Complete Symphonies [Box set]

Very rarely does one come across a complete symphony collection from any composer where the entire set can be said to be definitive without caveat.

I have heard Abbado, Harnoncourt, Muti in full sets and many, many individual performances from Beecham to the original instrument brigade and this release trumps them all. If you love Schubert, do not hesitate. You will hear counterpoint, individual parts and other details you have not heard before. The transparency is astonishing.And the phrasing and rhythm are mind-blowing.

The early classical symphonies are taken at a pretty good clip, but without slurring and exhibiting playing of incredible skill. I particularly enjoyed #2, apparently devilishly difficult to play, and always a favorite of mine. Not until the "Unfinished" does Minkowski slow it down. In fact the first movement is slower than average, and much slower than Carlos Kleiber, a previous top contender. But what a performance! The Great C Major also starts at a more deliberate pace than some, but picks up as it goes along. There are a lot of great versions of this last symphony, but this is now at the top of my list.

I would recommend listening to this set from the beginning to fully appreciate the journey that Schubert took. If you're like me, you'll have a tough time taking a break!

I had not heard of this orchestra or conductor before, but I'll be looking into more of their work.

The recording is immaculate - nothing is hidden in these scores.The contrapuntal details from all the string sections and individual woodwinds are laid bare.

I'm not going to dissect each symphony - they are all wonderful. If you want to sample the tracks, go to AllMusic.com and input Schubert Symphonies Minkowski. You'll get 30secs. or so of each movement. If you're not motivated to go to Amazon and buy this set for $30 or so after listening, you don't like Schubert!

My new release find of the year!

For me, there's no shortage of magnificent Schubert symphonic cycles in period instrument renditions: Those conducted by Immerseel, Goodman and Bruggen come immediately to mind. Now I have another top choice in this category, bringing the total to four different sets all trying to share the pedestal. Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre Grenoble have recorded fine versions of Mozart's Symphonies Nos. 40 and 41 as well as Haydn's London Symphonies -- with a couple of seriously flawed moments in the latter -- and here they do about as fine a job with the Schubert symphonies as I can imagine, admitting that I can accept more than one viewpoint on these works. In the early symphonies, Nos. 1-6, Minkowski and his forces seem to me to adopt a attitude that is more Classical than Romantic, but there's a powerful Beethoven-like spine that stiffens each of them accordingly. Hefty and strong, these performances nonetheless never bog down and maintain a sinewy litheness. The two mature works -- the Nos. 8 and 9 -- are still dressed more in Classical style, but with Romantic accessorizing, perhaps. Both have power but are never allowed to bloat to monumental size. The second movement of the Unfinished has some bite in its louder sections, indeed. "Bite" is also a word I'd apply to the rendition of the No. 9 -- this one really reaches out to you, rather than sitting there wanting to be contemplated. This is a great Schubert cycle from start to finish and who knows, maybe someday it will finally outlast those other three to become my number one. It's certainly in the running.