Schubert: Symphony No. 9, 'The Great' Sir Simon Rattle & Berliner Phiharmoniker

• 1 I. Andante - Allegro ma non troppo 16:48
• 2 II. Andante con moto 16:26
• 3 III. Scherzo Allegro vivace 12:14
• 4 IV. Allegro vivace 12:15
• Total Runtime 57:43

Info for Schubert: Symphony No. 9, 'The Great'

Sir Simon Rattle speculates: 'This is a very complex piece because it balances a desperate tightrope between heaven and hell, and joy and obsession, and it's hard to know at any one moment what wins. I can't bear the thought that he (Schubert) never heard the piece, and that it took so long for it to be accepted'. Recorded live with the Berliner Philharmoniker in June 2005, this album marks Simon Rattle's first recorded survey into the symphonies of Schubert.

“The pace of the Andante con moto second movement is close to perfection: a touch of the forward-striding hiker but far from unbending. There are moments of a quite visionary loveliness: like the high-floating string polyphony in the Andante, of the tremolos near the central climax of the finale... Most of all, there's an expressive richness that makes Mackerras or the much-praised Marriner recording seem fatally black-and-white in comparison.” (BBC Music Magazine)

“…Simon Rattle… take a relatively free and romantic view of this massive symphony, maybe reflecting that this is a live recording. What emerges from this relatively relaxed approach is an extra sense of joy in Schubert's inspiration, with rhythms lifted infectiously. Not that Rattle's interpretation lacks bite or precision - quite the opposite: one of its great qualities is the way he brings out the many counter-motifs, notably on cellos or second violins, that in many performances are hidden. With full, warm sound, this is a first-rate recommendation.” (Gramophone)

Berliner Philharmoniker
Sir Simon Rattle, conductor

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Booklet for Schubert: Symphony No. 9, 'The Great'