On December 30th, 2009, The New York Philharmonic, with Alan Gilbert conducting, gave one of the greatest performances of Schumann’s Second Symphony you will ever hear. Why? Not only was it executed with a beautiful, polished sound by all the sections in the orchestra, but the interpretation was extremely honest to the extent that every musical gesture was in tune with the composer and his score. Exaggeration and showmanship are words associated with past conductors at the Philharmonic, and if anything, we heard the opposite: some of Schumann’s tempo changes were conducted so seamlessly–with such subtlety–that they almost went unnoticed. The first movement was jovial but intense; the Scherzo was played with a controlled jauntiness; the Adagio espressivo movement was played with a sincere tenderness, and the finale was simply glorious. The New York Philharmonic and Alan Gilbert make a case that Schumann’s Second Symphony is one of the greatest symphonies of all time. Let’s hope they perform this work often.