This latest recording in Tudor's excellent and highly rated Schubert symphony series proves to be a magnificent winner, quite on a par with the more authoritative versions of this work. Nott is an unassuming conductor but he manages to coax playing of great beauty out of the Bamberg Symphony who are virtually improving with every outing and the whole Schubert cycle on Tudor now makes for essential purchasing.
The first two movements contain music of much soul-searching beauty and inner feeling with the third movement played with that right edge of abandon that brings character and freshness to proceedings. The Finale is also quite beautifully shaped with the climax almost making one's hairs stand on their end.
Tudor's recording is exquisite and in the multi-channel SACD format, it sounds even better. Compared to past greats such as Walter, Bohm, Brüggen and Abbado, Nott keeps distinguished company without bowing his head and for this and the performance, this new CD is wholeheartedly recommended.
Copyright © 2007, Gerald Fenech