Takashi Asahina & New Japan Philharmonic - Schubert Symphony No.8 "Unfinished" & No.9 "The Great" - Japan 2 SACD Hybrid Limited Edition

Credits:

Takashi Asahina & New Japan Philharmonic

Description:

<25th Anniversary of Takashi Asahina’s Passing> The final Schubert recording left behind by the master, Takashi Asahina. For the first time in 25 years, this recording—previously available only on DVD—is released on CD and SACD! Includes new liner notes by Yuichi Iwano. Remastered specifically for this reissue by Tomoyoshi Ezaki. Limited to 600 sets, each with a serial number Recorded live at Suntory Hall on July 18, 1999. This recording documents Asahina and the Osaka Philharmonic’s Tokyo performance; after 25 years of being available only on DVD, it is now released for the first time on CD and SACD. In the “Unfinished Symphony,” his deep affection for the piece creates rich fluctuations between stillness and movement, delivering a profound impression akin to a dramatic narrative. "The Great" features all the repeats, resulting in a performance exceeding 60 minutes. Yet, his conducting possesses the youthful vigor and dynamism of a man in his prime, drawing the listener in with astonishing intensity from start to finish. Featuring new liner notes by Yuichi Iwano, a green label design, and new mastering by Tomoyoshi Ezaki in 2026, please enjoy this legendary performance, revived after nearly a quarter-century. This recording was originally released exclusively on DVD on September 20, 2001, just before the passing of Takashi Asahina (July 9, 1908 – December 29, 2001), and this marks the first time it has been released as a standalone audio recording—a truly precious live performance. The DVD was originally released by Octavia Records using footage recorded by Fuji Television. Since Asahina passed away shortly after its release, many people likely acquired a copy at the time. This concert was held at Suntory Hall as the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra’s 38th Tokyo Subscription Concert, featuring the “Unfinished” Symphony in the first half and the “Great” Symphony in the second half. Although Asahina had not performed Schubert for a long period from the 1980s through the late 1990s, he reportedly began presenting concerts in this exact order again (according to Mr. Iwano’s notes in the booklet). Compared to his earlier performances, this more profound and dynamic rendition is recognized as one of the most highly regarded works among Asahina’s many signature pieces. Here, too, Asahina performs all the repeats in “The Great,” and the nearly 64-minute performance is both deeply satisfying and truly spectacular. Including the “Unfinished” Symphony, which runs over 29 minutes, this stands out as a masterpiece even among his performances from his very final years. Until now, since it had only been released as a video, there had been many requests for a standalone audio release, but this had not been realized. Now, marking the 25th anniversary of both his passing and the original release, this precious recording and its rich performance are being released as an audio-only title for the first time. While the audio quality on the DVD was inevitably limited, please look forward to the newly restored, high-fidelity audio sourced directly from the master. For this reissue, we have performed a new mastering directly from the original master tape. Supervised by Mr. Hirai of Octavia Records—who has handled numerous Asahina productions since the Canyon Classics era—and mastered by Mr. Ezaki, who has worked on this project since the DVD release and in past editions, this latest reissue preserves the atmosphere of the original while utilizing the latest equipment and technology to achieve high-quality sound and mastering. This is truly an authentic reissue produced by the most suitable team. Additionally, the accompanying booklet features a new introductory essay by Yuichi Iwano, in addition to the original preface.