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“…there is simply nothing else like this on the market at the moment. It's intellectual musical entertainment of the highest quality.” Sinfini

Deutsche Grammophon (DG) and Touch Press - the company behind the acclaimed iPad apps The Orchestra and The Elements, have joined forces for Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, an app which reinvents this iconic work for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

After its first weekend Beethoven’s 9th Symphony app is at No. 1 in the classical App charts in six countries (including USA, Canada and Germany), and in the top three in a further ten. It is rapidly rising up the UK chart, where it shot straight to No. 6 on its first day.

The Beethoven’s 9th Symphony App features four of DG’s greatest recordings of complete performances of this iconic work – by Leonard Bernstein, John Eliot Gardiner, Ferenc Fricsay and Herbert von Karajan. It has the ground-breaking ability to switch instantly between each performance without missing a beat.

As users listen to any of the performances, they can follow the synchronised score, read expert commentary, follow Beethoven’s 1825 manuscript or immerse themselves in the mesmeric graphical BeatMap highlighting every note.

The app includes two hours of specially-filmed exclusive interviews with conductors, musicians and writers, including Gustavo Dudamel, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Suzy Klein, Paul Morley, Simon Halsey, Alice Sara Ott among others, all offering fascinating perspectives and personal takes on the music and what it means to them.

Mark Wilkinson, President Deutsche Grammophon, said:
"Deutsche Grammophon is thrilled to be partnering with Touch Press on this exciting new App. Over the course of its 115 year history, the label has been at the vanguard of new technological innovations in music. With Touch Press at our side, we look forward to pushing the boundaries further, and bringing the joy and passion of music discovery to a new and wide audience."

Max Whitby, Founder and CEO Touch Press, said:
"It is a privilege working closely with Deutsche Grammophon to bring their legendary recordings of the Ninth Symphony to the iPad and iPhone.  Together we are aiming to set a new standard for publishing classical music in interactive digital format."

Features include:

• Legendary DG performances of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony by Leonard Bernstein (Vienna Philharmonic, 1979); John Eliot Gardiner (Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, 1992); Ferenc Fricsay (Berliner Philharmoniker, 1958) and Herbert von Karajan (Belriner Philharmoniker, 1962)
• Switch instantly between recordings on-the-fly
• Four versions of the score, synchronised to all of the recordings, including a full digital orchestral score, a curated version of the orchestral score showing a changing selection of up to 6 instruments; a simplified graphical score for those who can’t read music and the 1825 copyist’s manuscript, archived at the British Library
• Specially commissioned text by David Owen Norris: including synchronised commentary, in-depth analysis and introduction
• Extended video interviews with a dozen experts, including Leonard Bernstein, Gustavo Dudamel, John Eliot Gardiner, Simon Halsey and Sven Helbig (composer), Albrecht Meyer (oboist), Alice Sara Ott (pianist), players of the Berliner Philharmoniker, Suzy Klein (journalist and broadcaster) and Paul Morley (rock music journalist)

The Beethoven’s 9th Symphony App is available from the App Store on iPad, iPhone or iPod touch, or at www.AppStore.com

Users get two minutes of symphony for free and can unlock the full experience through In-App Purchase (£9.99 for iPad, £5.49 for iPhone and iPod touch).

www.touchpress.com/titles/beethovens9thsymphony/

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