Riccardo Muti conducts Schubert
This recorded concert is one of the so-called ‘Europa Concerts’ of the Berlin Philharmonic for which they visit several European cities to present their concerts. This concert was filmed beautifully at the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, Italy.
In this concert Muti begins with a passionate reading of the La Forza del Destino Overture by Verdi, followed by the rarely – performed ‘La Canzone Dei Ricordi’ (‘The Song of Memory’) by Italian composer Giuseppe Martucci (1856-1909). This composition is a collection of seven poignant songs about lost or faded love. It is richly orchestrated, and these songs are a particular favorite of Muti’s and he has recorded it before with the great singer, Mirella Freni. In this DVD, Violeta Urmana is the soprano; The Berlin Philharmonic’s string section presents a warm depth to Martucci’s rich orchestral writing, and a very balanced accompaniment.
Undoubtedly the main attraction of this DVD is Franz Schubert’s No. 9, known as the ‘Great C Major’ Symphony. While this is a score that the Berlin Philharmonic has likely played hundreds of times, Muti brings wonderful musical feeling to this music. His great emotional energy, precise timing, and total dedication to the composer’s score make this a special reading of this great work.
This DVD was just released on October 27th, 2009. The orchestra’s playing under Muti’s leadership results in a wonderfully expressive interpretation with a warm sound that is a complete delight in experiencing Schubert’s masterpiece.
Check here for an extract from this recording:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-ERSwjQ–A&feature=PlayList&p=C644E2A8E00B59D5&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=15