Günter Wand recorded Schubert’s Ninth (officially) three times: in Cologne, with the orchestra of NDR, and finally with the Berlin Philharmonic. All three are excellent: naturally paced, beautifully proportioned between movements in what remains one of the trickiest pieces in the repertoire, and (particularly the latter two performances) splendidly played. The Cologne performance is available as part of Wand’s complete Schubert symphony cycle with that orchestra. The Berlin performance has gotten most of the attention, largely because at the end of his life Wand was given the “privilege” of working with that great orchestra. It also comes in tandem with an equally fine “Unfinished” Symphony at two discs for the price of one. This has left the NDR recording out in the cold, relatively speaking, which is a pity because it’s the best of the three.

You can hear the difference pretty clearly in the two sound clips comparing the end of the first movement in both performances. The Berlin outing is distinctly heavier, more “Brucknerian,” the strings playing with an excess of legato, the brass sonorities blended rather than distinct. The NDR version, by contrast, is a touch livelier, more sharp rhythmically, with trumpets and trombones adding individual tone colors to the general tutti. Ultimately it comes down to questions of taste. In my opinion, the Berlin sonority gives too much prominence to the strings, and despite exquisite solo playing by individual wind players (the oboe in the second movement, for instance), the general impression is more soft-edged and less true to Schubert’s idiosyncratic scoring. The NDR musicians are hardly inferior, and on this occasion they simply turn in a more colorful performance of this particular work. The sonics are excellent in all three of Wand’s performances, but if you can find it the NDR version is the one you should add to your collection.

--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

SCHUBERT: AUF DEM STROM, DER H

SCHUBERT: SYMPHONY NO 5, ROSAM

SCHUBERT: SYMPHONY NO 5, ETC

A cleanly executed reading of classical proportions. Intelligently conceived, too—Slatkin does vary the tempos in the first movement, but not arbitrarily: there is no accelerando from the moderately slow introduction to the brisk Allegro, but the second subject is more relaxed so that the piu moto of the coda is related to the initial Allegro as is the allargando that Slatkin makes for the final majestic statement of the opening horn call to its appearance at the outset of the movement. This all adds interest without undermining the basic 'walking' pulse. Mackerras's (Virgin Classics) single speed here does, I fear, make for rhythmic monotony.

There is some rapt string playing of the Andante's second subject and when this theme returns after the climax with radiant new colours in the woodwind and garlands of flowing semiquavers on second violins and violas, Slatkin is almost alone in noticing that Schubert asks for the string counterpoint to be louder the second time around (bars 286-98). Norrington (EMI) does too, but with his period strings the effect is, I think, less beguiling.

The finale has a tremendous energetic spin. At Slatkin's headlong tempo there is little room for geniality, but the security of the strings at this speed is breathtaking, and the triple forte climaxes in the coda are powerfully placed.

-- Jonathan Swain, Gramophone [6/1990]

SCHUBERT: SYMPHONIES NOS 1 & 2

Hagegard and Ax allow Schubert to speak for himself in sensible, moderate speeds and discreet phrasing, coming perhaps closer to a truly Schubertian ideal than more celebrated interpreters of this work.

With the galaxy of distinguished versions by the baritones and their equally distinguished pianists listed above, forgetting for a moment tenor readings, is there room for yet another? When it is as rewarding as this one, the answer is a decided 'Yes'. I have admired Hagegard in Lieder ever since he announced his considerable credentials in the field almost 20 years ago in London's Wigmore Hall. Based largely in the US, he has returned here too infrequently but always to his audiences' pleasure.

This disc tells us just why. Simply as a voice his is perhaps superior to that of any of those singers listed above. It is, paradoxically, a light yet heroic sound, typically Swedish in timbre, flexible throughout its range and—relevant to the work in hand—tenor-like in tone. Its owner uses it with marked attention to vocal verities, never disturbing a sure legato, placing his words firmly and naturally on it.

The eager youth of the early songs is unerringly enacted, perhaps without quite the sense of vulnerability suggested by Holzmair and some tenor interpreters, although by the same token he suggests an appropriately open-air, fresh youth, and one wholly obsessed by the mill girl as the hushed singing of the couplet beginning "Du blondes Küpfchen" in "Morgengruss" and the confident élan of "Mein!" convey. When sorrow, jealousy and eventually heartbreak enter the lad's life, Hagegard projects these with as much conviction yet without a hint of exaggeration or sentimentality. He, and the sensitive but never obtrusive Ax, allow Schubert to speak for himself in sensible, moderate speeds and discreet phrasing: in the context of frequent repetitions, this has undoubted advantages. Holzmair and Demus, Schmidt and Jansen do much the same. I would find it hard to choose among these three versions if I wanted a straightforward reading, but at present I feel that the sheerly beautiful sound of Hagegard's voice places him marginally in front. Bar, Souzay and, most of all, Fischer-Dieskau peer deeper into the songs and the youth's psychology—but I'm not sure that Hagegard and his partner may not come closer to a truly Schubertian ideal, as do some tenor versions, their merits often discussed here.

The recording is ideally balanced. The only regret is that it has taken almost eight years for this version to appear here.

-- Gramophone [2/1995]

Classical Music

Classical Music

WINTERREISE

Classical Music

ARNOLD SCHOENBERG / Schubert: Complete Secular Choral Works (7CD) - A voyage of discovery through a lesser-known area of Schubert's rich and prolific output, this collection comprises seven themed CDs: Transience; Love; Eternity; Heroism; Nature; Celebrations, and Circle of Friends. "Each disc has it's share of the treasures," wrote Gramophone, "The Arnold Schoenberg Choir is a fine body of musicians... they show a virtually unflawed beauty and opulence of tone." Vocal soloists include Ruth Ziesak, Angelika Kirchschlager, Christoph Pr�gardien and Robert Holl, and among the featured pianists are Andr�s Schiff and Andreas Staier. This complete edition of Schubert's secular choral works won major prizes in Germany, France, Belgium and Japan on it's first release in 1997. WARNER CLASSICS

This could be termed 'the record of the concert' because this duo played precisely these works in the same order at the Wigmore Hall in London during November last, rather poor measure for a recital (though there was an encore), but generous measure on a CD. Their live performances were very similar to those encountered on this disc. Swensen, who had already enjoyed success with the Sibelius Concerto in London, has a refined, Szigeti-like tone and like his distinguished predecessor he isn't afraid of using portamento and bowing in the most delicate manner. He nicely varies his dynamics throughout, more boldly so than some of today's players might. The tone isn't very large and certainly not so rich as that of his near-contemporary Dumay, also just entering the record scene, but he is such a sensitive musician that want of big sound hardly matters. At 28 he is obviously destined for a bright future. So is Kahane, who plays with presence and character throughout—listen to him shaping the reminiscence of Sei mir gegriisst (D741) at the start of the Andantino section of the Fantasia.

That work, of course, is the most mature encountered here. Its sense of unity within the utmost variety shows Schubert at his most ingenious, yet I have always enjoyed the sonatas, once called mistakenly sonatinas, since de Vito recorded them for EMI (nla) many moons ago now. The much more recent LP (1973—Philips, nla) made by Grumiaux discloses many of the same qualities displayed by Swensen, and the two pianists are not dissimilar, but the new pair observe the first-movement repeats whereas the older partnership ignores them. I have to point out one serious drawback to the RCA disc and that is the intrusive breathing and bowing noises. I got used to them after a while but they are there, emphasized by the very close recording. Still, since this is the first CD appearance of all the works (the beginning of an integral set), and the Fantasia is such an attractive piece, so spontaniously played, the distraction may be overlooked by many.

-- A.B., Gramophone [1/1989]

Classical Music

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 54: All Schubert: Sonata, D. 960