An unprecedented and exciting new release on ABC Classics, The Australian World Orchestra brings to life Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 'Choral' with unique passion, vivacity and skill.

Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is the work for big occasion concerts, so what better piece to launch the Australian World Orchestra's recording career? The AWO is one of the most exciting orchestra initiatives in this country: bringing together the cream of Australia's most successful classical musicians from around the world, to form one of the country's most electrifying orchestras.

Of all the great composers, Beethoven is the one whose greatness is most unchallenged, and he is certainly the best known, not just by dedicated music lovers, but by the public at large. The Ninth is Beethoven's last symphony, with all the implications of 'summit of his achievement', 'last testament' and so on. It's his longest symphony – almost a concert in itself. And it's his biggest symphony too, not just in the number of performers it requires, but, many would say, in the scale of its utterance.

This thrilling concert, captured live on CD, represents a landmark in Australia's cultural development and a sign of even greater things to come.