Schubert - Symphony 9 'The Great' [Marriner-Academy Of Saint Martin In The Fields]
Schubert's ninth is a massive Symphony, great in stature, and great in length too, but composed on a grand scale and a large canvas is what makes it great, composed near the end of his short life, finally Schubert gets to put the ghost of Beethoven to rest, always feeling inadequate in his shadow, here he composes a Symphony worthy of Beethoven, even to the degree that in certain circles this symphony was dubbed 'Beethoven's Tenth'.
Recorded in 1984 when Marriner was 60, it's a noble reading, Marriner seems to like emphasising the staccato elements of the dance in this work, four movements of roughly 15 minutes each, a whole hour of orchestral bliss.
I was especially impressed with the final movement, it has an incessant impulse behind it, the horns bray nicely in the background, the whole movement has this irresistible headlong thrust and drive to it, a fitting culmination to Schubert's symphonic oeuvre.
Here's Harnoncourt conducting the Symphony on YouTube.
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