This powerful new recording from Michael Tilson-Thomas and the Grammy Award winning San Francisco Symphony and Chorus pairs Beethoven's colossal Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II with his playful, upbeat Symphony No. 2. Rarely performed or recorded, Beethoven's gripping and profoundly moving funeral cantata proved a revelation during the Symphony's May 2013 Beethoven Project concert series. The recording features a glorious solo quartet - soprano Sally Matthews, mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford, tenor Barry Banks and bass-baritone Andrew Foster-Williams. Presented as a premium quality hybrid multi-channel SACD, this album is the latest addition to the San Francisco Symphony's ongoing series of Beethoven recordings.