Beethoven: Symphonie No. 9 – Seiji Ozawa

   in Classical Music (Mar, 2019)
This is, very deliberately, a chamber orchestra performance from the hand-picked Mito ensemble, which means fine detailing but also means that those expecting a weighty Ninth will be disappointed. In concert, the first two movements were actually conducted by horn player and Ozawa conducting protégé Radek Braborak; Ozawa recorded them here under studio conditions.

It is traditional in Japan to perform the Ninth in the run-up to the New Year. While the first movement is well-shaped, it is not intensely dynamic and the Scherzo is lacklustre; the Adagio is tender, however, strings silky, wind gentle, and the Finale similarly boasts much beauty. Eiche is a superb baritone, and the chamber choir …
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