BBC Music Magazine
November 2024
Orchestral Choice

Paavo Järvi
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich

FFollowing their recordings of Bruckner's Symphonies Nos. 7 (ALPHA932, Diapason d'Or) and 8 (ALPHA987, awarded 'best symphonic recording of the year' at the International Classical Music Awards), Paavo Jarvi and the Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich here conclude their tribute to the Austrian composer in this bicentenary year with a recording of his 9th symphony. The orchestra's history has been closely linked to Bruckner since it gave the first Swiss performance of one of his symphonies under Richard Strauss in 1903. "The great classical and romantic tradition of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich make it ideally suited to Bruckner, the central composer for modern symphony orchestras," says Paavo Jarvi. Bruckner composed this musical farewell (he wrote the words "a farewell to life" in the score) in his final years; legend has it that he was still working on the symphony on the day he died.

"Järvi’s Ninth seems to penetrate new realms of consciousness in a reading as intellectually searing and musically uncompromising as any I’ve heard, Karajan, Wand and Giulini included… A sober, self-abasing, yet toweringly magnificent performance." - BBC Music Magazine, November 2024