Symphony

On this album Roger Norrington leads the Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR in a profound performance of Franz Schubert's Ninth Symphony, the "Great" C Major. The programme also includes the overture to Schubert's melodrama Die Zauberharfe. Schubert's Symphony No. 9 is the last Symphony completed by the composer. It's nickname of the "Great" C Major is intended to distinguish it from his Sixth Symphony, the Little C major. Usually, the subtitle is taken as a reference to the symphony's majesty. Unusually long for a symphony of Schubert's time, a typical performance lasts around 55 minutes. While early ensembles often wouldn't perform the work due to it's length and virtuosic requirements, on this release Norrington and his Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR rise to the occasion in brilliant fashion. The present album is part of a new re-release series (Century Classics) consisting of SWR music bestsellers. The series is competitively priced, optically highly attractive and contains acclaimed SWR recordings of the SWR orchestras and their chief conductors.