But the catastrophe of the andante is not as punishing as with Kleiber. - I have just ordered Gielen's recording after reading a most promising review on Amazon.de, but will have to wait till I get back to Berlin in October.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

New to me since I last posted on this thread is this wonderful performance by Mehta and the Vienna Philharmonic live at the Salzburg Festival, 1985.

Mehta isn't in the "slow=dramatic" category which is how Bernstein and Furtwängler see the work (recording-wise). Instead there's a litheness and pep which makes for extremely enjoyable listening (the Stravinsky is great, too).   

[DarkAngel]

 

If I only keep two I go with these two.....

After listening again above I ordered the Music and Arts 1951 live symphony by Furtwangler for some variety

Got the 1951 Music and Arts Furtwangler above and despite having a better coupling I do not prefer this performance to 1952 DG Originals shown above, also sound is better for 1952, had to try......

Also revisted the 1953 E Klieber/Cologne RSO (paired with an older murky sounding 8th) and it is very good performance with decent mono sound, but would not rate this above the 1952 Furtwangler DG Originals so for now I still stand by my two preferred selections above for stereo and mono versions

[eyeresist]

New to me since I last posted on this thread is this wonderful performance by Mehta and the Vienna Philharmonic live at the Salzburg Festival, 1985.

Mehta isn't in the "slow=dramatic" category which is how Bernstein and Furtwängler see the work (recording-wise). Instead there's a litheness and pep which makes for extremely enjoyable listening (the Stravinsky is great, too).

My favourite 9th in my collection is the Eloquence rerelease of Mehta and the Israel Phil. The band play remarkably well, with a nice Old Europe sound, and the interpretation is peppy but passionate. He skips most of the repeats, thank God. He doesn't pull the tempos all over the place in the finale, which for me is always a dealbreaker. In all, he does the things I want to hear in this work, and avoids what I consider to be the pitfalls.  And I say all this as someone who is decidedly not a Mehta fan.

[Mandryka]

Norrington Stuttgart Orchestra



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[eyeresist]

My favourite 9th in my collection is the Eloquence rerelease of Mehta and the Israel Phil.

Australian Eloquence have since rereleased Mehta's entire cycle. The 9th is definitely the standout of the set.

I'd like to hear the Norrington sometime. I saw a doco about Schubert a few years ago which included Norrington conducting a chamber orchestra in the 2nd mvt of the 3rd symphony, and it was very nice IIRC.