Schubert: Symphony No. 8 Unfinished / No. 9 The Great (Essential Classics)
Schubert's two greatest orchestral works on one CD at budget price--if  the performances were indifferent this would be no bargain at all, but they are  superb. In fact, these versions may have been equaled, but they have never been  surpassed. George Szell understood intuitively how to balance Romantic passion  with intellectual discipline. In difficult pieces like the Schubert Ninth, he  rose to the challenge like an Olympic athlete after a new world record. The  recordings he made in his prime with his own Cleveland Orchestra comprise one of  the most satisfying legacies in the history of classical music on disc. Within  even this impressive legacy, these performances stand high.--David  Hurwitz