Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3; Symphony No. 5

1. Leonore Overture No. 3 in C major, Op. 72b
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra Conducted by Otto Klemperer

2. Symphony No. 5 in C minor ("Fate") Op. 67
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra Conducted by Otto Klemperer

Tracks:

I: Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio
II: Andante Cantabile Con Moto
III: Menuetto & Trio: Allegro Molto E Vivace
IV: Adagio - Allegro Molto E Vivace
I: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
II: Andante Molto Mosso
III: Allegro - In Tempo D'allegro - Tempo I
IV: Allegro
V: Allegretto

Tracks:

I: Allegro Con Brio
II: Marcia Funebre: Adagio Assai
III: Scherzo & Trio: Allegro Vivace
IV: Finale: Allegro Molto - Poco Andante - Presto
Gross Fuge

Tracks:

I: Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio
II: Larghetto
III: Scherzo & Trio: Allegro
IV: Allegro Molto
I: Allegro Con Brio
II: Andante Con Moto - Piu Mosso - Tempo I
III: Allegro -
IV: Allegro - Presto

Tracks:

I: Adagio - Allegro Vivace
II: Adagio
III: Menuetto: Allegro Vivace - Trio: Un Poco Meno Allegro
IV: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
I: Poco Sostenuto - Vivace
II: Allegretto
III: Presto - Assai Meno Presto
IV: Allegro Con Brio

Tracks:

I: Allegro Vivace Con Brio
II: Allegretto Scherzando
III: Tempo Di Menuetto
IV: Allegro Vivace
Overture
Overture
Overture
Overture

Tracks:

I: Allegro Non Troppo, Un Poco Maestoso - Christa Ludwig
II: Molto Vivace - Presto - Christa Ludwig
III: Adagio Molto E Cantabile - Andante Moderato - Christa Ludwig
IV: Presto - Recitativo - Allegro Assai - Alla Marcia - Christa Ludwig
Overture - Christa Ludwig

Tracks:

I: Allegro Con Brio
II: Largo
III: Rondo: Allegro Scherzando
I: Allegro Con Brio
II: Adagio
III: Rondo: Molto Allegro

Tracks:

I: Allegro Con Brio
II: Largo
III: Rondo: Allegro
I: Allegro Moderato
II: Andante Con Moto
III: Rondo: Vivace

Tracks:

Fantasia For Piano, Chorus And Orchestra
I: Allegro
II: Adagio Un Poco Mosso -
III: Rondo: Allegro

Amazon.com essential recording

Otto Klemperer's Beethoven is one of the towering achievements in the history of recordings. By today's standards, these performances are hopelessly old-fashioned: dark, heavy, and frequently very slow. But they are also the grandest, most unsentimental, most purposeful versions in the catalog. In addition, the relatively slow tempos (only in the fast movements--the slow ones are pretty swift) and forward wind balance permit more detail to be heard than in most original-instrument performances. At budget price and with the entire piano concerto cycle thrown in for good measure, this is greatness incarnate. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Great Performance.......2007-07-07

There are many different ways to perform Beethoven and each one is valid.
If you like it fast - go to Toscanini or Norrington. If you prefer slow, powerful and majestic, this is your set. Towards the end of his distinguished career, the great Otto Klemperer set down his final views of the performance of these symphonnies. The set is a coherent whole and will give great pleasure for ever. The challenging mix of the young Barenboim and the aged Klemperer worked surprisingly well and thus the concertos may also be recommended. There are odd additional items which add to the pleasure. Finally do not forget to purchase his memorable set of 'Fidelio' to complete your traversal of a great conductor giving great performances of a composer that he loved. Finally the price is ridiculously low and provides quality and quantity at a great price. Thus you should be able to buy the opera set from the savings made!

Great Analog Beethoven Cycle.......2007-05-07

This Klemperer cycle is just one of a dozen or so GREAT analog Beethoven symphony cycles that were recorded during Analog's golden age starting about 1958. These cycles are easily a match for digital and they should still be around for another 1,000 years, if the Lord tarries. These sets include: Karajan (twice, early 60s and late 70s) Bohm, Krips, Jochum, Bruno Walter, Leinsdorf, Rene Leibowitz, Szell, Ormandy, Bernstein, Steinberg, and Solti. This morning I listened to the Klemperer recordings of Beethoven's symphonies 5, 6, & 7. Very enjoyable, I got my Beethoven RDA fix.

Of all these Analog sets, I most enjoy the Leibowitz Spring 1961 cycle with the Royal Philharmonic. I have this cycle on an audiophile early 90s European import Edition Phoenix label special pressing "on extra virgin vinyl." These are by far the best analog symphonic lps I have ever heard from a recording standpoint. BY FAR! And they will rock your house.

You can almost justify Karajan's 4 recorded Beethoven cycles and one video based upon improvements in recording technology. Thru Rhapsody, I have listened to his mid 50s cycle and the orchestra sounds great, but the recording quality is sub par compared to Analog's golden age. So the rational for 4 cycles would be, (1) recent great improvements in recording technology (early 60s), (2) it has been 15 years and he has grown as an artist (late 70s), (3) we now have digital! Let's do one of the first Beethoven digital cycles (80s).

Klemperer is a no-brainer. I do not have to think twice about plopping one of his lps onto my turntable or hitting the play button at Rhapsody. When the music starts, the listening pleasure begins. Don't miss his Bruckner symphony recordings!

An essential collection.......2007-04-25

How best to describe Otto Klemperer's perspective on Beethoven's symphonies: grand, heroic, intense, insightful, stubborn, obstinate, detailed, dramatic, monumental, granitic, deeply emotional, never sentimental. This boxed set of the complete symphonies and concerti embodies all of these elements as stands as one of the great achievements of recorded music.

These performances were recorded with the Philharmonia Orchestra at its peak, in the sumptuous acoustics of Kingsway Hall in London and in fine and detailed sound, and mostly in the mid-1950's during one of the brief charmed periods of Klemperer's life. EMI's impresario Walter Legge had made him permanent conductor of the Philharmonia, and when Klemperer embarked on this project in his 70's, he was in relatively good mental and physical health (Klemperer could show symptoms of manic depression and survived many health crises - brain tumor, broken bones, paralysis - which would have stopped most people).

By this time Klemperer had slowed the tempi of the fast movements of the Beethoven symphonies (listen to his early 1950's recordings of the 5th and 6th on Vox to hear by how much). This tendency is more pronounced in these studio recordings than in the live performances which were recorded during that era. The slowness is mostly saved by Klemperer's use of "sprung" rhythms, which keep the slow tempi from feeling laggardly.

Klemperer's earliest recordings in this series - symphonies 3, 5 and 7 - predate stereo and were recorded in excellent monaural sound. He rerecorded all three of these symphonies in stereo, but those recordings were made after he burned himself by falling asleep while smoking in bed. All three performances feature slower tempi than the earlier ones (whether this was the conductor's preference or the result of physical incapacity is open to conjecture). In particular, the rerecorded 7th suffered from lax phrasing, inattentiveness and perverse tempi. That is NOT the version contained in this set: fortunately, EMI had simultaneously recorded the earlier version of the 7th in "experimental" stereo, and it is that earlier version which is released here (and in remarkably good stereo). The versions of the 3rd and 5th are the rerecorded stereo ones.

You will find no finer studio versions of the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th or 8th. All are insightful, beautifully detailed and powerful. The 2nd clearly looks forward to the 3rd and not back toward Hayden, the 4th is boisterous and vital, the 6th bucolic and sumptuous (not a quality normally associated with Klemperer), the 7th gains in drama what it loses in swiftness and lightness, and in the 8th in particular we see the conductor's empathy to Beethoven's sense of humor. Klemperer had a deep affinity for the "Eroica", and the rerecorded version here, while slower than the 1955 recording, was dubbed by "High Fidelity"'s Harris Goldsmith (no Klemperer fan, he) as "the best Eroica going slow" and is a monumental masterpiece (the second movement is shattering). The 1st, while leisurely, is a lovingly crafted.

That leaves the 5th and 9th. There is no doubt in my mind that the earlier, mono 5th is superior to the remake in this set. We lose that sense of an inevitable onslaught, especially in the outer movements. And the 9th, while similar in conception to the live versions recorded around the same time (on Testament with the Philharmonia and on Music&Arts with the Concertgebouw), suffers from diffuse sound and occasional lack of focus. I emphasize that these recordings of both symphonies are still head and shoulders above most of the competition; we're talking about different levels of greatness here.

Are there superior Klemperer recordings of these symphonies? Yes; but all are live, and despite the relatively good reprocessed sound, they don't reveal the same level of detail that these studio recordings do. Klemperer was a very different conductor in front of an audience, and there is more vitality and drama in the live versions of the 3rd (Testament, with the Danish Symphony), 6th 7th and 8th (Music&Arts with the Concertgebouw) and the 9th (see above). Music&Arts' set of the complete symphonies, recorded live in Vienna in 1960, is long out of print and had cramped sound with poor detail - a supplement to this set, not a replacement.

As to the piano concerti: they are better than one might expect. Barenboim, although steeped in the Germanic performance tradition, is more naturally aligned with the Furtwangler and Edwin Fischer than with Klemperer. However, the two of them actually work together extremely well and this is a fine, insightful set.

Any complete cycle of Beethoven, symphonies or concerti, will have drawbacks. There will be unevenness in the performances, as there are here. But there are advantages to hearing one musician's perspective on the works, especially when (as here) the performer has depth of understanding, integrity of vision, and a structural understanding of the pieces.

The digital remastering is excellent and the sound barely shows its age. This may not be your only complete set of Beethoven's symphonies, but it should be one of them. And at a price this low, it's a bargain too.

The best value in classical music on CD at the moment..........2007-01-02

What is the best value in classical discs available today ? Who knows, but I defy anyone to beat the EMI compilation of Klemperer' recordings of the complete Beethoven Symphonies, Piano Concertos (with Barenboim), several overtures the Choral Fantasia etc etc. 9 discs for only $44 ( well that was the price I paid). You have got to be kidding... I only had two concerns with buying this. First on the age of the recordings, all more than 40 years old. No worry at all. This is a masterpiece of reconstruction. The sound quality indistinguishable from any modern recording. Secondly , the performances themselves. I had been warned that Klemperer notoriously chose rather slow tempi. Again I needn't have worried. I immediately went to the slow movements of the 2nd piano concerto and the fourth symphony, where many slow tempists have in the past come unstuck. The piano concerto was an absolute revelation. The combination of the youthful Barenboim and the Philharmonia's masterful playing time and gain had me on the edge of my seat. " Yes,go on, well...." Slow it may have been. Boring, never. The same applies in spades to the slow movement of the fourth. Right from the eerie opening, which is yes, very slow indeed, I knew this movement would be a revelation and I can honestly say I have never hear it better played. Follow this with a scherzo bounding in energy and thumping finale and you will never get a better performance of this, one of Beethoven's "lesser" symphonies. And I haven't even got round to the "biggies" yet! The box set looks unattractive and the portrait of Klemperer makes him appear a first class nerd. Pay absolutely no attention to this....

Wonderful Performances.......2006-04-07

I have admittedly not made it through the entire set as of yet, but feel sufficiently blown away by the First Symphony and the Eroica - particularly the second movement of the latter - to weigh in here. With respect to the tempo issue, I must - at least so far - argue in favor of Klemperer's decision to slow things down a bit. I think the effect is, as someone else has observed, a clearer and more visceral experience of Beethoven's composition. It brings out the feeling. The sound comes up a little short on the low end, but it isn't a major distraction. My only problem lies in EMI's inexplicable lack of any discussion of the performances. The notes are bland, dry descriptions of the pieces themselves, with some basic history thrown in. Given the fact that there are probably hundreds of different CDs of Beethoven's symphonies out there, all with similar explanatory notes, it is infuriating that nothing is said about these particular performances. This is in contrast with the EMI Bach set (with Yehudi Menuhin) in which there is a wonderful essay that discusses Menuhin's work in historical context.

Average customer rating:

Mostly good
Look at the List of Performers First
this "masterworks" series is available much more cheaply from Amazon France
You heard guy below: Beethoven needs the royality checks!
Buy my box Set!

Beethoven: The Masterworks (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Vivaldi: The Masterworks (Box Set)
Brahms: The Masterworks (Box Set)
Mendelssohn: The Masterworks [Box Set]

ASIN: B00062FLHE
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Customer Reviews:

Mostly good.......2007-05-26

A bit of a mixed bag. The symphonies are superb. This is one of the great symphony cycles. The piano sonatas are good, very good (analog) sound. The quartets are well recorded indeed, but there are better cycles out there. The rest is OK, and the sound is genrally good.

Look at the List of Performers First.......2006-11-17

If you want most of Beethoven sitting on one bookshelf, this is a great bargain (especially if you shop for it on amazon.de). But few if any of the performances represent the pinnacles of interpretation that most listeners demand when Beethoven is the composer. The symphonies for instance: can Blomstedt be compared to Furtwangler or (if you lean toward historically informed instrumentation) Gardiner? Most amazingly, the artists who perform the quartets -- the heart of Beethoven's music -- are not even named in the listing.
On the other hand: Vivaldi: The Masterworks is a collection including the very best interpreters, such as Fabio Biondi! Bach Edition (complete Bach) is a fabulous selection of recordings made over 20 years, and almost the same praise can be given the Complete Mozart.

this "masterworks" series is available much more cheaply from Amazon France.......2006-05-28

there are several sets in this series and it's much cheaper to buy these from Amazon France.

included are bach, beethoven, vivaldi, brahms, dvorak, schubert, handel, hayden, and mendelssohn.

they're even cheaper than the list price once u go through the checkout (VAT is removed for overseas (out-of-france) purchases).

**also, the 'complete works of mozart' set is much cheaper there (or at Amazon Germany), too. the 'complete works of bach' is due out later this year.

You heard guy below: Beethoven needs the royality checks! .......2006-04-07

There is quality beyond the Austrian green cardboard (which is lovely to look at, to say the least). In fact, the performance of the symphonies (Dresden Staatskapelle and Herbert Blomstedt) is alone worth the price. The Staatskapelle is a solid group, and Blomstedt, although less wellknown, holds his own. It should be mentioned that Blomstedt recorded many of the most celebrated 20th composition CDs on the market, and definitely knows his stuff. Peter Wohlert recorded mostly for compiliation lables, but to be selected by the Berlin Phil shows that he is a formdiable conductor in rank as well.

Should you buy this collection then? Given the fact that each CD cost $1.75, there is definitely the bargin factor. However, Beethoven's music desveres the top interpreters and musicians of our time - and this applies for all of his music, not just the symphonic. If you are into bargins, then proceed to buy this collection. However, if you save up a bit more, you can buy Karajan's 1963 Beethovens symphonies along with Kempff's 1956 sonata cycles for just a bit more than 70 bucks. Shop around for the string quartets, and the complete overtures should range anywhere from 15 to 30 bucks depending on the conductor/ensemble.

Overall, this is certainly an exceptional bargin. However, quality matter more than money. Besides, chicks dig people with sophisticated tastes.

Buy my box Set!.......2006-03-21

Awesome deal, 40 CD box set of me, Beethoven! There are 3 principle reasons you should buy this box set:

This box is QUALITY my friend, made of the finest, Austrian cardboard with a lovely green finish, it is made to last! You can just set it on your dresser and whenever you need a Beethoven fix you can just pull a CD out. But don't you hate getting your CDs out of order so you can't find what the hell you're looking for?! Not with this set! They are well organized into symphonies, concerti, sonatas and such, so you can find EXACTLY what your looking for, and they have big numbers on them so you can put them right back where they belong.

And the music! Need we go into this, composed through the inspiration of God himself and penned by the greatest composer who ever walked the streets of Vienna, me, Beethoven! Top notch, all done by top performers and recorded at high, clear, digital quality, stick one in your stereo and rock out man! All of my great and mighty works are here, absolutely sublime!

Lastly, you'll be supporting me, I need those royalty checks to keep rolling in!

Buy it if you love me or just buy it if you want people to think that you're sophisticated (the chicks also dig it, I should know: Antonie Brentano, giggity!), you can't go wrong!

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, etc / Bernstein

Average customer rating:

Puzzling tameness from Bernstein
This 5th Problematic? Not For Me.
Glorious
Ludwig's Continuing Assault

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, etc / Bernstein

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000001GE1
Release Date: 1990-07-24

Tracks:

Symphony No.5 In C Minor, Op.67: Allegro con brio
Symphony No.5 In C Minor, Op.67: Andante con moto
Symphony No.5 In C Minor, Op.67: Allegro
Symphony No.5 In C Minor, Op.67: Allegro
Leonore III Op.72a: Adagio -- Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Puzzling tameness from Bernstein.......2007-07-21

I very well remember my excitment when this performance was originally released, since it makred a major milestone: an American conductor conquering Beethoven on home ground. In the intervening thirty years no one has duplicated Bernstein's achievement, and yet his Vienna Beethoven cycle was puzzling in its tameness. This Fifth Sym., for example, offers no competition to the heroic, grand-scaled predeccor recorded with the NY Phil., one of LB's ost famous recordings.

the opening movement is taken slowly by modern standards, but even more distressing is the prosaic phrasing and lack of excitement on the conductor's part. The second movement Adante con moto is so placid that I could hardly keep my atention on it. The Scherzo and finale are completely ordinary. DG has improved upon the original LP sonics, which were thin and wiry, but the Vienna Phil. still sounds a little underpowered. LB took a leaner approach to Beethoven's sonority the second time around but didn't add extra propulsiveness or vigor. The orchestra plays with olish, of course. The Leonore #3 rises to a higher level and generates excitement, as does Bernstein's complete Fidelio, one of the best things he did in Vienna for DG at this time.

This 5th Problematic? Not For Me........2007-04-26

I was blown away. It was even finer than when I heard the recording last time. Being able to have this kind of experience is almost a privilege. It's also therapeutic. The music, when played this way, wipes out any doubt on whether life is worth living. I love the way Bernstein and Vienna Phil transform the score into a living creature. The timbre is bright and rugged. It is a muscular performance but also extremely expressive when required. I can understand some will have a hard time agreeing with the slow tempo of the 1st movement. Whether one can enjoy it or not, I believe, depends on how open-minded he is. If you only want to feel the forward moving urgency in this movement, you can never deviate from the Carlos Kleiber kind of interpretation. What Bernstein highlights are the movement's resilient and steady qualities. It really sounds like a struggle yet to be resolved. 2nd movement is full of expressivity and insights. One feels that Bernstein loved this music to death. The characteristically reedy woodwinds of Vienna Phil shine here. 3rd and 4th movement deliver as much vitality as any performance and more. I love the rustic tone of the brass here. I love the incisiveness of strings which do not show any sign of smooth-out. On top of all these, you get the very recognizable Bernstein moments that hit like lightnings.
I think I will take a break from Fischer's 33-CD Haydn box, which I have been enjoying in the past weeks, to thoroughly enjoy this magnificent Beethoven cycle all over again.

Glorious.......2004-06-12

Although there isn't any fathomable way I can improve upon the previous reviewer, as I am still smirking at his/her remarks, there is a way I can review this piece, or aptly named, masterpiece. Bernstein, one of the greatest conductors, conducting the Beethoven 5, possibly the second greatest symphonies ever written. This performance is simply stunning.

I have discussed with my peers how, unlike the 9th, the 5th has four outstanding movements. Bernstein's reading of this piece is flawless, perfect, unbelieveable and phenomenal.

Ludwig's Continuing Assault.......2002-11-26

Symphony No. 5's opening notes--third best known in the civilized world, after Yankee Doodle (thanks to the Voice of America) and the last Britny Spears bestseller (thanks to Satan and his minions)--furthered Beethoven's assault upon what was then known as musical convention. This piece, when conducted by the late Bernstein, does the impossible: it improves upon perfection. Crisply performed, recorded by producers who cared (as opposed to giving the sound short shrift while waiting for Boston or the Bee Gees to fill the hall and produce profits), and conducted by a Leonard before the cocktail hour, we find greatness Plus One. The Leonore No. 3 adds a well appreciated lagniappe. A masterpiece.

Furtwangler Conducts Beethoven - Beethoven: symphonies no 3,4,5, & 9, Leonore

Average customer rating:

Furtwangler's Beethoven
Amazing! Outstanding! Essential!
Glorious
Remastering an old recording
Just Get It

Furtwangler Conducts Beethoven - Beethoven: symphonies no 3,4,5, & 9, Leonore

Manufacturer: Music & Arts Program
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00001W09Z
Release Date: 2006-01-01

Tracks:

Beethoven Symphonies

Tracks:

Sym No.5 in c, Op.67: I. Allegro Con Brio

Amazon.com essential recording

These may be the most gripping performances of Beethoven's symphonies you'll ever hear. No, not necessarily the most enjoyable or even the most accurate, but gripping--to say the least. In these wartime performances of Symphonies Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9, Wilhelm Furtwängler is at his most expressive, angry self. Conducting six of the world's greatest symphonies for audiences in Nazi Germany, Furtwängler has an inner turmoil that seems to shoot straight through his baton. He drives the Vienna and Berlin Philharmonics to the edge of disaster, but miraculously they keep up--rising to the occasion. The Eroica and the Ninth are particularly emotion-filled; the latter features the great Bruno Kittel Choir and the BPO in fine form, but they--like everyone else here--are overshadowed by the conductor's bipolar mood swings and furious pacings. Brace yourself. These are shocking, awesome, thought-provoking performances that--thanks to a great remastering--have never sounded better. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Furtwangler's Beethoven.......2007-04-14

This set belongs next to Schnabel's piano sonatas and the Busch's string quartets as one of the great Beethoven sets in recorded history. There certainly is no better monetary value for Furtwangler's Beethoven. The 3rd, 4th, and 9th are especially definitive. Compared to Furtwangler's later performances, these are tighter, more intense, and faster-paced. It is mainly in the 6th and 7th that you miss the warmer Furtwangler of his later recordings.

No. 3 is intense, concentrated, and perfectly proportioned. I differ with some who consider the 12/8/52 to be Furtwangler's greatest 3rd. While the sound of that one is fantastic, to my ear it is just the slightest bit more slack in concentration when compared to the '44. In any case, these are easily the two best recordings of the work available, and they are both essential. Listen to the '52 for beauty of sound and phrases lengthened to their max, but the '44 would still be my desert island 3rd.

No. 4 is simply the greatest performance on record, giving a whole new level of emotional depth to this symphony.

No. 5 is for many Furtwangler's best. It is certainly well-played and perfectly proportioned. There are several Furtwangler recordings of No. 5 that are deserving of attention, and choosing between them is a matter of strong debate. For me, the two that arise above all others are the 5/23/54 and 5/25/47. The '54 is simply astounding. It is a perfect performance in fantastic sound for its time. It really knocks you out of your chair. This is the recording for people who want to know what all the fuss was about Furtwangler's Beethoven. (How on Earth did the man conduct like this just 6 months before his death?) The '47 is also special for its edge-of-your-seat spontanaity. While not as good in sound quality as the '54, it is more fleet and rhythmically free. The rousing coda of the finale has to be heard to be believed - Furtwangler at his most magical. There is also a deleted DG recording two days later in better sound, but not quite as inspired. The '44 is still a great performance, but for me Furtwangler reached greater heights in these two later recordings.

No. 6 is one that perhaps misses some of the warmth of Furtwangler's later recordings. It is still a great one, particularly in the storm, and the playing of the Berlin Philharmonic is magnificent. You really get the sense of the storm slowly subsiding and sunshine peering through the clouds in the final movement. Like the 5th's with which they are paired, the 5/23/54 and 5/25/47 are the performances that show Furtwangler at his best. The '54 is pretty definitive and in great sound.

No. 7 is exciting and dramatic. Though it has much to recommend it (listen to the beautiful tempo fluctuations in the scherzo), I sometimes miss the more patient pacing of Furtwangler's later recordings. The '53 DG recording is probably his best, with excellent tempo transitions and a rousing conclusion to the finale. The sound is also very present and clean for the period. The '50 EMI recording is not far behind.

No. 9 is simply the greatest orchestral recording ever made of anything. Yes, some will say it is too intense, but what else do you want with this symphony? You simply cannot go back to other interpretations after hearing this one. Only the '51 Bayreuth performance comes close. That one is a good alternative for hearing cleaner sound and some strong brass playing. The '54 Lucerne is by far the best-sounding. However, it does not have the same intensity as the other two. By comparison, it almost sounds tired. Of course this is all relative: The '54 Lucerne still puts every other recorded version after Furtwangler in the shade. And then there is also the '37, which is dimly recorded but still exhibiting Furtwangler's unique intensity.

And let us not forget the overtures, particularly the '43 Coriolan. Along with the '42 9th, this is also one of the greatest orchestral recordings ever made. Astounding drama and concentration. Unfortunately, Furtwangler's definitive '47 Egmont on DG is not presently available.

In short, run out and grab this set while also complementing it with a few of Furtwangler's later recordings. My desert island choices for Furtwangler's Beethoven symphonies would be:

3rd: '44 and 12/8/52, 4th: '43, 5th & 6th: 5/25/47 and 5/23/54, 7th: '53, 9th: '42 and '51

Amazing! Outstanding! Essential!.......2007-04-12

This set collects some of the greatest and awesome Beethoven interpretations in world history. Their classical status is unmatched: at the conductor's rostrum, we have Wilhelm Furtwängler at the height of his exceptional understanding of Beethoven's music. The context of the recordings is WWII, mainly in the wartime Germany (of course, Vienna belonged to Germany after the 1938 "Anschluss", but I choose to see Vienna as the capital of Austria). Like some other great artists and intellectuals, Furtwängler decided to stay in Germany during the Second World War. But unlike disgusting opportunists like von Karajan, he never joined the Nazi party - in fact, he even refused to shake Hitler's hand.

Of course, Furtwängler's impeccable moral contributes to his greatness. Just listen to his magnificent ninth, with its humanist message. It's a breathtaking performance that should move everyone to tears.

Here are the recordings dates of the performances in this box:

Symphony 3: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, 19-20 December, 1944.
Symphony 4: Berlin Philharmonic, 27-30 June, 1943.
Symphony 5: Berlin Philharmonic, 27-30 June, 1943.
Symphony 6: Berlin Philharmonic, 20-22 March, 1944.
Symphony 7: Berlin Philharmonic, 31 October-3 November, 1943.
Symphony 9: Berlin Philharmonic, 22-24 March 1942. (Solists are Tilla Briem, Peter Anders, Elisabeth Höngen, and Rudolf Watzke.)

Music & Arts' remasterings (made by Maggi Payne) are very good. Of course, what we have here are old mono, live recordings, so don't expect HiFi quality. But what you can expect are recordings of the century, essential for any music collection.

Strongly and warmly recommended!

Glorious.......2007-02-10

Impossible to put into mere words the effect of these tremendous performances: they are glorious, powerful, sublime. True these are
(excellently remastered) mono recordings of live performances more than 50 years old, so there is some noise and some harmonic distortions also. But the music and the performances completely and thoroughly transcend this, even on the finest audio equipment. Your Beethoven collection is simply not complete unless you have this one, and also the Bayreuther 9th from 1951 (also available on EMI classics). Indeed, once you have these, you may find you don't want to listen to any other cycles of these symphonies that you may have, however fine and technically perfect they may be.

Remastering an old recording.......2007-01-09

If you want to experience how Beethoven was played 40 years ago, then buy this CD set. But beware of sound quality and some technical glitches. In addition, audience noise can be distracting.

Just Get It.......2006-09-22

...even if this is the only CD of Beethoven's Orchestral Works you ever buy.
Even though they are in mono, old, noisy, with pitch variations at places (but still remarkably good transfers), for many of the works here it's safe to say that you have not really heard them unless you have experienced these recordings.
Four of the works (4,5,6,7) are great performances, but there are other great ones out there as well.
However, the recordings of the ninth (BPO Mar'42) and third (VPO Dec'44)symphonies as well as the Coriolan and Leonore III overtures are definitive and unique, and each of them is by itself worth the price of the whole set. The only downside to getting them is that it might become hard to be attentive to most other recordings afterwards.

Average customer rating:

The Best Beethoven Symphonies Recording I've Ever Heard
Solti's Beethoven is mainly for his fans.
big shouldered beethoven from the city of big shoulders...
Solti's Great Beethoven- an essential!
The benchmark recordings for the Beethoven nine !

Beethoven: The Nine Symphonies

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000041XV
Release Date: 1990-09-11

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In C Major, Op. 21: I Adagio molto - Allegro con Brio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 1 In C Major, Op. 21: II Andante cantabile con moto - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 1 In C Major, Op. 21: III Menuetto: Allegro molto e vivace - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 1 In C Major, Op. 21: IV Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 36: I Adagio molto - Allegro con brio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 36: II Larghetto - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 36: III Scherzo: Allegro - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 36: V Allegro molto - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Eroica': I Allegro con brio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Eroica': II Marcia funebre: Adagio assai - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Eroica': III Scherzo: Allegro vivace - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Eroica': IV Finale: Allegro molto - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Overture 'Egmont', op. 84 - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67: I Allegro con brio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67: II Andante con moto - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67: III Allegro - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67: IV Allegro - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: I Adagio - Allegro vivace - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: II Adagio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: III Allegro vivace - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: IV Allegro ma non troppo - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Tracks:

Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Pastoral': I Allegro ma non troppo - Awakening Of Cheerful Feelings Upon Arrival In The Country - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Pastoral': II Andante molto mosso - By The Brook - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Pastoral': III Allegro - Peasants' Merrymaking - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Pastoral': IV Allegro - Thunderstorm - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Pastoral': V Allegretto - Shepherd's Song. Happy And Thankful Feelings After The Storm - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Overture 'Leonore' No. 3, Op. 72a - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Tracks:

Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: I Poco sostenuto - Vivace - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: II Allegretto - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: III Presto - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: IV Allegro con brio - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: I Allegro vivace e con brio - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: II Allegretto scherzando - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: III Tempo di menuetto - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: IV Allegro vivace - L.V. Beethoven

Tracks:

Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125: I Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125: II Molto vivace - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125: III Adagio molto e cantabile - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125: IV Presto - Allegro assai - Andante maestoso - Allegro energico, sempre ben marcato - L.V. Beethoven

Customer Reviews:

The Best Beethoven Symphonies Recording I've Ever Heard.......2007-06-20

This is absolutely a gorgeous recording. It is uplifting and some of the softer sections of the 9th Symphony are so beautiful it brings tears to your eyes.

The Karajan Beethoven Symphonies of 1963 which many rave over is a casualty of not transferring from analog to digital well. Though Karajan's interpretation is wonderful, it is overpowering to the point of speaker overload in the stronger parts and too weak in the softer parts which is typical of old live analog orchestra recordings transferring to digital.

I think Sir Georg was the last of the conductors of his time and style, which is very sad. There will never be a kind like him or Karajan again.

Solti's Beethoven is mainly for his fans........2007-04-22

Although there are some great moments in Sir Georg Solti's last Beethoven Symphony cycle, recorded 1986-89, there are generally better recordings available.

First of all, Sir Georg's tempos in Symphony I: IV and Symphony 2: IV are break-neck, and almost reckless, so much so the Chicago players have trouble staying together!

The recording job throughout is acceptable, but the orchestra does not sound that realistic or immediate, and Decca's usually rich bass and midrange don't come through as in many other Solti recordings. The record level is low, and one has to boost the volume quite alot to get any sense of presence.

I don't think as highly of this set as some listeners might, as I have other recordings of Beethoven I turn to more often: Karl Bohm/Vienna Philharmonic (DG, rec. 1970-72) especially for Symphonies 2,3,4,5,6, and 8; Bernstein/Vienna Philharmonic (DG, rec. 1977-9); Szell/Cleveland (Sony Essential classics, rec. 1959-68) for Symphonies 1,3,4,and 9;
Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic (DG, either the 1961-2 or 1975-77 cycle, both available as complete sets); Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony (Sony: Symphonies 2,3,4,6, and 8); Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra (Sony: Symphonies 5,6 and 8 - may be hard to find in April, 2007) or even Solti/Chicago Symphony in an earlier analog cycle (London, rec. 1972-74) which has sound with better presence: more defined bass, than this recording. Those who are Chicago Symphony fans and MUST have one of their recordings could seek out any of the Fritz Reiner/Chicago Beethovens: Symphonies 1,3,5,6,7 and 9 are still available (RCA).

In light of the competition, I'd pass on this one.

If you like Solti/Chicago, consider their recordings of the Brahms Symphonies (London, 4 CD set). And for SOLTI fans, he recorded the Beethoven Symphonies 3, 5 and 7 with the Vienna Philharmonic (Decca, 1958), a recording I have not heard, but have read is very good, better than either of Solti's Chicago Beethoven Symphony recordings.

big shouldered beethoven from the city of big shoulders..........2006-08-06

This is a broad, powerful, heavy-duty Beethoven symphony cycle, free of idiosyncracy, that can stand as a benchmark to measure against more unconventional interpretations, a kind of golden mean of Beethoven. Decca's spacious sonics foregrounds Solti's attention to orchestral detail; all the sections, particularly the low strings and the winds can be heard to beautiful effect. Solti's tempos are expansive, and as befits a great opera conductor,incident rules over architecture. The decade from the late '80's to the late '90's was a stellar period for Beethoven symphony cycles. The four best, each completely at odds with the other, are Gardiner (period performance practice, Beethoven as French revolutionary, martial, manic, zealous); Barenboim (Wagnerian, deep orchestral colors, expressive tempos); Harnoncourt (raw,fusing Barenboim's personal expressiveness and Gardiner's small forces and fast tempos --Beethoven as untamed avant gardist, somewhere between Bach and Schoenberg); and this set, where Solti utilizes a Wagnerian orchestra with strong on-the-beat phrasing (Toscanini to Barenboim's Furtwangler). This conductor was the last of the old-school Middle Europeans in the field, and one of the only members of his breed to benefit from a first-rate band recorded with clarity in digital sound. (Karajan's late Beethoven cycle is to be avoided at all cost). If you like your Ludwig Van straight up, technocratic, without weirdness or surprises, then this set is for you (I mean that as a compliment...)

Solti's Great Beethoven- an essential!.......2006-05-22

Reviewers would tell you that Karajan's first Deutsche Grammophon recordings is the Beethoven cycle to own. While I believe that Karajan's string-rich virtuoso view of Beethoven's score is refreshing, a quick comparison of the score and Karajan's music shows that he often takes a very Wagnerian (rubato) view of the score. Most people believe that Wagnerian entails a brassy, loud "heavy-metal" handed interpretation of the music. This, however, is a misconception that needs to be erased. Unlike Wagner, Beethoven had metronome markings in his score that a conductor needs to interpret to music to make the music sound right. Also, the development in the symphonies' musical and emotional structure are aided by these score markings to make it easier for the conductor to bring forth the composer's message. Karajan took a Wagnerian style of conducting in the sense that he changed some of the tempi to his liking. Solti, however, follows Beethoven's score in a German Romantic tradition. This means that there is a transparency to his conducting, but not to the degree that Szell takes with his Beethoven. Every musical detail is heard, and the strings are very well accentuated too. Karajan's recording emphasized the strings too much and drowned the other instruments. I find that although his Beethoven symphonies can be rather ravishing, it does not offer a very complete vision of the music.

These Chicago recordings (recorded by possibly the greatest symphony in the world at that time, the CSO) are undoubtedly the work of a conductor who knew the intentions of Beethoven very well and respected them. I highly recommend this set for anyone who wants to listen to Beethoven as it should be performed.

The benchmark recordings for the Beethoven nine !.......2005-10-16

Some say the Karajan (1963) are better. Well it may have sounded so *inside the hall* when Karajan played it back then. But the recording is pretty awful. I own the set and am thinking of tossing them out. But then it shouldn't come as a surprise because it was recorded in ..umm..1963.. using primitive equipment.

This Decca DDD set, like all Decca DDD recordings, are just spectacular ! The sound is rich, clear and room filling with plenty of bass in the strings, something most other recordings seem to lack. I have heard many versions of the Beethoven nine, Szell, Bernstein, Karajan, Muti, Levine, Chailly and others - but this is the one that sets the benchmark.

(ps: For # 3, I prefer the Levine/Met (DG, 4D recording) version )

Average customer rating:

Orchestral Trumpet Player's Bible:
Essential Recording for Any Trumpet Player
Most Excellent
Awesome!
Excellent for aspiring trumpet players, otherwise...

Orchestral Excerpts For Trumpet

Manufacturer: Summit(Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000038JG
Release Date: 1995-02-07

Tracks:

Trumpet concerto: Brandenburg Concerto No.2 - Trumpet Concerto
Petrouchka
Pictures at an Exhibition
Leonore Nos. 3&2
Ein Heldenleben
Symphony No.5
Scheherazade
Don Juan
Fetes
Piano Concerto In G
Piano Cto. No. 1
Pines Of Rome
Concerto For Orchestra
Carmen Prelude
Firebird Suite
Parsifal Prelude
La Mer
Symphony No. 2
Symphony No. 3 (Post Horn)
Capriccio Espagnol
American In Paris
Magnificat

Customer Reviews:

Orchestral Trumpet Player's Bible:.......2003-05-08

I carry this recording around with me in my case, and listen to it before auditions, concerts, rehearsals, etc. It's simply how the excerpts (along with trumpet playing in general) should sound. Smith's virtuostic playing, coupled with his vast orchestral experience, really teach the parts. All trumpet players, top to bottom, have something to learn from this CD--and while the entire work (with orchestra) and part should be studied (Smith actually recommends this), it is still very useful to hear one of the finest players on earth performing just the trumpet part.

Essential Recording for Any Trumpet Player.......2001-05-24

If any principal orchestral trumpet player has succeeded Adolph Herseth as the "state of the art," the probable consensus among his peers would be Philip Smith of the New York Philharmonic. His virtually flawless technique, gourgeous sound, rarified musicianship and exceptional leadership make him virtually unique in his field, and his more than 20 years with the Philharmonic (plus his early years with the Chicago Symphony) have firmly established him as one of the greats in the history of orchestral brass performance.

Measured simply as a documentation of his skills, this recording would be an extraordinary document - the playing throughout is stupendous. But this is much more than that; Mr. Smith proves to be as articulate (mild "New Yoahk" accent and all) as he is talented, and his performance suggestions are truly helpful, even for those of us without his superhuman abilities. The recorded sound is superb, and overall this is a joy to listen to at every level. I recommend it without reservation for any trumpet player aspiring to a higher level of musicianship and performance - and if you play it at full volume shortly after your warmup, your neighbors will be very impressed.

Most Excellent.......1999-12-13

As a trumpet player, I must say that Phil Smith's comments during each track are immensely beneficial. His thoughts have produced profound understanding in my trumpet playing, and despite the fact that this CD is intended as a grouping of Phil Smith's insights into common Orchestral Excerpts and his following demonstration, I have countless times listened out of pure enjoyment than to gain expert insight. His tone is the most beautiful I have ever heard, and it shows on this CD. I recommend this particularly for any aspiring trumpet student.

Awesome!.......1999-10-25

The previous reviewer of this CD missed the point of the CD. Lets say your working on the Carmern Prelude or Stravinsky Pétrouchka you buy this CD, and learn how Philip Smith (one of the greatest symphonic trumpet players in the world) would interpret and play it. Thats why its entitled Orchestra Trumpet Excerpts.

Excellent for aspiring trumpet players, otherwise..........1999-05-31

This CD would be excellent for aspiring orchestral trumpeters and soloists; although Philip Smith conveys his expertise exceptionally well, this short snips of music on this CD are no substitute for the actual full-orchestra recordings.

Average customer rating:

Among the Very Best Ever!
Absolutely brilliant
it would be excellent set, but ....
Excellent set...with some slight drawbacks
Simply Amazing!!

Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000003CVQ
Release Date: 1989-11-14

Tracks:

I. Adagio Molto/Allegro Con Brio
II. Andante Cantabile Con Moto
III. Menuetto/Allegro Molto E Vivace
IV. Adagio/Allegro Molto E Vivace
I. Adagio Molto/Allegro Con Brio
II. Larghetto
III. Scherzo: Allegro
IV. Allegro Molto
Leonore Overture No. 3, Op. 72

Tracks:

I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Marcia Funebre/Adagio Assai
III. Scherzo: Allegro Vivace
IV. Finale: Allegro Molto
I. Allegro Vivace E Con Brio
II. Allegro Scherzando
III. Tempo Di Menuetto
IV. Allegro Vivace

Tracks:

I. Adagio/Allegro Vivace
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Vivace; Un Poco Meno Allegro
IV. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Andante Con Moto
III. Allegro
IV. Allegro

Tracks:

I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo (Awakening Of Happy Feelings Upon Reaching The Countryside)
II. Andante Molto Moto (Scene At The Brook)
III. Allegro (Cheerful Gathering Of Country Folk)
IV. Allegro (Thunderstorm)
V. Allegretto (Shepherd's Song: Happy, Grateful Feelings After The Storm)
I. Poco Sostenuto/Vivace
II. Allegretto
III. Presto/Assai Meno Presto
IV. Allegro Con Brio

Tracks:

I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo, Un Poco Maestoso - Robert Lloyd
II. Molto Vivace/Presto - Robert Lloyd
III. Adagio Molto E Cantabile - Robert Lloyd
IV. Presto - Robert Lloyd

Customer Reviews:

Among the Very Best Ever!.......2007-06-28

This Beethoven set, symphony by symphony, is simply one of the very best ever recorded. Christoph von Dohnanyi gives a powerful and translucent performances throughout this entire cycle. I agree very much with another reviewer that Dohnanyi's strength is in what seems to be his unwillingness to engage in "musical editorial" upon Beethoven. But perhaps in that regard Dohnanyi has so very much more to say about Beethoven than many other conductors. The music is vibrant, punctuated, lyrical, epic in scope and dynamically beautiful. As for the recorded sound, it is slightly unimpressive at lower volumes (perhaps because of Telarcs desire to avoid overprocessing the recorded sound, and thus preserving the musics natural dynamics). However if you love masterfully played Beethoven, you will want to turn this set up loud. And when you do, the sound, by nature of the performances, is thrilling and very natural sounding. This set was recorded in the mid to late 1980's at the height of the Cleveland Orchestras recording legacy. They are precise and powerful in execution of each symphony. There is not a weak moment in this set anywhere to be found. The cost is a little more than some (less than some newer sets) but worth every last penny!

Absolutely brilliant.......2003-07-03

I think another reviewer put it best: This is the only Beethoven symphony cycle in which I can listen and just hear Beethoven. All the other Beethoven conductors I've heard have, to varying degrees, let their egos get in the way of the music, to the point where I'm not sure how much of what I'm hearing is really Beethoven and how much is (insert conductor's name here). Dohnanyi, on the other hand, is a superb interpreter of what Beethoven intended his music to sound like, mainly because he keeps things direct and honest: there are no weird tempo variations, no out-of-place dynamic changes... no "ba-ba-baaaa-BUMMMMMMMMMMM"s for him, as someone else mentioned. He's just conducting what's on the page, and doing it extraordinarily well. The Cleveland Orchestra backs him up with a precision I haven't heard anywhere else. I use the phrase "tightly controlled" power a lot to refer to this particular orchestra: they don't try to blast a continuous wave of sound at you; rather, they snap it out in bursts. In addition, the orchestra plays with a polish, precision, and almost perfect balance for which I haven't found a match. The result is a Beethoven symphony cycle that's both powerful *and* precise, something I haven't found anywhere else: all other conductors err too far toward one side or the other. I do have to demote this cycle slightly for Telarc's sound, which--although very well done--does allow the brass to overshadow the other instrument groups slightly, most noticeably in the "Eroica." Fortunately, Dohnanyi is keenly aware of what every instrument family is doing and when each should be prominent, so the orchestral balance in each of these symphonies is well maintained anyway. I just can't say enough good things about this symphony cycle: listen to the whipcrack of a last note at the end of the first movement of the Fifth, for example, or the awesome, majestic second movement of that same symphony. Listen to the regal power of the entire "Eroica" as recorded here. Check out how jubilant the Fourth symphony (normally something of a throwaway) sounds under Dohnanyi's baton. Listen to the unusually boisterous peasants' dance in the Sixth. Note how hypnotic and woeful the slow movement of the Seventh becomes, or the lush, tender slow movement of the Ninth, or how awe-inspiring the Ninth's finale is, with its chorus just exploding out of the speakers. I could extend this list on and on, but I'm just babbling now. The point is, this sadly-underrated Beethoven symphony cycle is my cycle of choice. I won't go back to other interpretations now, and I bet if you try these interpretations out, you won't return either.

it would be excellent set, but ...........2002-10-14

the sound quality is very poor, so overbassed, muffled sound like this can be rarely heard....

Excellent set...with some slight drawbacks.......2002-08-09

This set of the nine symphonies are brilliant, and superlatively recorded. However, there are some orchestrative aspects that I don't really agree with, especially in the ninth symphony. However, to be fair, I must say that the tempo is suberbly gauged, textural boundaries and cadence points are much more clearly defined than any other version I've heard. The sheer immense grandeur of the work comes out very well. The solo quartet is admirable, although the vocal balance was better achieved in the Karajan 1963 version.
Dohnanyi's version of the fifth symphony is the finest that is currently available, with all the awesome power and stygian darkness, interspersed with flickering flames. The sixth symphony is beautifully executed, with a pearly, light and superbly clear texture. The seventh and eighth are..pretty good. The Karajan version does these two better.
Overall, the brilliant recording and beautiful execution make this set worthwile, but I would personally recommend buying it in conjunction with one or two others, specifically the Karajan 1963 version, so that you get a complete and impartial picture of these most monumental works.

Simply Amazing!!.......2002-04-08

Of all those complete sets of Beethoven symphonies out there, this is by far the one to get. It is not that well known (it tends to be over-shadowd by recordings by Karajan and all those other guys), but it deserves more credit than any other set out there. This is the only Beethoven symphony set in which I can listen to it and simply hear Beethoven. There's no weird interpretations, it's simply Beethoven. The Cleveland Orchestra is one of the best orchestras in the world, and they prove that in this set. The woodwinds are especially superb. None of the music seems to drag or to be too fast - it's just right (I'm a big fan of fast tempi - but you just can't complain in this set). The Orchestra is very crisp and tight at all times, which is rare in most Beethoven cycles. After every symphony is done, you always feel like your ears have been greatly rewarded. The sound quality is fine - I don't know what some of the others are complaining about. I can hear every section (including the low strings) with no problem. This set is a great treat for your listening pleasure. This set is without a doubt the best one on the market right now!

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1-9; Overtures; Violin Concerto (Limited Edition)

Average customer rating:

Bernstein's First, Quite Possibly, Best, Beethoven Symphony Cycle
Bernstein's early Beethoven makes an enticing bargain

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1-9; Overtures; Violin Concerto (Limited Edition)

Manufacturer: Sbme Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00006OA68
Release Date: 2002-10-28

Tracks:

Symphony No.1 In C Major, Op.21
Symphony No.2 In D Major, Op.36
Symphony No.4 In B-Flat Major, Op.60
Symphony No.6 In F Major, Op.68
Symphony No.9 In D Minor, Op.125
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In D Major, Op.61

Customer Reviews:

Bernstein's First, Quite Possibly, Best, Beethoven Symphony Cycle.......2007-05-23

For those wondering why Leonard Bernstein was such an important, exciting conductor, there's no better introduction than these fine early stereo recordings he made with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Critics have celebrated these as exciting, revelatory accounts, almost as memorable as those from George Szell and The Cleveland Orchestra and Herbert von Karajan and the Berliner Philharmoniker, which were recorded almost at the same time as Bernstein's. The only reason why I'd give higher recommendations to Szell's and Karajan's cycles lies primarily with the acoustical qualities of the recording studios (In Karajan's case the converted Berlin church where he made most of his 1960s and 1970s recordings with the Berliner Philharmoniker was sonically the best at that time.) and the overall quality of the musicianship of their respective ensembles, which I would have to rate slightly higher than the New York Philharmonic's. The two finest recordings from Bernstein's New York Philharmonic cycle are those with of the 3rd and 5th symphonies which remain two of the most dramatic recordings of these pieces that I've heard. Overall, I think this set deserves favorable comparisons with his mid 1970s Deutsche Grammophon cycle recorded with the Wiener Philharmoniker during live performances at Vienna's Musikverein; the only exceptional differences are the slightly warmer acoustics of the orchestra and concert hall in the 1970s cycle, and Bernstein's usage of slightly quicker tempi and smaller orchestral forces. If you're looking for an alternative traditional Beethoven symphony cycle, then you won't miss by acquiring this early Bernstein cycle.

Bernstein's early Beethoven makes an enticing bargain.......2007-02-20

I wonder if Leonard Bernstein was the first American conductor to record a complete Beethoven cycle? He must have been, and two of these performances--the Eroica and the Fifth Sym. -- were made famous as vehicles for LB's television talks in the Fities and Sixties. Millions of post-war kids learned from them and I'm one. In retrospect Bernstein's Beethoven wasn't as propulsive and exciting as memory made them. But these performances are full-boded, direct, and satisfying. Perhaps the authority of Karajan and the Berlin Phil. isn't present, but even so, Sony is offering the cycle as a tremendous bargain, all the more so if you buy it used at Amazon Marketplace. Several overtures are thrown in, along with Isaac Stern's excellent account of the Violin Concerto (conductor and soloist are in sympathy, as always, but this is one of their poorest sounding recordings, unfortunately).

LB used a big orchestra for his Beethoven, and the Columbia Records engineers caught them in a big, reverberant space. If you want to hear this music on a modest scale or with historical touches, lok elsewhere. After he decamped to Europe, Bernstein made a second Beethoven cycle with the Vienna Phil. that's leaner, faster, but somewhat lacking in the excitment of discovery that one heard the first time around.

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphonies 3 & 5; Overtures

Average customer rating:

Boult's Brilliant Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphonies 3 & 5; Overtures

Manufacturer: Vanguard Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Beethoven: Symphonies 6 & 7; Fidelio Overture; Egmont Overture

ASIN: B0000ADXFS
Release Date: 2003-08-12

Tracks:

Allegro Con Brio
Marcia Funebre - Adagio Assai
Scherzo; Allegro Vivace
Finale: Allegro & Molto
Coriolan Overture, Op. 62

Tracks:

Allegro Con Brio
Andante Con Moto
Allegro
Allegro
Leonare Overture #3, Op. 72

Customer Reviews:

Boult's Brilliant Beethoven.......2004-03-12

Sir Adrian Boult is best known for his recordings of the British repertoire, and his performances, particularly of Holst's "The Planets" and Elgar's Symphonies and Orchestral Works, are legendary. But Boult was also an excellent conductor of Beethoven, Brahms and Wagner, and this 2-CD set collects the 3rd and 5th Symphonies, and Coriolan and Leonore Overtures of the former German titan. These vintage stereo recordings with the Philharmonic Promenade Orchestra of London are truly first rate. I would like to consider myself a collector of Beethoven's 5th performances. I mean what better way to judge/compare/contrast the great conductors of classical music than with the greatest symphony ever written! At this point I must own nearly forty different recordings of the 5th (and have listened to at least as many more), and I have to say Boult's performance, while aimed at connoisseurs, will certainly appeal to any and all who come across it. The fact that the Vanguard Classics "Masterpiece" series basically sells at budget-line makes them all the more enjoyable. A brilliant buy!

Average customer rating:

5 star performance at a budget busting outrageous price
Szell's Beethoven in best sound, forty years later
Superbly Remastered Classic Beethoven Symphony Cycle From Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra
Music Production At Highest Level
As Good as it Gets

Beethoven: The Nine Symphonies

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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George Szell Plays and Conducts Mozart
Bach - Brandenburg Concertos / Il Giardino armonico
Beethoven - Die Symphonien (Symphonies 1-9) / Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic
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The New York Times Essential Library: Classical Music: A Critic's Guide to the 100 Most Important Recordings

ASIN: B0002CHK6I
Release Date: 2004-06-29

Tracks:

I. Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio
II. Andante Cantabile Con Moto
III. Menuetto,. Allegro Molto E Vivace
IV. Finale. Adagio - Allegro Molto E Vivace
I. Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio
II. Larghetto
III. Scherzo. Allegro
IV. Allegro Molto

Tracks:

I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Marcia Funebre. Adagio Assai
III. Scherzo. Allegro Vivace
IV. Finale. Allegro Molto

Tracks:

I. Adagio - Allegro Vivace
II. Adagio
III. Menuetto. Allegro Vivace - Trio. Un Poco Meno Allegro
IV. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Leonore Overture No. 3, Op. 72a

Tracks:

I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Andante Con Moto
III. Allegro
IV. Allegro
I. Allegro Vivace
II. Andante Cantabile
III. Menuetto. Allegretto
IV. Molto Allegro

Tracks:

I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
II. Andante Molto Moto. Szene Am Bach
III. Allegro. Lustiges Zusammensein Der Landleute
IV. Allegro. Gewitter Sturm
V. Allegretto. Hirtengesang, Frohe Und Dankbare Gefuhle Nach Dem Sturm

Tracks:

I. Poco Sostenuto - Vivace
II. Allegretto
III. Presto - Presto Meno Assai
IV. Allegro Con Brio

Tracks:

I. Allegro Vivace E Con Brio
II. Allegretto Scherzando
III. Tempo Di Menuetto
IV. Allegro Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo, Un Poco Maestoso
II. Molto Vivace
III. Adagio Molto E Cantabile - Andante Moderato
IV. Presto - Allegro Assai - Recitativo: O Freunde, Nicht Diese Tone! - Allegro Assai (Final Chorus On Schiller's 'Ode To Joy')

Tracks:

Egmont Overture, Op. 84
Coriolan Overture, Op. 62
King Stephen Overture, Op. 117
Leonore Overture No. 2, Op. 72b
Leonore Overture No. 1, Op. 138
Fidelio Overture, Op. 72

Tracks:

Overture. Adagio - Allegro Molto Con Brio
Introduction. La Tempesta. Allegro Non Troppo
No. 1. Poco Adagio
No. 3. Adagio - Allegro Con Brio
No. 3. Allegro Vivace
No. 4. Maestoso - Andante
No. 5. Adagio - Andante Quasi Allegretto
No. 6. Un Poco Adagio - Allegro
No. 7. Grave
No. 8. Allegro Con Brio
No. 9. Adagio
No. 10. Pastorale. Allegro
No. 11. Andante
No. 12. Solo Di Gioja. Maestoso
No. 13. Allegro
No. 14. Solo Della Cassentini. Andante
No. 15. Solo Di Vigano. Andantino
No. 16. Finale. Allegro

Customer Reviews:

5 star performance at a budget busting outrageous price.......2007-06-06

The cover for this cd boxed set came straight off the vinyl lp boxed set issued to commemorate Beethoven's 200 birthday and George Szell's passing in 1970. (I have this boxed set in great, near mint condition that sounds wonderful). I love these performances! I must have a couple of dozen or more George Szell lps. Szell is like money in the bank, like a classical sure thing! Just about everything I have heard from Szell and the CSO sparkles!

My problem with this set is the price. It costs about as much as 2.5 to 3 Klemperer Beethoven Symphonies/Bareneboim Piano Concerto cd boxed sets. For the money, you could easily buy another great Beethoven cycle, Tchaikovsky cycle, Schumann cycle, Brahms cycle, etc. etc here at Amazon. So, unless money is no object or you are a die hard (more likely die broke) Szell collector, I would recommend finding another path to Szell Beethoven Nirvana. Rhapsody has 6 or 7 of these posted. I checked the a la cart used prices at Amazon and it looks like you could pick up the missing ones not posted at Rhapsody and buy 8 or 9 months of unlimited listening at Rhapsody for the same price. Another option would be an Ebay search. There is probably an earlier cd edition you could bid on for at least two thirds cheaper or even pick up a good, used set of the real deal (vinyl lps!)

Or, maybe you have not done somehing stupid with your money and you are about due and you feel entitled, and that hundred bucks in your pocket is starting to burn a hole.......

Szell's Beethoven in best sound, forty years later.......2007-04-21

I empathize with fans for the late George Szell, who had to endure shallow, hissy sonics on the original LPs of his Beethoven cycle, then to wait decades longer while Sony put the recordings through cheap CD remastering on various budget lines. Now jsutice has been done, and the original tapes come up sounding quite good. (the same renovation has been done to the Szell-Fleisher Beethoven 3rd and 4th piano concertos though not to the Emperor, so far as I know).

The hallmarks of Szell's conducting style are well known by now. He followed Toscanini's propulsive lead, allowing little expressive rubato, insisting on perfection of execution, and in essence bringing the old man into the stereo era. To some ears this is great Beethoven, but there's more heroism and romance to be found elsewhere. I don't think Beethoven should be so well drilled, but if you favor Szell's meticulous cold style, his Beethoven is quite strong.

Sony deserves some finger wagging for filling these CDs so stingily and for stretching the material for 6 or 7 discs out to ten. Charging the full price of $100 seems like gouging, particularly when you have to buy Szell's Jupiter Sym., available elsewhere, and a Prometheus ballet that isn't even conducted by him but his pedestrian assistant, Louis Lane.

Superbly Remastered Classic Beethoven Symphony Cycle From Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra.......2007-01-31

In the 1960s, there was no other orchestra in the world - including Karajan's Berliner Philharmoniker - which sounded as fine as the Cleveland Orchestra under George Szell's magnificient direction. I am delighted that Sony has made this fine CD set available once more, using the latest digital state-of-the-art remastering, since I remember well from some old LPs I had of this Beethoven Symphony Cycle, superb performances of the 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th symphonies from Szell and his crack precision ensemble of a symphony orchestra. I concur with others who regard this CD set as the best recorded by the Cleveland Orchestra of not only Beethoven's symphonies, but indeed, of any of the great 18th and 19th Century composers. This 1957 to 1967 recorded cycle will remain as one of the most important artistic legacies of the Cleveland Orchestra during Szell's tenure as music director. Moreover, I am willing to guess that this CD set may be remembered as the best Beethoven Symphony Cycle recorded during this time, even if others, most notably Karajan's early 1960s Deutsche Grammophon cycle with the Berliner Philharmoniker, have earned lavish praise from critics and fans alike.

Music Production At Highest Level.......2006-01-14

No need to explain why Szell's Beethoven performances are exquisite - perfect balancing among instruments, expressive phrasing, unbelievable intensity, and oh yes, details!
But equal amount of praises should go to Sony's remastering engineers. You will hear a night-and-day difference from the old Essential Classics versions!

Just listen to the magnificent 9th. Szell and the Cleveland musicians give out their lives.

As Good as it Gets.......2005-04-10

Originally issued on Columbia's budget label, Epic, George Szell's early stereo (1957-1967) cycle of Beethoven's Symphonies became legendary on its original release. Originally released one at a time, the cycle was later reissued as a boxed set, individually again in the late 1970s, debuting on CD in the 1980s, and in several incarnations during the 1990s. Now, for the 21st Century, Sony has created a lavish reissue.

Ever the perfectionist, Szell drilled the Cleveland Orchestra to within an inch of its life, and the result here is orchestral playing of immaculate perfection, with the various choirs balanced as if they were one soloist. Technically, there is no better Beethoven cycle on records, not from Maazel's and Dohnanyi's later cycles with the same orchestra, not from Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic, and certainly not from Toscanini's NBC Orchestra.

Toscanini bears mentioning here, because there are similarities of approach. Szell chooses not to let details obscure the overall structure of each symphony--though there are telling details in plenty. By the time this cycle was recorded, Szell had lived with these masterpieces for half a century, and it shows in the judicious tempi, straightforward phrasing, and architectonic grandeur.

Receiving its first CD release is the same orchestra's recording of Beethoven's Creatures of Prometheus ballet, superbly conducted by Szell's assistant director, Louis Lane. Also included is Mozart's "Jupiter" Symphony, which was originally the B side for Beethoven's ubiquitous 5th. Since this is one of the finest Jupiters ever recorded, no complaints about breaking the one composer rule.

Sony's set reproduces the original cover art and sequencing (with once exception, the Overtures disc features two bonus tracks). Generally, the CDs are not well filled, however this is more than made up for by the superb documentation. The booklet contains the original LP liner notes (most of them by Klaus G. Roy, then program annotator of the Cleveland Orchestra), unfortunately whittled down. But, with a magnifying glass, one can read the miniaturized backs of the original LP covers. Sony's engineers have done an excellent job remastering the rather dry sounding original tapes.

For those encountering Beethoven's sypmhonies of Szell conducting for the first time, there is no greater starting point. For longtime fans, this set will impress with its refreshed sonics and deluxe packaging.

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