Brilliant
J. Buxton | Waltham, MA United States | 02/03/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you are a fan of this symphony as I am you cannot be without this version. I was aware of Blomstedt's tenure with the San Francisco Symphony, but in his younger days he made this Dresden Beethoven cycle. The ninth is a very fine performance. Berlin Classics uses an unusual engineering technology to make this older recording sound fresh. It certainly brings out the details in an excellent way. I enjoyed the fast but not rushed tempi and the singing of Theo Adam and Peter Schreier in particular is outstanding. The Staatskapelle Dresden produces marvellous sound and the final movement containing the "Ode to Joy" lives up to its hype This is one of a dozen or so very good recordings available of this symphony today."