Title: Lyrical
Review: I have three recordings of the Ninth from Cleveland, Szell's, Maazel's, and the current one. All of them are rewarding, although Dohnanyi's might be marginally the weakest of the three. The main focus of his interpretation is lyricism. This is not a dramatic or earthshaking Ninth. Rather, it is highly consoling, almost an epicurean Ninth. The sound of the orchestra is breathtakingly beautiful. General opinion is that Szell was the greatest conductor of the Cleveland, but I feel that the orchestra played even more beautifully for Dohnanyi. The vocal soloists are good and the chorus performs with fine ensemble. There is nothing idiosyncratic about this reading. Part of the undramatic effect may be due to the sound engineering. It is well balanced but rather distant, heightening the blend and euphoniousness of the orchestra. I am sure I will return to this Ninth with pleasure, but I suspect Gunter Wand will be in circulation on my CD player to offer a more heaven storming reading.
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