I can't stand Schubert's 9th "The Great".  It goes on and on and the
jolly tunes are irritating, failing to organically change or grow over
the symphony's tortuous length.  Not even Furtwangler/BPO can save this
symphony for me.

I agree with Bob Stumpf that a fine performance can wake your ears to
a work.  For me Kurt Sanderling/Staatskapelle Dreden made me appreciate
Brahms 3 & 4 which I thought I could never enjoy.  Furtwangler VPO/1944
live bought Brahms 2 to life for me.  I thought Schubert's Improptus
suffered from a tentency to be unable to end definitely after hearing
the DG Pires recording.  Then I listened to Edwin Fischer's organic,
flowing recording and I recognised why people see these works as
masterpieces.

Kind regards,

David Harbin
Nottingham, UK