“Here we have, besides masterly power over the musical technicalities of composition, life in all its phases, color in exquisite gradations, the minutest accuracy and fitness of expression"
-Composer Robert Schumann commenting on Franz Schubert’s “Great” Symphony in C major.
We have arrived at #38 on our way to the top 50 classical recordings of all-time. For many years, I have searched for a recording of Franz Schubert’s Symphony no. 8 (9) in C major, the “Great” symphony which is completely satisfying. There have been several along the way that have nearly made it, but in each of them I found something lacking. Finally a recording has come along that checks all the boxes and is in clear, vivid sound. The recording is of Schubert’s 8th “Unfinished” and 9th the “Great” Symphonies played by the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig conducted by Herbert Blomstedt in a recording from 2021 on the Deutsche Grammophon label. Although both symphonies are given excellent performances, for this entry we will be reviewing the recording of Symphony no. 9 in C major, the “Great”.
The Composer
Note: The brief synopsis of Schubert’s life below is also found in a previous review in this series, that of his Quintet in C.
Franz Schubert was born in 1797 in Vienna and died in 1828 in Vienna. In his tragically short life, Schubert became one of the greatest composers of all-time. As the composer Franz Liszt said of Schubert, “...the most poetic of them all.” Schubert lived at the end of the Classical period, and at the very beginning of the Romantic period. At heart, Schubert was a romantic. Schubert was the one mostly responsible for bringing the art of song (lieder) to the forefront of classical music. He produced great works in nearly every genre: orchestral, symphonic, lieder, keyboard, chamber music, choral, and opera. Schubert possessed a tremendous gift for melody and harmony, and he expanded upon the classical forms used primarily at the time.
Schubert played music at home with his family, and eventually was enrolled in a school for young vocalists to sing at the imperial court. Schubert began composing on his own, and some of his songs came to the attention of the director Antonio Salieri (yes, the same Salieri associated with Mozart). He was proclaimed a genius, but after his voice broke he was sent back to his family. His father insisted that he become a teacher and follow in his footsteps. While the young Schubert agreed, at night he would compose furiously. Schubert had composed hundreds of works of many genres before the age of 20.
Schubert eventually staked out on his own, taught some piano lessons, and was commissioned in 1820 to write operas for two of the opera houses in Vienna. Unfortunately, the productions were not well-received perhaps owing to Schubert’s inventive harmonies and breakthrough style which were not accepted yet. He struggled to obtain a contract from any publishers, and even though he published his own works for subscribers, he was barely scraping by financially. Then in 1823, Schubert was elected as an honorary member of the Musikverein in Graz, Austria. While relatively inconsequential in reality, Schubert enjoyed the recognition and took the opportunity to write his famous Unfinished symphony (usually numbered as his 8th symphony). Later, Schubert’s music was featured at a concert at the legendary Musikverein in Vienna, where his music finally received an enthusiastic reception. This may have been one of the few happy times in Schubert’s life, as he soon became ill from syphilis (although it is now thought he actually died from typhoid). A shy, introverted, and humble man, Schubert was often lost in his own thoughts and was known to suffer from depression and even suicidal thoughts. Despite his illness, he continued to compose at an incredible rate. Schubert requested to be buried alongside Ludwig van Beethoven, whom he greatly revered. He was also grateful for Beethoven’s positive reception of his music. Schubert also loved Mozart and Haydn.
Schubert’s greatest works include songs such as Gretchen am Spinnrade (Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel), Erlkonig, Ave Maria (no doubt you have heard), song cycles Die Schone Mullerin (The Beautiful Miller), Die Winterreise (Winter Journey), symphonies 8 and 9 (Unfinished and The Great), the “Trout” Quintet, Quintet in C major, Impromptus for piano, Piano Sonatas, “Death and the Maiden” Quartet, Deutsche Mass, and many others.
Symphony no. 9, the “Great”
After completing six symphonies between 1813 and 1818 in the classical style of Haydn and Mozart, Schubert only completed one more symphony in the final decade of his short life. This final symphony is known as The Great C major, now thought to have been written in 1825-26 even though the dated copy of the score is March 1828. It is numbered as his 9th symphony.
A bit about the numbering of Schubert’s symphonies, which continues to be confusing and to cause disagreement. The Great C major symphony is indeed Schubert’s 9th symphony, despite various scholars and sources numbering it no. 7 or 8. Some scholars (usually German-speaking) number it as Symphony No. 7. The most recent version of the Deutsch catalog (the standard catalog of Schubert's works, compiled by Otto Erich Deutsch) lists it as No. 8, while most English-speaking scholars list it as No. 9. Generally speaking, when you search for recordings of Schubert’s symphonies, the standard is to use no. 8 for the Unfinished symphony and to use no. 9 for his final Great symphony. If you include the word “great” in the description, you will arrive at the correct symphony.
By the final decade of his life, Schubert was most well-known for his vocal compositions, and he is correctly revered for those works. In fact, even his brilliant chamber works were hardly known at the time despite their genius, such was his reputation for vocal writing. Schubert’s older brother Ferdinand kept the manuscript of The Great C major to himself. The composer never heard it performed during his lifetime. Finally friend and fellow composer Robert Schumann saw it in 1838, and took it to Leipzig. The symphony was finally performed March 21, 1839 in Leipzig with composer and conductor Felix Mendelssohn leading the orchestra.
When Schumann showed the score to orchestras in Vienna and Paris, they simply refused to play it due to its length and difficulty. Allegedly musicians in London laughed at the score when Mendelssohn tried to rehearse it with them. The symphony has a lot of repetition to it, and the string players in particular objected to playing the same phrases over and over (despite the fact that several of Beethoven’s symphonies have similar repetition). If all the repeats are taken, the symphony lasts for over an hour. Schumann, the most fervent advocate for The Great C major, coined the term “heavenly length” to describe the symphony. However, musicians were far less enthusiastic.
There are four movements, following standard symphonic form:
Andante – Allegro ma non-troppo – Più moto, in C major
Andante con moto, in A minor
Scherzo. Allegro vivace, in C major; Trio, in A major
Finale. Allegro vivace, in C major
The first movement begins with an extensive introduction with its own small exposition, development and recapitulation. The opening theme is used in a modified form as secondary subject matter in the main section of the movement. The rest of the movement is in sonata form with two sections for each theme and several transition themes and extra material. The introductory theme returns in the coda before the final cadences. The main section of the movement is marked “not too fast” presumably due to the powerful rhythmic components that repeat.
The second movement Andante “con moto” keeps moving and is not meant to drag or to sound too sentimental. The key changes from A minor to A major, then back to A minor. The horns in particular are given a moving part.
The third movement Scherzo played “allegro vivace” is full of dance melodies and a repeated theme with development and reprise. There is more than an echo of Beethoven here, indeed one would be forgiven upon first hearing for identifying this as the work of Beethoven.
The finale, “allegro vivace” again, begins in a triplet rhythm that bursts forth excitedly. There are no less than six unique thematic elements in the main themes alone. The development section focuses on the third and sixth thematic elements. There is an extensive use of the theme being repeated on different instruments in accompaniment of two of the thematic elements. Midway through this final movement Schubert pays tribute to Beethoven by quoting from the finale of his Ninth Symphony. Development of the main themes and recapitulation follow tremendously, capped by a sort of extended coda. At over 1200 bars of music, it is indeed “great” in its proportion.
The Great in C major is one of Schubert’s most innovative works, both in terms of his extended development of themes, and in his emphasis on large melodies. While you can certainly hear the influence of Beethoven running through the symphony, perhaps only Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony “Choral” can compare in terms of length, breadth, and overall impact. Schubert’s final symphony would have a big impact on Robert Schumann, and would inspire him to write his own symphonic output.
Franz Schubert’s death came only a few short years after his completion of the symphony at the too young age of 31.
The Recording
My own first requirement for a recording of Schubert’s Symphony no. 9 “Great” is that it must observe all the repeats and thus perform the entire symphony. You will notice George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra in the list below of recommended recordings, but only Szell can get away with not taking any repeats (even though I still don’t like him doing it, the performance is worth it). But further considerations include clear and transparent sound, good enough to hear all the instruments in loud or soft sections, particularly the horns and trumpets. Many otherwise excellent recordings are ruined for me when I cannot hear the trumpet fanfares in the first and last movements, or they are clouded by opaque or imbalanced sound. Finally, tempi must not be too fast or too slow. The rhythms must be allowed to “breathe” and play out, but if the speeds are too slow, it can become the most tedious listening experience ever.
To the recording at hand, we have the 95 year-old (!) maestro Herbert Blomstedt leading the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig in what is unbelievably Blomstedt’s first recording ever for the yellow Deutsche Grammophon label. The Great C major recording was timed to coincide with Blomstedt’s 95th birthday, and he is likely the oldest conductor still active today. In this case, how fortunate we are indeed to have Blomstedt at the helm of what is one of the greatest recordings of all-time in my humble opinion.
Herbert Blomstedt was born in Springfield, Massachusetts but his Swedish parents decided to move back to Sweden when he was two years of age. He won the Koussevitzky Conducting Prize in 1953 and the Salzburg Conducting Competition in 1955. He studied under Igor Makevitch and Leonard Bernstein. He has conducted all over the world and has held conducting posts in Sweden, Denmark, San Francisco, Dresden, Tokyo, and Leipzig. A Seventh-day Adventist, Blomstedt does not rehearse on Friday nights or Saturdays, the Sabbath in Seventh-day Adventism. He does, however, conduct concerts, since he considers actual performances to be an expression of his religious devotion rather than work.
Blomstedt knows this music very well, having recorded the Great C major twice before, first with the Staatskapelle Dresden in the early 1980s and then again with the San Francisco Symphony for Decca in 1994. While those are solid performances, they are trumped on all counts by the new Leipzig recording. What makes this recording stand out is:
Blomstedt and the Leipzigers take all the repeats. In the booklet Blomstedt comments that the repeats are not ad libitum in the score, but rather “are an integral part of the structure.” He goes on to say, “the great challenge for its interpreters lies in revealing the wealth of this music, and ensuring that, as Schumann called it, the ‘heavenly length’ all fits together to form an organic whole. We don’t want listeners to grow bored and say: ‘Oh no, here we go again.’ No, it must sound like a blessing: ‘Ah, once again!’”
The Leipzig orchestra sounds fantastic, and the performance is lithe and athletic, never lags but keeps forward momentum, but does not go too fast. As good as Blomstedt’s other recordings are, here the playing and energy are at an entirely higher level. The sound is burnished and supple, lively and transparent. There is an overall light touch, but also the dramatic intensity needed at climaxes. Details are easily heard, some that have never been apparent before in recordings.
The music moves forward in an evitable fashion, never taking anything for granted, but also not becoming heavy and bloated as can often happen with this symphony. There is a directness of purpose that is delightful, and the love and affection Blomstedt and these musicians have for the music comes through fully. There is bounce and joy in their playing. Every nuance of the score is caught wonderfully.
The brass fanfares and climaxes are forward enough in the sound to be easily heard and integrated, but not so forward as to be blaring. The balance in this recording is well-nigh perfect in my view. Strings are atmospheric and detailed, woodwinds cut through distinctively.
The performance of the Unfinished is every bit as distinguished, and certainly one of the best in the catalog. In Blomstedt’s hands the Unfinished has grace and tranquility, but also the angst and storminess when needed.
As I mentioned, there are other lauded recordings of The Great C major symphony, and I have listed some below that I particularly enjoy.
Other recommended recordings
The aforementioned George Szell leads the Cleveland Orchestra on CBS (now Sony Classical), in a great sounding recording from 1957. Clocking in at just over 46 minutes, this is one of the fleetest versions of the Great you will hear. But Szell, ever the disciplinarian and taskmaster, keeps tight control over his forces in an exhilarating reading which unfortunately doesn’t take all the repeats. Nevertheless, Szell shows exactly why he was one of the greatest conductors ever.
Sir Roger Norrington conducting the London Classical Players in his first recording of the Great symphony on EMI, which was just recently reissued on the Erato label. Recorded at Abbey Road in London, and first released in 1990, this period-instrument performance was quite revelatory at the time. Faster speeds in the outer movements and transparent textures lead to a very exciting recording, one of my favorites. While perhaps not as genial as some, it certainly gets the pulse racing even with all the repeats taken.
Sir Georg Solti, master of structure and bombast, leads one of the very best Great recordings with the Vienna Philharmonic on Decca records. Recorded in 1981 in the warm acoustic of the Sofiensaal in Vienna (the Sofiensaal burned down in 2001, but was rebuilt and opened again in 2013). This is a big-boned performance with plenty of punch, and Solti brings to Schubert the same wonderful instincts he brought to Haydn and Mozart. One of the best early digital recordings from Decca.
From a somewhat surprising source, Otmar Suitner leads the Staatskapelle Berlin in an excellent recording from the 1980s on the Denon label. This is an energetic recording, not unlike Blomstedt, capturing all the joy the Great symphony can bring. Fresh and bright, and benefiting greatly from Denon’s state of the art recording at the time, this is definitely one to hear.
Conductor Sir Charles Mackerras loved Schubert’s Great, recording it several times using both period and modern instruments. But his live recording with the Philharmonia Orchestra recorded by Signum records in 2008 from Queen Elizabeth Hall in London is the best by far. In good sound, you can sense the occasion of a live recording, and the orchestra is engaged and plays wonderfully for him. Similar to Blomstedt, Mackerras chooses speeds wisely, neither too fast nor too slow. I really enjoy this recording.
British conductor Jonathan Nott leads an outstanding performance by the Bamberg Symphony in a recording from September 2006 on the Tudor label. Nott keeps textures relatively lean and transparent, but also brings forth the beautiful climaxes in this symphony. The recorded balance is well done, and while perhaps not as elegantly presented as Blomstedt, it is still one of the best.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducts a vibrant and energetic Great with all the repeats, leading the Concertgebouworkest from Amsterdam in a 1991 recording on the Teldec label (now Warner). Harnoncourt has the complete measure of this work, bringing speeds in line with the best versions while also keeping textures light and clean. The recorded sound from the Concertgebouw is a bit too resonant for my taste, obscuring some detail. But Harnoncourt definitely shows why he was one of the most exciting conductors of his day.
Charles Munch conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra on RCA Victor in a recording from 1958. Munch is one of the most underrated conductors of his generation, and this recording captures a white-hot performance. If anything, Munch pushes forward too aggressively in a few spots, but I still love it. The sound is very forward and up front typical of the Living Stereo sound of the time. Munch does not take some of the repeats, to my chagrin.
Josef Krips leads the London Symphony Orchestra on Decca, a recording made in 1958 in Kingsway Hall, London. A legendary recording of its time, it still holds up remarkably well and contains some beautiful string and brass playing. Krips knows how to build the tension very well. Occasionally the brass are occluded by the strings, but this is still a vital and essential recording if you love Schubert.
Another worthy period instrument entry is that by Jos van Immerseel and Anima Eterna Brugge, released in 2013 by Zig-Zag Territoires. With some unique phrasing and fleeter speeds than normal, and boasting clear and atmospheric sound, this is one you should hear. Trumpets and horns are caught thrillingly, and Immerseel proves the Great can be played at faster tempos and still retain its rhythmic essence. At times the timpani blast the brass out of the water, but it is not boring. While perhaps not a recording for your only version of the Great, it is a hugely enjoyable version which provides a different voice.
There are other fine versions, including Bernstein’s first recording with the New York Philharmonic, and of course the great Furtwangler leading the Berlin Philharmonic (which I have never quite warmed up to, and with dated sound). Mengelberg and Toscanini also recorded the Great successfully, but are also difficult to listen to at times due to the sound limitations. But the list above will certainly keep you busy if you want to listen to Schubert’s greatest symphony.
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Notes:
Brennan, Gerald. Dettmer, Roger. Schrott, Allen. Woodstra, Chris. All Music Guide to Classical Music, The Definitive Guide. All Media Guide. Pg. 1206. Backbeat Books, San Francisco. 2005.
Deutsch, Otto Erich; et al. (1978). Franz Schubert, thematisches Verzeichnis seiner Werke in chronologischer Folge. Bärenreiter. ISBN 978-3-7618-0571-8.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/tomserviceblog/2014/jun/17/symphony-guide-schubert-ninth-the-great-tom-service.
McConnell, David. https://theclassicreview.com/album-reviews/review-schubert-symphonies-nos-8-9-blomstedt-gewandhausorchester. July 22, 2022.
Brian Newbould, Schubert and the Symphony, p. 212.
Quinn, John. https://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2022/Sep/schubert-symph-8-&-9-blomstedt-DG.
Service, Tom (2014). "Symphony guide: Schubert's Ninth ('the Great')". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
Steinbrink, Mark (9 March 1986). "San Francisco's New Conductor – A Man of Firm Beliefs". New York Times. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Blomstedt