RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Symphony No. 9 in C major, D944 The Great (1825) [62.47]
Orchestra Mozart/Claudio Abbado
rec. live, 19-23 September 2011, Teatro Auditorium Manzoni, Bologna and 24-25 September 2011, Auditorium, Bolzano, Italy
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 479 4652 [62.47]
My Schubert listening has mainly been confined to a number
of treasured box sets of complete symphonies (detailed below). Yet every now
and then a new release comes along of such excellence that it seems a fixture
on your CD player. One such is from the late Claudio Abbado conducting Orchestra
Mozart in the Schubert Symphony No. 9. In fact when I first heard
an excerpt from the recording it stopped me in my tracks.
Abbado had a vocation for working with young people and in the course of his
career was behind initiatives to establish more than twelve ensembles. The
newest orchestras he established were the Lucerne Festival Orchestra founded
2003 and the Orchestra Mozart of Bologna founded 2004. The latter plays on
this release.
Unfortunately I was never able to see Abbado conduct in concert. This was
despite making arrangements to report from the Dresden Music Festival in June
2014 which included a concert in the spectacular Frauenkirche to be given
by Abbado and his Orchestra Mozart. Sadly, Abbado died in January 2014 and
fittingly the Frauenkirche
concert was replaced by one dedicated to his memory. In Abbado’s
place another Milanese conductor, Daniele Gatti was engaged with the Berlin-based
Mahler Chamber Orchestra; another ensemble that Abbado had founded in 1997.
Schubert wrote what became known as the ‘Great’ C
major in 1825 three years before his death. The ‘Great’
serves to distinguish it from his Sixth Symphony which was also in
the key of C major. A decade after Schubert’s death in 1828, Robert
Schumann unearthed the ‘Great’ C major amongst
the manuscripts of Franz Schubert. Of the many accolades given to this wonderful
symphony Robert Schumann famously wrote in a letter to his wife Clara, “I
have found a symphony of heavenly length”. Musicologist David Ewen described
the score as having “monumental power, profound emotional content, great
complexity and individuality.” Thanks to the endeavours of Mendelssohn
and Schumann this score finally got its posthumous première in 1839.
Abbado had lived with the Symphony for many years conducting it for the first
time in 1966. An almost spiritual rapport is palpable arising from Abbado’s
close relationship with the Orchestra Mozart on this Deutsche Grammophon release.
I can easily understand the critical acclaim for this recording. Abbado directs
a fresh and captivating account with rhythmic security, ardently characterful
playing and impeccable integrity. Noticeable is Abbado’s resolute emphasis
on cleanly sprung rhythms. Especially satisfying is an innate sensitivity
that reveals vivid colours and a wealth of detail. In the lengthy opening
Andante - Allegro ma non troppo there's a steady forward momentum
with unquenchable vitality. With its glorious lyricism and broad dynamics
the second movement Andante con moto is compellingly interpreted.
In the generously-sized Scherzo Abbado is in his element imbuing
delightful expression to the splendid Ländler-like dance rhythms. Rather than
force a breakneck pace, unlike many interpreters, here is a conductor who
takes the substantial Finale at a level-headed pace. He prefers to
concentrate on maintaining an unforced intensity and tension. This works admirably.
This Abbado release with the Orchestra Mozart was assembled at live concerts
in 2011 at Bologna Auditorium Manzoni and also at Bolzano Auditorium. Normally
I would baulk at a record label putting together a four movement symphony
from performances at two separate locations. In fact the result feels seamless
and I certainly wouldn’t have known if it had not been declared. The
sound-team for Deutsche Grammophon has produced excellent sonics and the audio
image is crystal clear and well balanced. I could detect virtually no extraneous
audience noise and there is no applause at the conclusion.
For those requiring sets of the complete Schubert symphonies the competition
is extremely fierce. Nevertheless, I can suggest four highly recommendable
recordings. Of the analogue recordings my list is headed by Karl Böhm and
the Berliner Philharmoniker recorded in 1963/71 in the exceptional acoustic
of Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Berlin. As a Schubert conductor Böhm had few peers
and he conducts typically warm and polished performances on Deutsche
Grammophon. There is also an excellently played and recorded set conducted
by István Kertész and the Wiener Philharmoniker recorded in 1963/71 at the
Sofiensaal, Vienna on Decca. Leading the digital recordings is the marvellous
set recently released in June 2015 from the Berliner Philharmoniker under
Nikolaus Harnoncourt recorded live in 2003/06 at the Philharmonie, Berlin
on the orchestra’s
own label. The meticulous Harnoncourt has made lengthy and serious study
of Schubert’s own manuscripts removing the unauthentic revisions that
have become part of the scores. From start to finish the well prepared orchestra
plays magnificently with a sense of spontaneity that carries the listener
along on an enthralling journey. Well worth investigating is the impressive
2013 release conducted by Lorin Maazel with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen
Rundfunks. All the symphonies were recorded by Maazel in 2001 live at the
Prinzregententheater, Munich and after well over a decade have finally been
issued on BR-Klassik.
I do not think Schubert’s Ninth has ever been more beautifully played
and recorded than on this gold standard Deutsche Grammophon release.
Michael Cookson
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