Alfred Schnittke's ninth and final symphony is given its world premiere on this recording. Due to a stroke, Schnittke struggled to finish the work before his death, which was then taken up by Russian composer Alexander Raskatov, who completed it using Schnittke's notes. The bold ECM recording, which features the Hillard Ensemble and renowned composer/conductor Dennis Russell Davies, will prove interesting to anyone interested in contemporary classical, and is a must for Schnittke fans. A performance of"Nunc Dimittis," a piece by Raskatov, is also featured. The CD comes with a booklet of essays and interviews. \n