Beethoven symphonies
Wed, Apr 14 2010, 9:27PM
#2
RE: Home
Indeed, you never can go wrong with a Karajan cycle. His take on the Eroica is simply the best. However, like all other Beethoven cycles, his are imperfect. I would recommending supplementing the Ninth with any of the Furtwängler recordings and the Pastoral with almost any other recording (except Vänskä's). I've also heard Toscanini's cycle, which is fantastic, though the sound quality is not nearly as good as Karajan's cycles.
Wed, Apr 14 2010, 10:24PM
#3
Beethoven symphonies
I think the latest Mackerras cycle on Hyperion has a lot of life and is marvellous in its own way. For a more polished version, I think the second Abbado cycle (Rome) is excellent. For traditional readings, I think Gunter Wand is wonderful. Vanska too is very good and also very well recorded. Regards Anand
Thu, Apr 15 2010, 3:01PM
#4
RE: Beethoven symphonies
All this talk of Beethoven cycles has made me revisit my shelves and pull down some old favourites - I had forgotten just how good some of the Klemperer recordings are.
His approach is unlike that of anyone else, I was amazed at just how different his interpretations sound when compared to say, Karajan or Bohm.
I have a sneaking feeling that some of the more recent versions of these works have become almost interchangeable in terms of conductor. Very well played and recorded, but sometimes lacking in an interpretation!
Thu, Apr 15 2010, 3:51PM
#5
RE: Beethoven symphonies
The Klemperer set is indeed very fine (and can be bought in the same EMI boxed set as the Barenboim Piano Concertos), although the broad tempi favoured by Klemperer are not necessarily to everyone's taste. There is also an excellent live 9th under Klemperer recorded at the RFH and issued on Testament. I think this latter may have been the BBC Radio 3 Building a Library overall choice of 9ths recently.
Thu, Apr 15 2010, 4:16PM
#6
RE: Home
Indeed, you never can go wrong with a Karajan cycle. His take on the Eroica is simply the best. However, like all other Beethoven cycles, his are imperfect.
Let's not forget Karajan's 1950s Philharmonia cycle. This is my personal favourite, it contains the best and most relaxed of his "Pastoral"s, with the great Dennis Brain signing off the whole piece, like "the horns of Elfland faintly blowing...". It's my own favourite "Eroica" and 7th, and the 8th is in good early stereo (all the rest are mono, but excellent). I like the 1963 and parts of the 1977 cycles as well though, in addition to Klemperer, Bohm, Bernstein and Mackerras. All very different, there's room for all!
Fri, Sep 24 2010, 11:29AM
#7
RE: Beethoven symphonies
Don't forget Manchester Camerata's recordings - perhaps not the very top of anyone's list, but really fascinating, full of character and with a clear vision from conductor Douglas Boyd.
You can get numbers 1, 3, 5, 8 and there are more on the way (nine will be recorded live this autumn).
Modern instruments, transparent textures, emotional thrust, attractively rough-and-ready playing and - in the case of the last two releases - beautiful packaging from avie (with notes from Prof Barry Cooper, Manchester's own Beethoven expert).
Sat, Sep 25 2010, 9:13AM
#8
RE: Beethoven symphonies
After years of labor, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey's reinterpretations of
Beethoven's 3rd & 6th Symphonies premiered in June as a project
entitled "Ludwig." The project, which rearranged Beethoven's 3rd &
6th symphonies, was premiered alongside a 50 piece orchestra on June
12th as a headline performance at the OK Mozart Festival. Downbeat is
calling 'Ludwig' "a tour de force of jazz melded with classical." Now
you can catch a glimpse of the premier by watching the LUDWIG
promotional short:
Arranged by Noam Faingold & Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey
Orchestrated by Noam Faingold
Performance by Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey & Bartlesville Symphony Orchestra conducted by Lauren Green
Video directed by Elvis Ripley & David Wagoner of Sunday Town
Sun, Sep 26 2010, 6:48PM
#9
RE: Beethoven symphonies
Perhaps because it was the first I ever heard (on my parent's 78s) I still regard Toscanini's 7th from the New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orch (as it was then called) as the greatest ever recording I have heard of a Beethoven symphony. The BBC SO recording from around the same time (BBC Legends) runs it close. In stereo Cantelli's Philharmonia 7th is one of the best (Testament LP). For cycles Schmidt-Isserstedt's beautifully recorded VPO set, Szell's Cleveland and Klemperer's too. Period instrument versions, Norrington & Eliot Gardiner I find unlistenable but of more modern versions I do have a fondness for Peter Maag's 9th given away with Gramophone some years ago (beautiful & intense slow movement) and have thought of exploring the rest of his cycle. I have generally found Maag's recordings with his excellent early Decca stereos very listenable.
Thu, Oct 7 2010, 11:49AM
#10
RE: Beethoven symphonies
I think there is a problem in a way in that we all get far to used to listening to our favourite interprepations and any other ones we think just don't sound right! I for one have that problem - Furtwangler's wartime 5th and 7th are extraordinary and no one else seems to come close in my view; but is that because I keep listening to them.
Sat, Nov 20 2010, 3:53PM
#11
RE: Beethoven symphonies
Not quite on message, but if a Furtwangler performance strikes you as extraordinary on first hearing, it probably is. I'm still trying to get over a 1953 Egmont overture performance with, according to youTube, the VPO in Munich. It more than matches his various Coriolan overture recordings, which themselves are astonishing. Of course it's 'all wrong', but that's not the point. In not much more than nine minutes, in each piece, he was capable of turning the world upside down. The sheer imagination is breathtaking.
Sat, Nov 20 2010, 7:52PM
#12
RE: Beethoven symphonies
Recently I've been enjoying Furtwangler Last Salzburg Concert, August 1954, on Archipel (ARPCD 0504): LvB 8 and 7, Grosse Fuge and a bonus disc of the Eroica. Great value! Also Giulini's light-on-its-feet but incisive Beethoven 5 with LAPO from the DG Giulini in America set.
And views, please, on Cyprien Katsaris' set of the Liszt's piano transcriptions of the symphonies on Teldec? Listening to No. 4 as I write. Incredible stuff! I wonder if he'll singalong the voice parts when I get to the Choral...
Sat, Nov 20 2010, 8:59PM
#13
RE: Beethoven symphonies
Anyone have anything to say about the Gardiner cycle on period instruments I believe? Likes, dislikes, etc.
Thu, Sep 1 2011, 2:20PM
#14
RE: Beethoven symphonies
With the caveat that I haven't heard the forthcoming Chailly/RCO DECCA recordings of Beethoven's 9 symphonies:
While I was reading the cover feature of the October Gramophone edition, the main feature of Chailly's interpretations that he wants to discuss is the use of Beethoven's metronome markings as written. How <insert own affectation here> passe. Without nearly as much fanfare, there are several cycles which have carried through on this idea with great effect while also displaying the multifaceted character of Beethoven and these works - Paavo Jarvi in particular has my vote, but also Mackerras, Gardiner, Zinman et al.
While I applaud Gramophone's (hopefully) return to devoting more pages to features covering 'major' releases, let's hope that Chailly's take on these amazing works contains more insight that marking time. It is very exciting (these days) that DECCA, or indeed any of the traditionally big labels would devote the effort to a major release of central repetoire. I just hope this isn't just more a case of Solti- or Karajan-itis (ie releasing everything they do for it's own sake rather than inherent merit). Chailly's track record with his Bach CDs doesn't give me much hope, although I liked his recent Gershwin CD very much.
Can anyone give me their take on his live performances, where these recordings were made?
Thu, Sep 1 2011, 3:01PM
#15
RE: Beethoven symphonies
I heard Chailly's 9th on YouTube..perhaps the new release represents a different performance than that of the forthcoming series, but I didn't come away with the impression of something earthshaking.
The Beethoven 9s which are earthshaking, IMHO:
Kubelik, Philharmonia, the memorial concert for Otto Klemperer-live and unforgettable, includes the Masonic Funeral Music.
Furthwangler, Bayreuth, 1949
Szell, Klemperer, Toscanini are three monumental sets of 1-9
I agree with prior commentators that the 9th needs large forces.
The Liszt piano transcriptions by Cyprien Katsaris and Konstantin Scherbakov
have to be heard to be believed.
I agree that the Furtwangler 51 Bayreuth 9th takes some beating; especially the remastered version on Orfeo, which makes everything much clearer sounding than before. However I think the 54 Lucerne 9th beats even that, which on Tahra has superb sound. A whole set of Furtwangler Beethoven symphonies could be assembled from various recordings (neither of the available sets is entirely satisfactory), but the sound would be variable at best. For a whole set I prefer Karajan or live NBC Toscanini (which on Naxos comes with some good fillers and quaint NBC commentaries).