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Beethoven: Symphony No. 5; Schubert: Symphony No. 8

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - CD

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5; Schubert: Symphony No. 8 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra CD
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  • 1. Symphony No. 5 in C minor ("Fate"), Op. 67, Allegro con brio
  • 2. Symphony No. 5 in C minor ("Fate"), Op. 67, Andante con moto
  • 3. Symphony No. 5 in C minor ("Fate"), Op. 67, Allegro
  • 4. Symphony No. 5 in C minor ("Fate"), Op. 67, Allegro
  • 5. Symphony No. 8 in B minor ("Unfinished"), D. 759, Allegro moderato
  • 6. Symphony No. 8 in B minor ("Unfinished"), D. 759, Andante con moto
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Beethoven: Symphony No. 5; Schubert: Symphony No. 8 by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on CD


The pairing of performances of Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor and Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 8 in B minor, "Unfinished," is a tried and true combination that often appears on CD, so this release from Claire Gibault and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra might slip by unnoticed because of its unremarkable programming. That would be too bad, though, for this is a worthy presentation that does justice to both works: while no one would rank them among the all-time greatest recordings, any reasonable listener would have to admit that Gibault and the orchestra honorably acquit themselves and present these classic symphonies with clarity, taste, and energy. The notable points about this rendition of Beethoven's Fifth is the taking of repeats, the proper observance of the bassoon (instead of the horn substitution) in the recapitulation of the first movement, and the use of fairly crisp articulation, which would seem to make the interpretation lean toward the historically informed performance camp, except for the modern instrumentation and the general lack of breakneck tempos. Gibault is clearly well-informed about the way to authentically play this piece, but is no fussbudget for period niceties or early music expectations, least of all with the mainstream RPO. Schubert's "Unfinished" comes across as a rather straightforward reading, again with repeats, and while Gibault doesn't luxuriate in languid tempos or exaggerate the big moments, her interpretation is genuinely Romantic in feeling and exudes a sweet lyricism that is more effective for her light touch. The reproduction is exceptional in both performances, with only minor instances of unfocused sound in the Beethoven and virtually no audio problems in the Schubert. ~ Blair Sanderson, Rovi
  • Label: Royal Philharmonic
  • Genre: Classical
  • Style: Romantic, Symphony
  • Album Time: 57:24

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  • Beethoven: Symphony No. 5; Schubert: Symphony No. 8 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra CD
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5; Schubert: Symphony No. 8 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra CD