NOW AVAILABLE! Beethoven Symphony No. 9 CD Release

The Mendelssohn Choir and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra are proud to announce the release of their new recording of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 on February 12, 2021. The performance was recorded LIVE at Heinz Hall in June 2019, and featured the MCP, as well as singers from the Junior Mendelssohn Choir.  The recording is part of the Pittsburgh Live! series of multi-channel hybrid SACD released on the FRESH! imprint from Reference Recordings.

“Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is a monumental work about the revered human values of freedom, joy and brotherhood, and I believe that Beethoven’s extraordinary musical expression of belief in humanity is something that seems needed right now,” said Manfred Honeck, Music Director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. “I am so proud to bring to life this iconic piece with my beloved Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra musicians and to share it in this special 125th anniversary season. It is a clear statement of what we can do together.”

“This work cannot be done without outstanding voices, so we are delighted to have fantastic partners on this endeavor—our superb Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, and the exceptional Christina Landshamer, Jennifer Johnson Cano, Werner Güra, and Shenyang, whose agile voices radiate empathy and hope,” said Honeck.

Purchase and digital download of Beethoven’s Ninth will be available on all platforms and music retailers on February 12.

Read the PSO’s press release here.

Watch Now: Singers describe their experiences singing Beethoven.

Listen in to the New York Times interview with Maestro Manfred Honeck.

The 2021 release of Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh can be purchased directly from Reference Recordings, Amazon, or your favorite classical music retailer.