Mahler Symphony No.9 (2002), Beethoven Symphony No.7 (1989): Ozawa / Boston Symphony Orchestra

The sound heard on this Blu-ray disc is amazingly clean, warm and vivid, although it is not in DTS or any discernable digital format. There is a (very) slight dynamic compression, being originally recorded for TV, but it is never distracting or bothering my ears. The BSO is phenomenal giving their best performance of this piece for their departing music director. The Boston string is incredibly rich and has a warmly resonating quality, the brass golden and appropriately heavy, while Everett ’Vic’ Firth’s timpani is everything I can ask for - accurate and crisp, justly loud and authoritative. Ozawa’s reading had ripened over the years (the Finale clocks over 27 min.). It is grand in scale, minute in details, but also extraordinarily cogent. Surpassing his earlier recordings with BSO and SKO, it’s his best M9th to date and one of his finest achievements in Boston. This Mahler Ninth ranks with Bernstein (1965, 1979 Tanglewood, 1985), Levine (analogue, PO), Karajan (digital, BPO), and Solti (analogue, LSO). A must for anyone who loves this great work. Timings of the four movements are, I. 27’02” II. 15’53” III. 13’14” IV. 27’20” P.S. Don’t worry about the infamous audience coughing in the Finale - the Japanese engineers cleverly attenuated the noise without a noticeable glitch.

2002年、ボストン響の音楽監督を去る、最後の小澤征爾氏、渾身の名演。師匠、バーンスタインの得意曲、カラヤンには交響曲史上の頂点をなすと、教えられたこの曲を、情念深く、力を込め、氏もここまでやるようになったかという、堀の深い、緻密、情熱の総決算的、巨匠となった小澤氏の名演奏。7番は、まだ若々しく、重心は重いが、キビきとした迫力の、これまた名演。

ようやく発売された。小沢＆BSOのラストコンサート！ベートーヴェンのほうは、箸にも棒にもかからない清涼飲料水的演奏だが、マーラーはすばらしい。良くも悪くも、「無国籍」のオザワスタイルが極限に達し、「凄み」や「畏れ」さえ生んだのである。ライブのオザワでも、これほどの熱演はそうそうない。断言できる。SACDで音のみ出してくれないだろうか？オザワ最高の「名盤」になること間違いない。