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Favorite Schubert's Symphonies

  • Symphony No. 7 in E (fragment)

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Favorite Schubert's Symphonies

55K views 87 replies 50 participants last post by  Bradius 
#1 · (Edited)
I am NOT really "into" Symphonies, but recently I spent a good time listening Schubert's symphonies cycle. I just want to know populary which symphonies favorite each other, and also your personal references.

My cycle is the old '60s Staatskapelle Dresden by Wolfgang Sawallisch which the audio still sound excellent.

My favorite, temporary, like this :

1. no.5
2. no.8
3. no.4
4. no.9
and the rest in same order

except that I don't have the no.7 .
 
#32 ·
I haven't heard the First and the Second, but leaving them off my three personal favourites are the Fourth, Fifth and Ninth.
Heare are the recordings I like the most (I've only listened to three or four different versions of each one)

Fourth Symphony - Carlo Maria Giulini/Chicago Symphony
Fifth Symphony - Leonard Bernstein/Concertgebouw Orchestra
Ninth Symphony - Leonard Bernstein/Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (it's a DVD)
 
#53 ·
It's nice to find an active Classic Music Forum.

Most of Schubert symphonies have high quality. His style is more similar to Haydn rather Beethoven, more like the best of Haydn. My least favorite is No.7, it hasn't much feeling in itself.

I find No.2 the Schubert's most impressive. Then, No. 8,5 and 10. Number 9 is 'great', but after sometime it bores you.
 
#55 ·
The percentage on the poll doesn't add up! It's more than 100%. :)
 
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#65 ·
Schubert Great C Majors come and go, but I'm still partial to Szell's late 1950's performance with the Cleveland Orchestra

View attachment 124574
I need to hear that. I can see Szell and the Clevelanders being great with this symphony. No pun intended.

I feel like I'm not getting as much out of Schubert's 9th as is really there. Could be that I have yet to hear a really great recording, or maybe my head is just not there lately.

@gellio, your enthusiasm has caused me to revisit Schubert's 4th. I listened to the Blomstedt/Dresden recording in full, which I thought was pretty good, but I wasn't convinced by the last movement. Then I listened to the first movement of the Harnoncourt/Concertgebouw. Wow!! What an absolutely riveting performance. I do not like collecting cycles of Schubert's symphonies, as I'm not a huge fan of all of them, but I think I need to get the Harnoncourt cycle to supplement the Blomstedt/Dresden that I have. There is nothing wrong with it, but I think the symphonies are interpretively a little dry. Which can be a good thing.

I think all of Schubert's symphonies are probably really good. I just have yet to come around on many of them. That being said, my favorite is definitely the 8th, the Unfinished. The others I like are the 5th, the 4th, the 9th, and the 3rd. I'm afraid 1, 2, and 6 don't do terribly much for me.
 
#66 ·
There's not one I don't like. However, I voted for no 8

The collection conducted by Istvan Kertesz is top notch. Although recorded in the 1960s and 70s, they sound superb. For around £20, the cycle is an absolute bargain.

Is there a better boxed set to be had? If there is please let me know.

The performances knock the Haroncourt set, which I also have, into a cocked hat.
 
#67 ·
^ I also rate the Kertesz set very highly. It gives us excellent accounts of the early symphonies and great accounts of 8 and 9 - not many sets manage both. Is there a better set to be had? Harnoncourt's second cycle with the Berlin Philharmonic is exceptional. Menuhin's cycle with Sinfonia Varsovia is good throughout and has a uniquely fast 9. For the rest, there are a few sets where 1-6 are done really well (including Minkowski, van Immerseel and Zinman) but which have less good 8s and 9s. Those sets can be very worthwhile because many of "the best" 8s and 9s are not part of sets and can be bought as standalones.
 
#71 ·
No. 9 - Szell/Cleveland, Krips/London, and Furtwängler in his various versions. I’m always reminded of Schumann’s quip - “it is as if the all the instruments have become human voices.” Followed by No. 5, but only the Böhm/Vienna version, not speed-demon HIPsters who rip through the first movement. No. 4 is a wonderful work that deserves more attention. I like No. 8, but not nearly as much as some seem to.
 
#72 ·
No. 9 - Szell/Cleveland, Krips/London, and Furtwängler in his various versions. I'm always reminded of Schumann's quip - "it is as if the all the instruments have become human voices." Followed by No. 5, but only the Böhm/Vienna version, not speed-demon HIPsters who rip through the first movement. No. 4 is a wonderful work that deserves more attention. I like No. 8, but not nearly as much as some seem to.
I'm not keen on HIP versions either. They leave me cold. Must check out the Böhm/Viena no.5. I'm not so thrilled by Böhm's no.9, which must be here somewhere. Any recommendations for the no.4?

Regards,

Vincula
 
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