Franz Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 5

On this CD:

1. Symphony No. 3 in D major, D. 200
Composed by Franz Schubert
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

2. Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, D. 485
Composed by Franz Schubert
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

Celibidache's most 'normal' Bruckner is full of inspiration.......2006-09-02

If you are used to thinking of Celibidache as an enigmatic, glacially slow conductor, this box of Bruckner performances from DG will be an eye-opener. It dates from the Seventies, before the maestro's more eccentric inclinations set in completely--his tempos are anywhere from 2 to almost 10 min. faster in various movements. (In some places, such as the finael of Sym. #7, the tempo may actually be faster than the norm.) The Stockholm and Stuttgart orchestras aren't as proficient as his own Munich ensemble, but they sound fine, as does DG's good FM radio sound.

Measuring Celi by the metronome isn't fair. The real question is what he offers musically, and there's no doubt that he is closely attuned to Bruckner. Long passages of sound are carved like marble; the atomosphere is full of mystery and poetry; sonorities are built on a massive scale and then alternate with intervals of lovely serenity. This is music made alive on the page. Compared to Karajan, another great Brucknerian, Celibidache is more organic and relaxed. One can quibble with things here and there, but then an entire stretch of music, such as the opening of Sym. #3, will emerge as a magnificent whole.

I'm not sure I can erect an altar to Celibidache's entire career, but these Bruckner recordings seem great to me.

Celibidache: Great Bruckner conductor, or cult figure?.......2005-02-19

The first time I ever heard the name Celibidache was back in the late '80's when he was on tour with the Munich Philharmonic. The word among my Bruckner fan friends was that he was on the road with a Bruckner Fourth like no other. Hmmmm...how different could it be? I didn't get to go to the performance while he was in town, but word was that it was one of those things you either loved or hated.

The next time I encountered him was while sitting around one night with some Bruckner (and Furtwangler) fans watching "music videos"...but not exactly the MTV or VH1 kind. I saw two videos of Celibidache. The first clip was of a dashing young matinee-idol looking Celibidache, with a wild swath of hair hanging down on his forehead, conducting the BPO in a fiery reading of Beethoven's Egmont Overture. In the second video, shot about two generations after the first, a kindly, grandfatherly looking, Celibidache, in a cozy sweater, conducted a superbly controlled Munich Philharmonic from a stool, in an impossibly expansive and majestic reading of the first movement of the Bruckner Eighth (this was from the Sony release of the entire Eighth). The latter performance was so slow, when compared with any other recording you've ever heard, that it had no business sounding so good, but somehow it did.

The Celibidache phenomenon, and his superbly drilled Munich Philharmonic, must've created a bit of a stir, for, on the heels of Sony's video releases of Celibidache's performances of Bruckner's Symphonies #6-8, EMI embarked on a project of releasing recordings of Bruckner's Symphonies #3-9, as well as recordings of works by other composers. These recordings were released in 1999, three years after the conductor's death. At that time I was what you could call a "Bruckner Ninth completist," and I already owned one of his recordings of the Bruckner Ninth: one of those "quirky Italian" labels that speicalizes in poorly packaged--and often premium-priced--pressings of "historical recordings" had released a few Celibidache live recordings of Bruckner symphonies from the '70's and '80's (it's pretty common knowledge that the enigmatic conductor, like Furtwangler whom he had succeeded as director of the BPO in 1945, hated making studio recordings).

This two-disc set turned out to be a good indicator of the enigma that was Celibidache. The second disc was a recording of the Ninth Symphony with the MPO from 1981. It was a very good performance, and I felt fortunate to have it in my collection, because it was also a good quality live recording; and it was with Munich (most of his live recordings from that period were with the RSO Stuttgart, a good orchestra but not as good as the MPO). The Ninth was a bit on the slow side, and there were moments when I was a bit too aware of the conductor caressing a phrase, but overall it was a worthy addition to the collection.

The accompanying recording of the Fourth with the RSO Stuttgart from 1973 was another story. Everything was fine through the first three (and three-quarters) movements. It was a spacious account of the fourth, but no slower than, say, Bohm's 1973 VPO recording. But, then, toward the end of the finale something happened: a very self-conscious slowing down of the coda--which is plenty majestic enough w/o an unnatural slowing down. This slowing progressed until the beat was subdivided, the violins sounded like they were literally "sawing away" on their ostinatos, and the orchestra almost ground to a screeching halt before the final chord mercifully stopped sounding. At that point, I almost made a frisbee out of the disc, but I decided it still made a good conversation piece (or at least a coaster). It was the most bizarre thing I had ever heard in a recording of "classical" music. In retrospect, the interesting thing is that such extremely protracted tempos are more often associated with the performances of his last fifteen years, but this recording was made 23 years before his death: it somewhat staggers the Brucknerian imagination to think that 20 years later he made a recording of the Fourth with Munich in which the Finale was actually more than five minutes longer, actually breaking the half-hour mark, presumably for the first and last time in the annals of this work.

[I've been trying to write shorter reviews, but apparently that's not going to happen here.]

When the EMI recordings came out, I was much too curious about the Eighth and Ninth to allow the bizarre timings to scare me away: when I first picked up the Eighth, I thought that the timings of the last two movements--35:04 and 32:08, respectively--must've been misprints...the finale was actually more than 12 minutes--or 60%--longer than Jochum's terse 1964 BPO recording! But I still found things to admire in these recordings, none the least of which was the superbly controlled and patient playing of the orchestra, all of whom I thought must've been practically "Zen masters" (and endurance athletes), to play a Bruckner Eighth that was longer than many recordings of the six-movement Mahler Third!

[Really, my intent is NOT to write a review that is the verbal equivalent of a late Celibidache Bruckner recording!]

So, when DG came out with their Celibidache recordings of Bruckner's Symphonies #3-5&7-9, at first released in two absurdly expensive boxed sets--and the people who purchased those have every right to be perturbed at DG eventually releasing them in a much more reasonably-priced single box--I looked at the set with a certain suspicious curiousity. Could these be anything more than shabby old radio recordings, released to "coat-tail" the EMI and Sony releases, and the conductor's death?

Well, the answer is a defininte, yes, they are much more than that. Any set of Celibidache Bruckner recordings is bound to be a bit of a "mixed bag," and, as the other reviewer pointed out, this set is...but there is much more to admire and enjoy here than I expected. I smiled at the other reviewer's apt comment about the "Karaoke Third;" and while the Fourth is not as annoying as the Third, in this respect, their is still more "Sing along with Serge" than I can take, esp. in the finale. It is one of my pet peeves when conductors hum and stomp their way through a performance (you can probably imagine that I don't much care for Glenn Gould's recordings): one of the Bruckner Ninths that I dumped from my "completist days" was by a conductor named Vladimir Delman, who didn't shut up for more than five seconds during the entire recording (and it wasn't even a very good Ninth even w/o the vocal accompaniment)!
In the case of this Celibidache Fourth, it's too bad about the vocalizing, because the tempo of the finale's coda is much more tolerable than the '73 Stuttgart one I described above.

But, fear not, for the Fifth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth, are all very good, and the recording quality exceeded my expectations, including strong, clear horns, so important in Bruckner; and a full, warm, bass resonance. Also, Celibidache is definitely a conductor who understands the importance of good strong timpani in Bruckner, and the timpani are very well recorded throughout this set, nearly as thunderous as Karajan's, in the finale of the Fifth (HvK used an extra set of timpani in the Fifth). Yes, the tempos are on the slow side, but during this period--which I'm now thinking was a vintage period for Celibidache's Bruckner--they had not become too extreme yet. He manages to pull off the most spacious Fifth Symphony slow movement I've ever heard, with surprising success (even if this almost climax-less movement begins to get a bit monotonous, by the end; but then again, brisker readings of this movement can get a bit tedious, too).

This was the first Celibidache Bruckner Seventh I've ever heard, and it was a very pleasant surprise, with a beautiful, but not excessively slow, adagio; and a nice, flowing, first movement. It was a pleasant surprise to hear him use a nice flowing tempo for the lovely "enchanted forest" theme (as I call it) that flows out of the majestic intro, and launches the movement proper.

The Eighth was also very satisfying, and certainly no slower than Gunter Wand's final--and excellent--recording of the work; or Karajan's 1957 recording, for that matter.

I still prefer Celibidache's aforementioned 1981 MPO recording of the Ninth, which is noticeably more expanisve in the outer movements than the recording included in the DG set; but both performances are evidence that Celibidache was very much in touch with the rarefied spiritual world of this (my favorite) symphony.

If you are a Bruckner fanatic (or a "Brucknerd," as I have sometimes called us), esp. one who likes Celibidache, who has been putting off buying this set, you need hesitate no more. Was Celibidache one of the Great Bruckner Conductors, or just an enigmatic pheonom with a cult following? I feel that this set reveals him as a great Bruckner conductor, even if like many of us, he went on to get a bit "eccentric" in his later years.

Karaoke with Celi.......2005-01-21

This set is a mixed bag. It contains Celibidache's live Bruckner recordings with SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (symphonies 3,5,7, 8 and 9) and Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra (the 4th). As is well known, Celi hated studio recordings.

Celi was a great Bruckner conductor, no doubt about that, although he earned this reputation late in his career. But it is indeed painful to hear his karaoke behavior: Celi yells often loudly while conducting, frequently just before a climax, sometimes even with more lungpower than the brass, it seems. Worse than having a coughing audience, I think! This is especially the case in the third symphony, but his characteristic shouts are audible elsewhere too. But don't get me wrong: the interpretations are very fine. And the third, fourth and seventh are among the best available.

Thus these recordings are welcome additions to the Bruckner catalogue. Comparing this bargain DG collector's edition set with the very expensive EMI set, where Celi is conducting Munich Philharmonic, the speeds are swifter. This is especially the case with the eight symphony, which Celi takes extremely slow in Munich. Here are the differences for each movement:

EMI: 20'56 ; 16'05 ; 35'04 ; 32'08

DG : 16'16 ; 13'52 ; 27'08 ; 26'04

I think the earlier DG account in the present set is preferable. The Munich take is too slow, even if the attention to detail is remarkable. Similar judgements are applicable for the rest of the set as well, though the time differences are less dramatic. For example, the account of the fourth is ten minutes faster here. Comparing with Jochum, however, all Celi's speeds are very slow throughout the whole set.

SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra and Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra are not famous for their Bruckner playing. In this respect, they do not outshine, say, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, and Concertgebouw. But minor orchestras can surprise with a good conductor, as they do here.

Sound is good but not in upper demonstration class.

Great Recordings Of The Century - Schubert: Symphonies nos. 3, 5, & 6 / Beecham, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Average customer rating:

Charming Performances
UNALLOYED PLEASURE
Beecham perfectly caught the spirit of early Schubert
Pass the crumpets
One of the great recordings of the stereo era: no doubt about it!

Great Recordings Of The Century - Schubert: Symphonies nos. 3, 5, & 6 / Beecham, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000IOC2
Release Date: 1999-05-04

Tracks:

I: Adagio Maestoso - Allegro Con Brio
II: Allegretto
III: Menuetto (Vivace) & Trio
IV: Presto Vivace
I: Allegro
II: Andante Con Moto
III: Menuetto (Allegro Molto) & Trio
IV: Allegro Vivace
I: Adagio - Allegro
II: Andante
III: Scherzo (Presto) & Trio
IV: Allegro Moderato

Amazon.com

Time has somewhat tarnished these once highly regarded recordings. EMI's early stereo engineering was hit and miss, and not even these new remasterings can fully tame the strident string tone and hollow-sounding tuttis. Yet the performances have many virtues, including rhythmic élan, well-chosen tempos, and winsomely characterized solo playing. Above all else is Beecham's flair for shaping and projecting melodies with a cute little accent here, a dynamic surge there, and enough felicitous turns of phrase to keep the listener smiling. It's true that other conductors have elicited leaner, tauter ensemble work from their musicians (Carlos Kleiber's Third with the Vienna Philharmonic, for instance, and Fritz Reiner's neatly regimented Fifth with the Chicago Symphony). However, if you desire this uplifting group of works on one well-filled disc (and who wouldn't?), Beecham has the field to himself. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Charming Performances .......2007-04-24

Beecham was always at his best where lyricism and light touch were needed.
In these works his ability to impart such qualitites to an entire orchestra is readily apparent. Schubert's music sparkles and dances under Beecham's leadership. I have several excellent modern versions, but these under Beecham remain my favorites, especially the performance of the 6th symphony.
Note: Mr. Distler, a reviewer frequently cited by Amazon, always seems to feel it necessary to bring in other performers by way of comparison. And he never writes a review without flip-floping, going back and forth. He's always writing "on the one hand" and then writing "then again, on the other hand...". In this review he starts out attacking the sound, then he compliments the conductor, then he knocks the conductor's hold on ensemble by praising two of music's most notorious martinets, then ends by saying it's a wonderful performance. Good grief. Just once I wish he would stick to the recording at hand, say yeah or nay, and be done with it.

UNALLOYED PLEASURE.......2007-03-14

Some recordings are just hors concours. It's not necessarily that they are the `best' version available - that's far too absolute and arrogant a judgement to pass. It's rather that there will never be anything quite like them again. Yes, they are superlative performances - by definition. But there's something more, something perhaps indefinable, but instantly recognisable. We will not see their like again - though we may see something else equally as impressive. The first Callas Tosca is probably one; Furtwangler's Tristan another. I'd include Beecham's Boheme and perhaps his Carmen, too. Toscanini's Otello, definitely; Giulini's Verdi Requiem and Britten's own War Requiem, yes; Solti's Ring possibly. And so on. Readers will have other additions of their own, no doubt. But chances are they will tend to be large-scale works.

Here's a very strong candidate for that honour roll which is on a smaller scale. These are perfect gems of performances of these early Schubert symphonies, all three. Beecham brings to bear all his renowned wit, subtlety, rhythmic élan and inimitable melodic phrasing to lift them way above their usual allotted position as minor works in the Schubert canon. I defy you to restrain a smile of unalloyed pleasure from spreading across your face as you listen to this disc as Sir Thomas exercises the magic to which, at times like this, one believes only he holds the key. These days there are many other estimable performances of these symphonies, many of them far more authentic, but not one of them is quite in Beecham's `class'.

A Great Recording of the Century? Most definitely.

Beecham perfectly caught the spirit of early Schubert.......2006-02-20

The special allure of these performances is that they keep a smile on the listener's face. Beecham was rough and ready technically, and the sonics are showing their age--though not badly at all in this excellent new remastering--yet none of that matters. Beecham elicits such naturalness and good humor in these performances, you realize that behind the simplicty Beecham has lived with Schubert for many years.

Go back to the Sym. #5 and 6 he recorded on 78s in 1938 and 1944 (they are available in terrific transfers on Dutton) and you'll hear the same elan, the same deft touch with melody. Beecham connoisseurs prefer those earlier versions for their extra dash of dramatic contrast, but these sunnier recordings in stereo are exemplary in their own right--they bring the kind of joy one never hears, alas, in even the best modern readings.

P.S.--Making the original LPs used up many recording dates, odd considering how spontaneous eveyrthing sounds. Sym. #3 and 5 come from several sessions in Paris and London across a year's span in 1958-59, while Sym. #6 took two separate London sessions in 1955.

Pass the crumpets.......2006-01-27

Sir Thomas was known for his ribald sense of humor, but all is decorum here. This could easily pass for 19th century salon playing of the proper, but tepid, order; except for a couple of moments in the 5th symphony, there's nothing to ruffle the doilies here. Beecham could do wonderful things (I think his 'Carmen' is still the best), but this isn't one of them. This is the kind of conducting that sends me running for Szell, Reiner, or Kubelik.

One of the great recordings of the stereo era: no doubt about it!.......2005-12-06

Sir Thomas Beecham's recordings of Schubert's Symphonies 3, 5, and 6 is one of the great recordings of the stereo era: no doubt about it! Recorded in the late 1950s with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in warm, glowing stereo sound, this has already earned a place and will go down in history as one of the great recordings, and should be in every Classical music lover's collection. Sir Thomas had the qualities which really match Schubert's soul: warmth, grace, wit, and a natural unfolding which is never eccentric or harsh. Beecham's Schubert is the best recording of these three works, along with Bohm/Berlin (DG), Barenboim/Berlin (CBS), and Walter/Columbia (Sony, Sym. 5 only).

Beecham also recorded Schubert Symphonies 1 and 2 with the Royal Philharmonic in mono, but very good sound in the early 1950s, now available on Sony UK. This should also be in every Schubert lover's collection, as these are superb performances with the same qualities as this EMI recording.

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For Your Wedding

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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For After Hours
For Guilty Pleasures
Just For Fun
For Evening Passions (Dig)
For an Autumn Afternoon (Dig)

ASIN: B00008RV1T
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

Air On A G String - Johann Sebastian Bach
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Johann Sebastian Bach
Canon In D - Johann Pachelbel
Trumpet Voluntary - Jeremiah Clarke
Bridal Chorus From Lohengrin - Richard Wagner
Trumpet Tune And Air - Henry Purcell
Allegro From Suite - John Stanley
Prelude From Te Deum - Marc Antoine Charpentier
Allegro From Sonata - Henry Purcell
Rondeau (Masterpiece Theatre Theme) - Jean-Joseph Mourey
Ave Maria - Bach
Sleepers Awake - Johann Sebastian Bach
Sheep May Safely Graze - Johann Sebastian Bach
Ave Maria, D 839 - Franz Schubert
Wedding March From Midsummer Nights Dream - Felix Mendelssohn
Hornpipe In D From Water Music Suite - Georg Frideric Handel
La Rejouissance From Music For The Royal Fireworks - Georg Frideric Handel
Wedding Day At Troldhaugen From Lyric Pieces - Edvard Grieg

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A mellifluous Schubert cycle, but lacking in adventure

Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 1-6, 8 & 9

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0001TSWPK
Release Date: 2004-11-09

Tracks:

Adagio; Allegro Vivace
Andante
Allegro
Allegro Vivace
Adagio Maestoso; Allegro Con Brio
Allegretto
Menuetto Vivace; Trio
Presto Vivace
Allegro Moderato
Andante Con Moto

Tracks:

Largo; Allegro Vivace
Andante
Menuetto: Allegro Vivace; Trio
Presto Vivace
Adagio Molto; Allegro Vivace
Andante
Menuetto: Allegro Vivace; Trio
Allegro

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Allegro
Andante Con Moto
Menuetto: Allegro Molto
Allegro Vivace
Adagio; Allegretto
Andante
Scherzo: Presto
Allegro Moderato

Tracks:

Andante; Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Andante Con Moto
Scherzo: Allegro Vivace; Trio
Finale: Allegro Vivace

Customer Reviews:

A mellifluous Schubert cycle, but lacking in adventure .......2006-05-20

Until fairly recently Schubert's symhonic output was largely unrecognized except for three works, the Mozartean #5, the passionate "Unfinished," and the sunny, expansive Ninth. Great conductors restricted themselves to thise three works, with the exception of Beecham, who championed Sym. #3, #4, and #6 with great effectiveness. Colin Davis is his successor in Britain as the acknowledged Grand Old Man of Music, but I'm not sure his Schubert is a real advance over the past.

All these readings are well played and recorded, and there are flashes of spirited interpretation, such as the opening movement of Sym. #3, which is forceful but without the toughness and edge that Carlos Kleiber brought to it. In general the best word for Davis's approach is poised, and the worst is meek. This is the mellifluous Schubert of old, the simple schoolteacher who hapened to be a melodic genius. One misses the brave thrust of Harnoncourt's readings with the Concertgebouw (Teldec), which inject a good deal of Beethoven into the mix.

If you are a traditionalist, Davis's cycle will be very satisfying--by comparison, Karajan's big-band approach with the Berlin Phil. (EMI) feels inflated and self-important. Too bad that Davis lets us down in the late masterpieces, the 'Unfinished' and the C major 'Great,' where his pleasant straightforwardness doesn't come close to doing justice to Schubert's genius. The rest of the symphonies come off sunny and bright without apology.

Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 3-6, 9 [Germany]

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Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 3-6, 9 [Germany]
Maag , and Philharmonia Hungarica
Manufacturer: Quadromania Klassik
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00023GONC
Release Date: 2006-05-03

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Not for me

Franz Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4

Manufacturer: Polygram Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001G9M
Release Date: 1989-02-06

Tracks:

Sym No.3 in D, D200: 1. Adagio Maestoso-Allegro Con Brio
Sym No.3 in D, D200: 2. Allegretto
Sym No.3 in D, D200: 3. Menuetto. Vivace-Trio
Sym No.3 in D, D200: 4. Presto Vivace
Sym No.4 in c, D417, 'Tragic': 1. Adagio Molto-Allegro Vivace
Sym No.4 in c, D417, 'Tragic': 2. Andante
Sym No.4 in c, D417, 'Tragic': 3. Menuetto. Allegro Vivace-Trio
Sym no.4 in c, D417, 'Tragic': 4. Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Not for me.......2006-01-27

Now that DG has increased its list price to a ridiculous $21, I will certainly think 3 times before buying, particularly when the offerings are fairly pedestrian. The COE plays well, but as usual, I find Abbado pretty heavy-handed. In spite of the 'Tragic' title for the 4th, these aren't exactly "sturm und drang" works, and while I don't care for the Beecham 'salon' approach, I find these a bit much. The sound is good, though.

Franz Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 1, 3 and 8 ''Unfinished''

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this is NOT SACD

Franz Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 1, 3 and 8 ''Unfinished''

Manufacturer: Tudor
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0009YNS0Q
Release Date: 2005-03-22

Customer Reviews:

this is NOT SACD.......2006-08-29

I attempted to order the SACD version of this CD from three (3!) internet vendors; each of them claimed it was SACD and each of them sent me the PCM version. There is an SACD version (I saw the cover on ClassicsTodayFrance) but there is no cover shown here--wonder why? I gave up on the last one (from CDZone) and played it; sure enough, the bass is tubby, the strings fuzzy, and the tutti wash out--hey, Tudor is not an engineering genius anyway. Pity, because the performances are OK. But not as good as syms 2/4 which are actually SACD--even on Amazon. By the bye, when I complained to these retail whizzes, the answer was (more or less) "hey, we have a lot of CDs; can't keep track of all of them." The best response was from Caiman when I tried to check before I ordered from them: "we are not in position to check the details of inventory items." I wonder who is?

Franz Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 1-9 / Rosamunde (Günter Wand Edition)

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Slow and Shallow

Franz Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 1-9 / Rosamunde (Günter Wand Edition)

Manufacturer: RCA Red Seal / BMG
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000063X8P
Release Date: 2002-10-07

Customer Reviews:

Slow and Shallow.......2005-10-20

I was not impressed at all with the symphonies in this collection. All of them were lackluster in some fashion and were usually too slow in their interpretation. I wouldn't recommend buying this set.

The 8th symphony was not only slow but seemed short on musicians and without much depth: it may have been the acoustics in which it was recorded as well. I didn't particularly find the 9th symphony intersting either as it had no strength but it was slightly better than the 8th. In some of the other symphonies some of the sections sound like they're almost out of tune.

I strongly regret having bought this performance and would have bought something different had I known of its deficiencies. This box set is therefore not really a good investment. You will probably get better choices on Naxos at a cheap price compared to these expensive cheap performances.

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Good, Clean Sound, But Not the Best Performances Available

Franz Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 5

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002620
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3, D. 200: I. Adagio maestoso; Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 3, D. 200: II. Allegretto
Symphony No. 3, D. 200: III. Menuetto (Vivace) & Trio
Symphony No. 3, D. 200: IV. Presto. Vivace
Symphony No. 5, D. 485: I. Allegro
Symphony No. 5, D. 485: II. Andante con moto
Symphony No. 5, D. 485: III. Menuetto(Allegro molto) &Trio
Symphony No. 5, D. 485: IV. Allegro vivace

Customer Reviews:

Good, Clean Sound, But Not the Best Performances Available.......2001-03-07

The Berliners are at home with this music, but seem to have responded better for their old Maestro, von Karajan (in analog sound) than they did for Barenboim (in this 1986 digital recording). The Third Symphony, unjustly neglected (as are all the early Schubert symphonies) is the better of the two offerings here. The first three movements are particularly well done, but the last movement seems to suffer from bad stick technique, as if the players aren't sure whether to play the downbeat or the grace note on the beat. This of course is barely perceptible, but a close listening catches it. Barenboim has taken a long time to become a good conductor.

The Schubert Fifth is, of course, a well-known piece of music, and it must be difficult for professional orchestra musicians to keep from falling asleep playing the thrice-familiar riffs. The Berliners are fairly successful at that, but there is still a listlessness about it that is troubling. Some climaxes, particularly in the final movement, just don't climax the way you want them to. Why this holding back? Some sense that Schubert is too delicate to sustain a rip-roaring passage? Other conductors don't have that sense, and I think the music is better served in their interpretation.