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