COMPOSERS: Schubert
LABELS: Virgin Veritas
WORKS: Symphony No. 5; Symphony No. 8 (Unfinished); Rosamunde (excerpts)
PERFORMER: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment/Charles Mackerras
CATALOGUE NO: VER 5 61305 2
Strongly musical, period-style performances, with the OAE in pedigree form. Brian Newbould’s version of the Unfinished (also recorded by Marriner on Philips – a more superficial, less weighty account) artfully completes and orchestrates Schubert’s abandoned scherzo, and proposes the B minor Entr’acte from Rosamunde as a possible finale. It all makes good circumstantial sense – even if on this occasion the fantasy of the Entr’acte lacks sufficient direction and climax to be absolutely convincing as a symphonic full-stop. Exemplary engineering. Ates Orga
Schubert: Symphony No. 5; Symphony No. 8 (Unfinished); Rosamunde (excerpts)
Strongly musical, period-style performances, with the OAE in pedigree form. Brian Newbould’s version of the Unfinished (also recorded by Marriner on Philips – a more superficial, less weighty account) artfully completes and orchestrates Schubert’s abandoned scherzo, and proposes the B minor Entr’acte from Rosamunde as a possible finale. It all makes good circumstantial sense – even if on this occasion the fantasy of the Entr’acte lacks sufficient direction and climax to be absolutely convincing as a symphonic full-stop. Exemplary engineering. Ates Orga
Our rating
5
Published: January 20, 2012 at 3:09 pm