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This historic live album marks the 100th anniversary of conductor Robert Shaw's birthday. Only broadcast on the radio and never issued on disc, the treasured recording from a single concert presented in May 1988 finally corrects a major gap in Shaw's legacy. Featuring the Grammy-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus with soprano Benita Valente, mezzo-soprano Janice Taylor, tenor Richard Leech and baritone William Stone, the performance would turn out to be Shaw's final appearance in Atlanta as music director of the ASO. With this release, fans of both the composer and the conductor can now enjoy one of the world's most beautiful and acclaimed works. "Every corner of this recording bears the unique artistic stamp of Robert Shaw's genius. It is his mature interpretation of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, the pinnacle of the choral orchestral repertoire, performed by the orchestra he shaped, the chorus he formed and a superb cast of vocal soloists. The electricity in the room was palpable: the audience responded with an enthusiastic ovation of nearly nine minutes. We believe audiences everywhere will relish the opportunity to be part of this extraordinary artistic moment and to experience Shaw's voice anew, for the first time in nearly 30 years." - Jennifer Barlament, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Executive Director