- Audio CD (4 May 1999)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Original recording remastered
- Label: EMI Classics
- ASIN: B00000IOC2
- Other Editions: MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 118,469 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
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.
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.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
These - especially 3 and 5 - really are something special. Beecham's "early" Schubert glowed and was full of poetry. Everything sparkles. These works have never quite sounded as special as they do in Beecham's hands - and therein lies the problem: you will never be quite fully satisfied with any other accounts of these works and (even worse) your satisfaction with others' accounts of Symphonies 1, 2 and 4 will always be tempered by wondering how they would sound in Beecham's hands! The sound is excellent.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
A choice selection of Schubert Symphonies on one CD, nicely performed, recorded and remastered, all at Abbey Road studios. Very good sound quality with wide frequency and dynamic range and excellent harmonic content. Good example of some early stereo recordings of the mid to late 1950's. A must for the collector.
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