Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8

Chronique

Philippe Jordan and the Vienna Symphony performed Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 8 in B minor, "Unfinished," and the Symphony No. 9 in C major, "The Great," in two concerts at the Vienna Musikverein, and released the recordings in 2015 on the orchestra's own label. The performances are solid mainstream interpretations with some influence of period practice, insofar as repeats are taken, tempos are brisk, and the orchestra's sound is lean and bright, even with the use of modern instruments. This is increasingly the way Schubert is played by major symphony orchestras, so the Vienna Symphony really can't be faulted for not taking the plunge into historically informed practices, fully equipped with original instruments. However, the reproduction of both performances is curiously mixed, with a tinny quality in the upper registers of both strings and woodwinds, and the music at times seems filtered at the mixing board, rather than given full, natural tone and presence. If all that's needed is state-of-the-art audiophile technology, then it behooves the Vienna Symphony to upgrade to multichannel recording and the hybrid SACD format to give a better presentation of its sound and to win new fans, because the orchestra's committed playing certainly warrants it.

© TiVo