How nice it is to see these performances back in the catalog! Jochum takes Schubert’s Fifth quite seriously, which is not to say heavily, making it sound like Schubert as much as it does Haydn and Mozart. The slow movement positively glows with gracious lyricism, and the mono sonics don’t get in the way at all. This Ninth also is pretty terrific. Perhaps the tone of the Bavarian Radio horn section in the 1950s isn’t what we expect nowadays for the opening of this symphony, but in all other respects the orchestra plays with total commitment. Jochum’s interpretation is wonderful from first note to last. Call me anachronistic, but I love the big accelerando into the first-movement allegro. The slow tempo for the Andante con moto shows just how it should be done at this speed: comparison with the recent Simon Rattle/Berlin recording (EMI) tellingly reveals the difference between a real pro and an amateur in this music. Both the scherzo and the finale fly like the wind (save for a very relaxed central trio in the former), and the early stereo sound is true to the players and the work. A fine reissue in all respects.
