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