Beethoven: Symphony No. 3; Coriolan Overture

On this CD:

1. Coriolan Overture, Op. 62
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven

Conducted by Roy Goodman

2. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major ("Eroica"), Op. 55
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven

Conducted by Roy Goodman

Tracks:

Egmont Overture - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Piano Sonata No. 21 In C Major - Alfred Brendel
Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor - Jerome Rose
Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor - Jerome Rose
Piano Sonata No. 23 In F Minor - Jerome Rose
Symphony No. 6 In F Major - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 7 In A Major - Ludwig Van Beethoven
'The Creatures Of Prometheus' Ballet - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Violin Concerto In D Major - Susanne Lautenbacher
Sonata For Violin And Piano No. 5 In F Major - Aaron Rosand
Piano Trio In B Flat - Mannheimer Trio
Fse - Various Artists
Quintet In E Flat For Piano And Winds - Abbey Simon
'Chorale Fantasy' In C Minor For Piano, Chorus And Orchestra - Walter Klien
Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat - Alfred Brendel
Piano Concerto No. 3 In C Minor - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Piano Concerto No. 4 In G Major - Alfred Brendel
Piano Concerto No. 5 In E Flat - Alfred Brendel
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat - Ludwig Van Beethoven
'The Ruins Of Athens,' - Ludwig Van Beethoven
'Corolian,' - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Ecossaise For Piano - Alfred Brendel
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Customer Reviews:

Great for the road.......2007-05-11

I found this to be a nice collection of favorites, especially to keep in the car and listen to. It is a variety of well known compilations. Although not encompassing, it is perfect as a review for driving, relaxing, and enjoyment. Plus, the price is right!

Beethoven 25 Favorites.......2006-11-21

Very good! I ordered it especially for Piano Sonata No. 8 Pathetique

25 Beethoven Favorites.......2006-11-05

Good overview of his works----an introduction into his depth as a composer

bEtHoVeN mAnIaC.......2005-11-03

[...] Honestly, it isn't THAT THAT great, but its good enough for its price. I'd say that your $ pays off, for a while. I've noticed how after a long time, it gets aggrivating at times. No harm meant, "Beethoven lover". I just mean don't plunge into this cd with all the hopes in the world. Besides, it's just my opinion, so you may like it more than me. All i can say is; a) listen to some samples before you buy, b)know this is not REALLY the great Beethoven himself, and c) enjoy YOUR music, whatever it may be.

Great Price...Not so good itself.......2005-05-19

This a great priced cd, but the content is why it is so cheap. It's a true-amateur album. Beethoven Lover is over her/his head. This is the real world, not a fantasy-everyone-likes-every-type-of-music world. Deal with it and agree with me. It isn't so great.

Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos

Average customer rating:

Great Performance
Great Analog Beethoven Cycle
An essential collection
The best value in classical music on CD at the moment...
Wonderful Performances

Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Beethoven - The Complete String Quartets / Alban Berg Quartet
Mozart:The Complete Piano Sonatas and Variations
Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas / Daniel Barenboim
Dvorák: The Symphonies
Furtwangler Conducts Beethoven - Beethoven: symphonies no 3,4,5, & 9, Leonore

ASIN: B00004YA0S
Release Date: 2000-11-07

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:

masters of classical music
A good basic collection
An excellent introduction to classical music
Very Beautiful!!!!!1
Still Stuck on Beethoven

Masters of Classical Music (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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25 Classical Favorites
Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]
The Top 100 Masterpieces of Classical Music, Vol. 6-10
25 Romantic Classics
Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

ASIN: B000001VU5
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Piano Concerto In A Major, K 488: Adagio - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Flute Concerto In D Major, K 314: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Symphony No. 40 in G minor: Molto allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Clarinet Concerto KV 622: Adagio - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Serenade, K 375: Menuetto - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Turkish March - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Violin Concerto, K 216: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Divertimento, K 334: Menuetto - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Horn Concerto, K 447: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Cassation, K 99: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus

Tracks:

Overture No. 4 In Major: Rejouissance - J.S.Bach
Overture No. 3 In D Major: Air - J.S.Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 In F Major: I. Allegro - J.S.Bach
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - J.S.Bach
Overture No. 2 In B Minor: Menuet & Badinerie - J.S.Bach
Prelude In C Major - J.S.Bach
Toccata And Fugue In D Minor - J.S.Bach
Prelude In C Minor - J.S.Bach
Overture No. 1 In C Major: Passepied - J.S.Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 In F Major: II. Adagio - J.S.Bach
Kommst du nun, Jesu vom Himmel herunter, Chorale - J.S.Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G Major: II. Allegro - J.S.Bach
Violin Concerto In E Major: I. Adagio - J.S.Bach
St. Matthew Passion: Finale Chorus: 'Wir setzen uns mit Tranen nieder' - J.S.Bach

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5: Allegro con brio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Fur Elise - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Violin Romance No. 2 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
'Moonlight' Sonata: Adagio sostenuto - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Minuet - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 8 In F Major: Allegretto scherzando - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Coriolan: Overture - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Piano Concerto No. 2: Adagio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor: Allegro - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Egmont: Overture - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Tracks:

Die Fledermaus: Die Fledermaus (Excerpts) - Johann Strauss
Wine, Woman And Song - Johann Strauss
Tritsch Tratsch Polka - Johann Strauss
The Blue Danube - Johann Strauss
The Gypsy Baron: Introduction - Johann Strauss
Annen Polka - Johann Strauss
Vienna Blood - Johann Strauss
The Gypsy Baron: Einzugsmarsch - Johann Strauss

Tracks:

Tannhauser: Overture - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Dance Of The Prentices - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Prelude Act 3 - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Aufzug der Meistersinger - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Der fliegende Hollander: Overture - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Lohengrin: Prelude - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Tristan und Isolde: Prelude And Liebestod - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Tannhauser: Arrival Of The Guests At Wartburg - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 1: Allegro non troppo - Peter Tchaikovsky
String Serenade: Waltz - Peter Tchaikovsky
Violin Concerto: Andante - Peter Tchaikovsky
The Sleeping Beauty: Introduction - Peter Tchaikovsky
The Sleeping Beauty: Pas d'action - Adagio - Peter Tchaikovsky
The Sleeping Beauty: Waltz - Peter Tchaikovsky
Capriccio italien Op. 45 - Peter Tchaikovsky
Swan Lake: Ballet Suite: Scene No. 10 - Peter Tchaikovsky
Swan Lake: Ballet Suite: Waltz - Peter Tchaikovsky
Eugene Onegin: Polonaise - Peter Tchaikovsky

Tracks:

The 4 Seasons: Concerto No. 1 In E Major: Spring - VIVALDI, Antonio
Siciliano - VIVALDI, Antonio
Concerto In D Minor:: (Allegro Assai) Cologne Concerto - VIVALDI, Antonio
The 4 Seasons: Concerto No. 2 In G Minor: Summer - VIVALDI, Antonio
Oboe Sonata In B Flat Major, RV 34: Adagio - Allegro - Largo - Allegro - VIVALDI, Antonio
The 4 Seasons: Concerto No. 3 In F Major: Autumn - VIVALDI, Antonio
Oboe Concerto: Allegro non tasto - Largo - Allegro non molto - VIVALDI, Antonio
Concerto In D Minor: (Largo e spiccato) Cologne Concerto - VIVALDI, Antonio
The 4 Seasons: Concerto No. 4 In F Minor: Winter - VIVALDI, Antonio

Tracks:

Scherzo No 1 In B Minor, Op. 20 - Frederic Chopin_
Three Nocturnes, Op. 9: No 3 In B Major - Frederic Chopin_
Twelve Etudes, Op. 10: No 5 In G Flat Major - Frederic Chopin_
Twelve Etudes, Op. 25: No 10 In B Minor - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 13 In F Sharp Major - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 14 In E Flat Minor - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 15 In D Flat Major 'Raindrops' - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 16 In B Flat Minor - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 17 In A Flat Major - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 18 In F Minor - Frederic Chopin_
Scherzo No. 2 In B Flat Minor, Op. 31 - Frederic Chopin_
Waltz In E Flat Major, Op. 18 - Frederic Chopin_
Nocturne In C Sharp Minor, Op. Posth. - Frederic Chopin_
Four Mazurkas, Op. 24: No. 3 In A Flat Major - Frederic Chopin_
Four Mazurkas, Op. 24: No. 4 In B Flat Minor - Frederic Chopin_

Tracks:

Ave Maria - Franz Schubert
Impromptu In E Flat Major - Franz Schubert
Standchen - Franz Schubert
Trout Quintet: Tema con variazioni - Franz Schubert
'Rosamunde': Entr'acte No. 1 - Franz Schubert
Moment Musical In A Flat Major - Franz Schubert
'Rosamunde': Entr'acte No. 2 - Franz Schubert
Moment Musical No. 3 In F Minor - Franz Schubert
'Rosamunde': Ballet Music No.2 - Franz Schubert
Symphony No. 8 In B Minor 'Unfinished': Allegro moderato - Franz Schubert

Tracks:

Nabucco: Overture - Verdi, Giuseppe
Nabucco: Va pensiero, sull'ali dorate - Verdi, Giuseppe
Aida: Prelude - Verdi, Giuseppe
II Trovatore: Verdi! le fosche notturne (Gypsies' Chorus) - Verdi, Giuseppe
II Trovatore: Or co' daddi, ma fra poco (Soldiers' Chorus) - Verdi, Giuseppe
Aroldo: Overture - Verdi, Giuseppe
La Traviata: Prelude - Verdi, Giuseppe
La Traviata: Noi siamo zingarelle - Verdi, Giuseppe
La Traviata:: Libiamo ne' lieti calici - Verdi, Giuseppe
La Traviata: Di Madride noi siam mattadori - Verdi, Giuseppe
La forza del destino: Overture - Verdi, Giuseppe

Customer Reviews:

masters of classical music.......2007-03-26

A nice collection for the classical listener. Great variety of composers and the music quality of the cds are very good.

A good basic collection.......2006-11-10

With selections from numerous composers, it is an easy way to familiarize oneself with some of the most popular classical works and excerpts. A pleasant listen for the initiated too.

An excellent introduction to classical music.......2006-10-18

This is an excellent introduction to classical music. Well performed and presented.

Very Beautiful!!!!!1.......2006-10-05

If you are a fan of classical music then you better get this set. Not only is it very cheap, 10 Discs for about 2$ per disk. Now where are you gonna find a deal like this. I actually found mine chaper, $20.00 even and the music is outstanding. If you had a very bad day and very stressed out, just put in one of these cds, lay down, dim down the lights and just relax. It really helped me out.

Still Stuck on Beethoven.......2006-08-22

I just recently started listening to classical music so I'm certainly not one to compare or critique the quality of this set. However, I do have a few comments...

My interest started in this genre of music because I'm researching my ancestry in Prussia and this is the music of those times. Never mind my ancestors were poor peasants who probably never got the chance to hear such wonderful music... when listening to these CDs, I'm taken back in time... to a royal court in Europe... to another place in time. The music is inspiring, relaxing, invigorating.

I have yet to listen to all the CD's in the set. I'm stuck on Beethoven! Wasn't he AWESOME!?!

I think this set is a wonderful introduction to classical music!!!!!

Average customer rating:

Great value!

The Story of Beethoven

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

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ASIN: B000001KCZ
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Tracks:

Tempo Di Minuetto - Guiomar Novaes
Bach: Two-Part Invention No. 9 - Guiomar Novaes
Minuet in G Major, Wo0 8, 10/2 - Guiomar Novaes
German Dances, Wo0 8, Nos. 1 & 2 - Arthur Hannes
Sonatina, Anh. 5/2 - Guiomar Novaes
Appassionata - Guiomar Novaes
Overture to 'To Creatures of Prometheus,' Op. 43 - Arthur Hannes
Andante Con Moto - Arthur Hannes
Emperor - Guiomar Novaes
Andante Ma Non Troppo - Guiomar Novaes
Allegro Con Brio; Marcia Funebre - Arthur Hannes
Allegro Con Brio; Allegro - Arthur Hannes
Poco Sostenuto - Arthur Hannes
Pastorale (Excerpts) - Arthur Hannes
Allegretto - Arthur Hannes
Leonore Overture No. 3, Op. 72 - Arthur Hannes
Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 - Arthur Hannes
Adagio Sostenuto; Presto Agitato - Guiomar Novaes
Allegro Ma Non Troppo; Presto - Guiomar Novaes
Allegro - Guiomar Novaes
Adagio Un Poco Mosso - Guiomar Novaes
Rondo: Allegro - Guiomar Novaes

Customer Reviews:

Great value!.......2007-01-04

Though I haven't listened to all of the CD's in this series which I ordered, I am very impressed with the ones I have listened to. Very enjoyable and informative, and the price couldn't be any lower!!!

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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Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos
Wagner: Extracts from the operas

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:

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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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!

Average customer rating:

Surprisingly better than its reputation, and the CSO is glorious
Great 9th, and I Mean Great! The Rest is Average to Awful, I'm Disappointed in Solti
Beethoven's Funeral...
Not really recommended...
You say tomatoe, I say Beethoven!

Beethoven: The Symphonies

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000041Z4
Release Date: 1992-02-11

Tracks:

Sym No.5 in c, op.67: I. Allegro con brio
Sym No.5 in c, op.67: II. Andante con moto
Sym No.5 in c, op.67: III. Allegro
Sym No.5 in c, op.67: IV. Allegro
Sym No.2 in D, op.36: I. Adagio molto-Allegro con brio
Sym No.2 in D, op.36: II. Larghetto
Sym No.2 in D, op.36: III. Scherzo: Allegro
Sym No.2 in D, op.36: IV. Allegro molto

Tracks:

Sym No.3 in E flat, op.55 'Eroica': I. Allegro con brio
Sym No.3 in E flat, op.55 'Eroica': II. Marcia funebre: Adagio assai
Sym No.3 in E flat, op.55 'Eroica': III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace
Sym No.3 in E flat, op.55 'Eroica': IV. Finale: Allegro molto
Ovt 'Egmont', op.84
Ovt 'Coriolan', op.62

Tracks:

Sym No.6 in F, op.68 'Pastoral': I. Allegro ma non troppo (Awakening of cheerful feelings...)
Sym No.6 in F. op.68 'Pastoral': II. Andante molto mosso (By the brook)
Sym No.6 in F. op.68 'Pastoral': III. Allegro (Merry gathering of the country folk)
Sym No.6 in F. op.68 'Pastoral': IV. Allegro (Thunderstorm)
Sym No.6 in F. op.68 'Pastoral': V. Allegretto (Shepherd's song. Happy and thankful feelings...)
Sym No.8 in F, op.93: I. Allegro vivace e con brio
Sym No.8 in F, op.93: II. Allegretto scherzando
Sym No.8 in F, op.93: III. Tempo di menuetto
Sym No.8 in F, op.93: IV. Allegro vivace

Tracks:

Sym No.7 in A, op.92: I. Poco sostenuto-Vivace
Sym No.7 in A, op.92: II. Allegretto
Sym No.7 in A, op.92: III. Presto
Sym No.7 in A, op.92: IV. Allegro con brio
Sym No.1 in C, op.21: I. Adagio molto-Allegro con brio
Sym No.1 in C, op.21: II. Andante cantabile con moto
Sym No.1 in C, op.21: III. Menuetto: Allegro molto e vivace
Sym No.1 in C, op.21: IV. Adagio-Allegro molto e vivace

Tracks:

Ovt 'Leonora' No.3
Sym No.4 in B flat, op.60: I. Adagio-Allegro vivace
Sym No.4 in B flat, op.60: II. Adagio
Sym No.4 in B flat, op.60: III. Allegro vivace
Sym No.4 in B flat, op.60: IV. Allegro ma non troppo
Sym No.9 in d, op.125: I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso

Tracks:

Sym No.9 in d, op.125: II. Molto vivace
Sym No.9 in d, op.125: III. Adagio molto e cantabile
Sym No.9 in d, op.125: IV. Presto-Allegro assai-Andante maestoso-Allegro energico, sempre ben marcat - Pilar Lorengar/Yvonne Minton/Stuart Burrows/Martti Talvela/Chicago Sym Chor/Margaret Hillis

Customer Reviews:

Surprisingly better than its reputation, and the CSO is glorious.......2007-05-23

Solti recorded this Beethoven cycle from Chicago between 1972 and 1975. The first thing to say in its favor is that the sonics are up to Decca's analog standards, with lots of detail, dynamic range, and punch. That suits Solti's style in Beethoven, because although he reins in his trademark fierce attacks and driving tempos, he's still aggressive. It's not so much that he sides with Toscanini against Furtwangler, but that he performs Beethoven from the outside, marshalling all the externals while revealing almost nothing of his own feelings for the music. Millions of CD buyers clearly like his style, and since I hadn't heard all his Beethoven symphonies, I thought I'd survey them.

CD1 contains the 5th and 2nd symphonies, which sound much the same under Solti's direction. He pulls Beethoven forcefully out of the classical world of Haydn, an effect amplified by using a full modern orchestra. The lovely slow movement of the Second is bulked up beyond what we hear nowadays, and the Scherzo proceeds with startling sfozando accent that stab at the rhythm. The finale is fast and efficient. Strangely, the Fifth could use more of this propulsion. After a biting attck at the famous motto, the strings become almost mechanical. Solti needs to supply vitality form the inside, but he doesn't. As a result, all the movements sound proficient and impersonal. The CSO brass dominate the finale, as you'd expect, but Solti's tempo lags a bit behind Beethoven's Allegro con brio.

CD 2 is devoted to the Eroica and two overtures, Egmont and Coriolan. The opening movement of the symphony is surprisingly old-fashioned and measured, but accents are strong. In its broad, forthright way it's convincing, despite moments when vitality lapses. The funeral march is serious, dignified and well-paced. If only Solti could find it in himself to be moved, because without that, we won't be. The Scherzo is exemplary and the horn trio a thrill (it's taken at tempo but not fast). The impression of a traditional Eroica is underscored in the finale, which is more respectful than abandoned. The two overtures are in the same vein, their chief virtue being the orchestra and the recorded sound. Still, this is one of the more successful CDs in the set.

CD 3 brings a fairly familiar pairing, the Pastorale and 8th symphonies. Solti would seem to be ill-suited to the gentler, bucolic side of Beethoven, but he is never less than skillful and respectful. The Pastorale finds him in a relaxed mood--I'm not sure I'd call it genial--and frankly the results are more successful than Karajan's over-poolished, emotionally frigid accounts. The Chicago strings remain sweet and almost Viennese throughout. After a proficient Scherzo in the style of Szell (no actual peasants allowed) and with excellent wind solos, the storm proceeds without undue shocks. In other words, it doesn't inspire Solti to brutality. The finale needs more joy and reverence, but it is robust and direct. In all, one of Solti's best efforts in Beethoven.

The 8th opens with a too-heavy Allegro vivace, but Solti is in good humor and doesn't drag things down. To me, this symphony requires the kind of wit, delicacy, and effervescence as Mendelssohn, and since Solti only gives us a traditional Germanic account, with sharper than usual accents, I am not ovelry enthusiastic. But as a filler to the Sixth this is more than adequate, and one can always fall back upon the gorgeous playing.

CD 4 gathers the 7th and 1st Symphonies, an odd pairing. The 7th requires an exceptional reading to efface memories of Kleiber and Karajan, specialists in this work. Solti isn't inspired, but the CSO plays with blazing commitment, which counts for a lot (they were just as good for Reiner in his classic account on RCA Living Stereo). LIsteners who want to hear lots of horns in the mix will be more than satisfied. Solti's rhythm could be crisper in the first movement; the Allegretto is taken a bit faster than the norm in German readings but isn't light-footed. The Scerzo is alert, speedy, and totally successful. I always hear Karajan's searing finale in my ears, but Solti comes fairly close. In all, a good Seventh keeping up with the Eroica and Pastoral.

The 1st Sym. copies the style of the 2nd in being ig-boned, forceful, and romantic. The recording is especially good, giving us lots of woodwind detail and impact in the orchestra's wide dynamic range. There's not a puny note here, which is a mized blessing in a work that cries out for delicacy and wit. Of its overblown kind, however, this is a good reading that never sags.

CD 5 contains the Leonore Over. #3, the 4th Sym., and the first movement of the Ninth. Splitting the 9th on to two discs isn't a sin, but Decca has been stingy with timings: most Beethoven cycles fit on 5 CDs without overtures, or perhaps one. Solti's Fourth is in the same traditional style as his Eighth; it's given weight and iportance but ddoesn't sag. Despite a fairly impersonal slow movement, the other movements are satisfying. The Leonore #3 is forceful and dramatic, lacking only what it must have: blazing inspiration. But if you have hung in this long, I think you will find Solti better--and more traditional--at Beethoven than his take-no-prisoners reputation would lead us to believe.

CD 6 completes the 9th Sym., whose first movement on the preceding CD, was forthright and dramatic but lacking in mystery. If you just want to hear a first-rate orchestra playing in excellent sound, this certainly fits the bill. If you want to hear a new or individual take on a masterpiece, it doesn't. The Scherzo proceeds very well, with Solti keeping the rhythm alive and alert. The Adagio, at 19 min., is one of the slower ones; this tempo requires the conductor to keep an unwavering conentration. Solti certainly controls his forces well--even Karajan doesn't give us a better played rendition. But by trying for a hushed, reverent atmosphere, Solti misses the music's spsiritual intensity. This is one movement you must conduct form the inside, from your own deep emotions, and Solti doesn't.

The theatricality of the choral finale is more up his alley. He's ore involved, and the exciting parts are very exciting, with the CSO lower strings outdoing all rivals for richness and accuracy. Solti's apaproach is too straightforward, however, missing much in terms of real eloquence and emotional depth. Marti Talvela makes a stunning, sonorous bass soloist, and the rest of the quartet is fine. The Chicago chorus is world-class, of course, and far exceeds the woolly, wobbly Vienna Singverein that Karajan used three times on DG. Several reviewers have called this 9th the high point of Solti's cycle, and I tend to agree.

In sum, a more satisfying Beethoven set than I expected, with excellent sonics and great playing from the CSO. Solti isn't profound, but his other virtues shine through.

Great 9th, and I Mean Great! The Rest is Average to Awful, I'm Disappointed in Solti.......2006-02-05

First the good part, the 9th symphony here is tremendous, very powerful, spiritual and moving. The power of the first two movements is immense, the adagio spacious and deeply involving. The last movement has some of the finest soloists and choral work you're ever likely to hear. I would say overall, Solti's conception of this music is very Furtwangler-esque and it works! It's better than Karajan! I've owned this great Ninth for years on a separate CD in the mid-line Penguin Classics series.

Loving that Ninth I wanted to find out what special qualities Solti might have brought to the rest of the Beethoven cycle, so I bought it. BIG MISTAKE. First off, why is the Ninth Symphony here split between two discs? It could easily have fit on one. The people at Decca must be absolute morons. So you have the best performance in the cycle split to two discs, idiotic!

Let's look at the rest of the performances. The first two symphonies are well played but are not nearly as exhilarating or intense as Karajan or even Bernstein! The 2nd symphony's larghetto slow movement is 13 and a half minutes. It sounds gorgeous but might be a bit too slow for most people in this performance. It typically takes 10 or 11 minutes. The Eroica is disappointing, with slow, bloated playing, nowhere near as exciting as Karajan. Solti takes the exposition repeat in the first movement and stretches the Allegro Con Brio to 19:34, very slow indeed! The rest of the symphony drags by, not generating much excitement. The 4th symphony is dull in Solti's hands and so is the Pastoral, the 7th and the 8th. I was really bored by the famous 5th. I expected this baby to be like lighting in Solti's hands, it comes out flat and dull in the first movement and lacks triumph and power in the grand finale. Just listen to Karajan's 1962 Fifth to truly get the power and bite of this awesome music.

So this cycle isn't so hot but it is still better than Solti's later digital cycle he recorded in the 1980's. Those performances are worse than these here and the sound in the 80's versions is less vibrant than these here.

For the most part, it would be beneficial and time saving if you skipped this Solti set of the symphonies, get Karajan if you crave a complete cycle. Just be sure to buy Solti's Ninth from this cycle separately in the Penguin Classics series. Solti is truly inspired in the Ninth symphony, like Furtwangler was for an earlier generation!

Beethoven's Funeral..........2005-10-21

...and Solti's music is the processional. Of all old school directors such as Karajan, Toscanini, etc., Solti's performances are simply morbidly slow to the point of killing the grieving attendants with boredom. The cacophony of the oversized orchestra doesn't help either. Solti's interpretations are even too slow for a requiem. You think a regular interpretation of the 7th's second movement is slow? Wait 'til you hear this one; you're going to need a massage you'll be so stiff. The 9th symphony march is supposed to be a brisk revolutionary march calling the citizens to arms and to join the militia marching through a town. With Solti you imagine only a funeral procession coming through the town. In the Fifth the whole orchestra is almost struggling to slow down to match the strings. Karajan's interpretations are not particularly fast either but at least he breathes some life into them and the orchestra. I personally like Toscanini in terms of the old 20th century symphonic conductors and Gardiner's traditional interpretations that are at least at a correct speed and give the listener the impression they are marching off as part of a revolutionary batallion to bring liberty to the oppressed instead of being rolled to the morgue. Beethoven was a revolutionary anti-monarchist and strongly supported the idea of political change. Solti's interpretations are simply too sluggish and indecipherable to represent such ideals. Solti would definitely be my last choice for anything. You won't lose anything by not buying these pieces that's for sure: his interpretations are so slow they would simply fossilize you.

Not really recommended..........2005-05-03

Sorry folks, but I am perr-itty dissapointed in this nice little boxed set. Why?

Well, firstly the Symphonies are broken up. For example: #5 with #2, #7 with #1, and then in the 9th you get the Leonore Overture 3, then symphony #4, then the first movement of the 9th!, then you have put on the next disc for the rest of the ninth! Oh Boy!

Secondly, the sound quality is not the demonstration quality one expects from Decca during those amazing analogue years. The sound has been all muddied up. The sound is a little low, with none of the clarity and the brilliance coming through in the recordings.

Thirdly, Solti doesn't deliver as you know he should. Standard readings with a bit of extra insight, but nothing of that typical drive. It seems that Beethoven isn't Solti's composer par excellence! He doesn't understand him as say, Klemperer or Karajan understands Beethoven...unfortunatly.

Solti and the CSO didn't really know each other so well back in 1972/74, and you can tell. I'd imagine that their later digital cycle would be more authoratative than this first set.

I still like my Klemperer and my Karajan(any) sets!

You say tomatoe, I say Beethoven!.......2005-01-06

I believe one of the dissenting reviewers remarked that Beethoven was not a romantic period composer and was in fact a member of the late classical, possibly squeezing into the early romantic, period. As such Solti's readings of the symphonies are "too loud and too slow." I will not dwell too long on just how reductionist and completely alien to the composers themselves the whole notion of 'periods' and 'phases' really is. It is simply our all too human obsession with ordering and categorising things - forcing that which we are unable to, or incapable of completely comprehending into nice, easily digestable portions. But in the typically blunt words of Marx, "Valery is a petit bourgeois but a petit bourgeois is not Valery".

Whilst several viewers are citing Solti's intrepretation of the first movement of the 'Eroica', celebrating Napoleon and the French Revolution (a dedication he unhesitatingly withdrew) as a detractor from this set, I must say that for me this is one of the sets many highlights. The seventh from start to finish is revelatory, the ninth, in particular the beautiful slow third movement, forces you to stop what you are doing and listen. Sure it would be nice to have the ninth all on one disc but then it would be nice to get this set for free - point being that it is at most a pedantic annoyance, technology shouldn't get in the way. Go buy an mp3 player and you won't look back on this score.

Where some say slow I say majestic, where some say loud, I say intense and inspired. This is intentional music-making; there is nothing passive or accidental here and those after a more filigreed reading, those shop owners seeking after mere elevator music and infoline filler, music that won't stop your customers dead in their tracks, then avoid this set like the plague.

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 9; Overtures

Average customer rating:

A Matter of Taste
La mejor Eroica de todas!
Very fine, but could have been so much better
The "Eroica" gets 5 stars; The Ninth, 3...maybe
What's all the hype about?

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 9; Overtures

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Beethoven: Symphony Nos. 6, 7 & 8/2 Overtures
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Beethoven: Symphonien Nos. 5 & 7 / Kleiber, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 35-41
Beethoven: Symphony No.9 'choral', 'egmont' Overture

ASIN: B000001GHL
Release Date: 1995-04-11

Tracks:

Symphonie no. 3 en Mi bemol Majeur 'Heroique', op. 55: Allegro con brio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphonie no. 3 en Mi bemol Majeur 'Heroique', op. 55: Marcia funebre : Adagio assai - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphonie no. 3 en Mi bemol Majeur 'Heroique', op. 55: Scherzo : Allegro vivace - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphonie no. 3 en Mi bemol Majeur 'Heroique', op. 55: Finale : Allegro molto - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Ouvertures: Ouverture du drame de J.W.v.Goethe 'Egmont', op. 81 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Ouvertures: Ouverture de la Tragedie II. de J.v.Colin 'Coriolan' op. 62 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Ouvertures: Ouverture du ballet 'Les Crures de Prom, op. 43 - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Tracks:

Symphonie no. 9 en Re mineur, op. 125: Allegro Ma Non Troppo Un Poco Maestoso - L.V. Beethoven
Symphonie no. 9 en Re mineur, op. 125: Molto Vivace - L.V. Beethoven
Symphonie no. 9 en Re mineur, op. 125: Adagio Molto E Cantabile - L.V. Beethoven
Symphonie no. 9 en Re mineur, op. 125: Presto - L.V. Beethoven
Symphonie no. 9 en Re mineur, op. 125: Presto -`O Freunde nicht diese Tone' - L.V. Beethoven

Amazon.com essential recording

This is one of the greatest recordings of the famous Ninth Symphony. It has long been overshadowed by Karajan's three recordings for the same label, as well as Bernstein's version with the same orchestra. But put them all on your CD player and compare, and this is the one you'll be coming back to. Böhm was the least glamorous of conductors, but he approaches the Ninth with messianic zeal and a fanatical gleam in his eye. The opening movement is a cataclysm, the sublime slow movement never loses its contemplative flow, and everyone involved simply sings and plays the pants off of the finale. If the final minute or two doesn't pull you right out of your seat, nothing will. Grab it while you can at this "twofer" price. It's a steal. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

A Matter of Taste.......2006-09-16

These are beautifully played but tame performances. Bohm, like Haitink, is a conductor who can somehow get away with this.

If you want stormy weather look elsewhere.

La mejor Eroica de todas!.......2006-03-28

he conocido numerosísimas versiones de la Eroica, todas destacadas: Karajan-Berlín/1962 (y también las posteriores), Klemperer-Philharmonia(1954), Szell-Cleveland, Wand-NDR, Wynn Morris-Londres, Schuricht-Paris, etc., pero la versión de Böhm-Viena que tuve hace treinta años en vinilo, más tarde en cassette y hoy en CD ha gozado siempre de mi preferencia. ¿Razones?, vamos viendo:
1er. movto: los vigorosos acordes iniciales, enérgicos sin ser violentos como un Szell-Cleveland o Wand-NDR, nos anticipan una concepción majestuosa, sin embargo en la sección de transición siguiente el director se muestra más bien tímido o cauteloso, pero después de ese breve pasaje, la potencia de los acordes iniciales regresa paulatinamente para no decaer más hasta concluir el movto. el cual es en su conjunto un torbellino de pasión, la coda final es estremecedora, a mí me causa una impresión similar al crescendo del finale del 1er movto. de la 7a de Bruckner en la versión de Schrowazewsky-Saarbrücken (ARTE NOVA), el pasaje de las trompetas destacadísimo sin nublar el ondular de las cuerdas al fondo, los timbales en su justa medida: destacados, sin un protagonismo exagerado. La conclusión, apoteósica;
2° movto: los tonos grises emergen con moderación desde las sombras y van aumentando en color e intensidad, la emoción crece paulatinamente nó en terminos dramáticos como en Klemperer-Philarmonia/1954, sino en términos épicos o eroicos, no se ejecuta propiamente una marcha fúnebre sino un himno, más que a un drama asistimos a una epopeya épica, prima por sobre la dramaticidad, la solemnidad. Para concluir, desde las sombras emergen esta vez los cornos en perfecto contraste con las maderas y cuerdas graves, cerrando el movto. con una bofetada que nos devuelve la respiración;
3er movto: los violines irrumpen graciosa y elegantemente, sin marcar un acusado contraste con el movimiento precedente como en Karajan-Berlín/62, en que de un funeral se ingresa en una bacanal desenfrenada!, Böhm prefiere abordar este pasaje con moderación reservando las fuerzas para el finale, los cornos nuevamente magníficos en la sección central, tras una recapitulación tanto del tema principal como del trio, el movto se cierra con una rápida conclusión;
4° movto: casi sin pausa emerge poderosa la introducción del movto., y las cuerdas en pizzicato presentan el tema principal, que es el mismo del Prometeo y del Septimino, tras lo cual dos acordes vigorosos dan inicio a las variaciones que como un torbellino se suceden unas a otras, recorriendo las distintas secciones de la orquesta, dejando de manifiesto la maestría del compositor en el manejo de los recursos orquestales, para concluir el movto. con los acordes iniciales que se vuelven marciales recordándonos que estamos en presencia de una "epopeya", para concluir la obra con un frenético final.
La vesión que yo tengo es una antigua edición de una colección de precio medio "resonance", pero tengo entendido que es posible encontrar no sólo la Eroica, sino todas las sinfonías con Böhm-Viena en "Eloquence" y además con el sonido mejorado(¡como para comprarlas todas!) La mejor versión de esta obra que he escuchado. Ofrezco las excusas del caso, porque la 9a contenida en este CD doble no la conozco, pero dificilmente podría superar a mi versión preferida que es la de Eliahu Inbal-Sinf. de Viena en DENON (conc. de Año Nuevo 1991, live recording). De todos modos igualmente 5 estrellas para esta grabación por la Eroica! Atte Oscar Olavarria, Santiago, Chile

Very fine, but could have been so much better.......2005-10-09

The set presents Bohm at his best, but inadvertently illustrates what I always find so frustrating about his musicmaking. Elisabeth Furtwangler, the widow of the great conductor, once said in reference to him, "in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king". Bohm is always very sensible in tempo, articulation, balance, etc., and in these performances is passionate, occasionaly inspired, but alas, the music doesn't have the breath of life. One never has the sense of the music evolving on it's own, and of being immersed in that flow, but rather of being detached from it, as if reluctant to surrender oneself to it. In this day and age, it is remarkably rare to have a recording very good, as this is, and one feels thankful for it, but that is only a sign of how far classical music has fallen that we are satisfied with this standard, rather than with a cosmic experience such as Furtwangler often provided. Comparing the recordings certainly does Bohm no favors. Bohm's Eroica is a thrill ride, nothing less and really nothing more, whereas Furtwangler's Eroica (especially the outstanding Berlin Eroica from December 8, 1952) is a deeply moving experience; as one example, the funeral march is rendered strictly and inflexibly by Bohm, whereas Furtwangler fills the piece with an indescribable sense of resignation. The Ninth is an even more strking example. The entire piece emerges from an incredible, otherwordly atmosphere that completely defies description, but Bohm turns a blind eye toward the spiritual significance that the form of the symphony has. Even Furtwangler's worst Ninths (because of poor execution, recording, or because of a somewhat less inspired performance than it could be) tower above the competition, but the great performances that are playing through my mind right now are the wartime Berlin (extremely dramatic), the '51 Bayreuth (great joy), and especially the ethereal Lucerne Ninth. The overtures which fill out the first disc are unquestionably well done, but again, Bohm goes halfway to a remarkable experience.

The "Eroica" gets 5 stars; The Ninth, 3...maybe.......2004-01-08

In Karl Bohm's view of the Ninth, the only thing that stands out in my mind are the closing chords. There are some attractive moments but, for the most part, throughout virtually the entire symphony the "wrist" is rather limp and its pulse rather weak. Even in the final movement, the chorus and orchestra just seem to amble along to the very end. The vital forces that should resound in this work have taken a holiday. I find it difficult to wax eloquent about this mostly uneventful event.... But the Third or "Eroica" is a horse of a different color as far as I am concerned. Bohm gives it one of the finest performances I have encountered. The kinds of musical details he brings out and the way he expresses them make for very satisfying listening. This is especially true of his rendering of the first and fourth movements. But it is in the funeral march where he really scores. While Bruno Walter is particularly effective at conveying the solemnity of the occasion, Bohm digs even deeper, and delivers an even more thoroughly felt combination of seriousness, sadness, tragedy and nobility. To c