Sym, 8, 9, : Mackerras / Scottish Co

Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 9, "The Great," was completed in the year that the composer died. Conceived on the grandest scale, this is not a symphony of defeat, but a powerful call to life. He was still a young man, and the lyricism and vitality of this music reflect this. Every movement contains a heartbeat-like pulse, dotted rhythms that propel the music forward.
This recording adds some fresh air to the current discography of Schubert symphonies. Charles Mackerras uses the exact number of strings that Schubert had available to him at the time, and also uses period instruments such as natural horn and natural trombone. The result is a salon atmosphere rarely heard in this symphony. While the articulation and rhythm sometimes lag, the sweetness of tone and flexibility of line make the work much more alive. Some new tempi--such as a faster opening andante--keep it from being ponderous.
The stormy and atmospheric "Unfinished" Symphony is also included on this disc. The downsized Scottish Chamber Orchestra gives an intimate performance that, in the maggiore sections, bubbles into the world of extroversion. This symphony is a simpler work, and the ensemble does well to let it speak for itself.