In Thursday’s (5/23) Telegraph (London), Matt Warman writes, “Beethoven’s 9th Symphony is an undisputed masterpiece, recorded so many times that any would-be purchaser can quite reasonably be baffled when trying to locate the ‘best’ version. And it’s long been a problem that both enthusiasts and beginners struggle to work out what the differences are and what makes the work itself so special. Controversial on its release, the Ninth rewards study, and those different versions each reveal its many nuances. Thanks to Deutsche Gramophon, however, a new app not only provides excellent running commentary as the symphony plays, but also lets you compare four different versions, skipping from one to the other without missing a beat in an intuitive interface. The effect is to open up the music, revealing that interpretation makes a difference that is both subtle in the moment and profound over the course of the symphony. Built by Touch Press, the app builds on their previous, excellent Orchestra app, and makes it easy to see which section is playing at any moment. … Available for iPhone and iPad, the latter version also offers the 1825 manuscript synced to the music and with Beethoven’s own annotations.”
Posted May 24, 2013
