Beethoven: Symphony No.9, Ouverture "Egmont" [Import]

Track Listings

1. Ouverture Egmont Op.84

2. Allegro Ma Non Troppo, Un Poco Maestoso

3. Molto Vivace

4. Adagio Molto E Cantabile

5. Presto

6. Presto -O Freunde, Nicht Diese Tone !-Allegro Assai

Editorial Reviews
Album Details
This is Simply One of the Greatest, Most Deservedly Legendary Recordings of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony Ever Offered to the Public. Tempos and Dynamics Vary Widely, with Fricsay Always Considerate of the Works Many Thematic Challenges. His Handling of the Subtle Rhythmic Gradations of the Molto Vivace is Peerless and Prepare Yourself for One of the Most Exhilarating Allegro Assai Finales this Side of Toscanini. With a Line Up of Soloists Including Irmgard Seefried, Maureen Forrester, Ernst Haefliger, and Dietrich Fischer-dieskau all in their Vocal Prime as Well, it Simply Doesn't Get Any Better Than This. Deutsche Grammophon's Rich Well-balanced Sound is Very Good for It's Vintage. No Matter How Many Performances of this Frequently Recorded Masterpiece You May Already Own, Don't Miss Fricsay's!

Customer Reviews:

Lots of Szell Brings A Re-evaluation.......2005-09-21

Kudos to Decca for bringing together in one convenient set George Szell's recordings that were made for the Decca & Philips labels from the early 1950s and to mid 1960s (minus those recordings where he acted in the role of accompanist, ie: those with pianist Curzon). These recordings are very well known and have been collector's items for many years, so to have them together in a mid-price box is self recommending.

The Philips recordings were issued a few years ago as a 2-CD set in their "Early Years" series while a few of the Decca recordings have already been released as singles in their Classic Sound series (both series saw very spotty distribution Stateside). I detect very little change in the sound quality in these new Decca Classic Sound versions, though the couplings from CD to CD are better programmed here than they were before (Philips had to cram alot of music on those 2CDs).

The most-recommendable recordings in the bunch are Szell's Mozart 34, Dvorak 8, Beethoven Egmont, Mendelssohn Midsummer's Night and Brahms 3. Here, the usual Szell trademarks are fully on display: tight rhythms, crisp articulation and finely graded dynamics. However, I was unexpectedly disappointed in two recordings long held to be top Szell & basic repertoire recommendations: the Beethoven 5 and Sibelius 2.

The Beethoven 5 has always been touted as more relaxed and in better sound than Szell's CBS 5th with Cleveland. But comparing this new Decca re-issue to Sony's recent "Original Jacket" issue of the Cleveland 5th, I didn't find that to be true at all. The Sony version now stands - to me, at least - as the better representation of Szell in this warhorse, both as an interpretation and in recorded sound. Indeed, the Concertgebouw recording suffers from an extremely lackluster and sloppy second movement that probably could have used a retake. Something just isn't right here - conductor and orchestra are not on the same page of the playbook...which is not what one expects in a recording by such a strong-willed technician as Szell. As an overall performance, this Concertgebouw recording is now easily surpassed by Szell's Sony effort, not to mention alternate versions by Kleiber, Karajan, Bernstein and others (but, again, you need to hear the Szell/Sony in the Original Jackets remastering, not the earlier Essential Classics version).

As for the Sibelius 2, we have a situation where poor intonation and hesitant execution in the orchestra knock this version off the pedestal of received opinion. And, with Szell's live Tokyo performance with Cleveland now widely available, his Concertgebouw version comes in direct competition with - Szell himself, and in a much better and much more cohesive recording. With the "if only he had recorded this with Cleveland" caveat removed, the choice is now clear - get the Cleveland version if you want Szell in Sibelius 2. That recording remains a top recommendation, though Ormandy, Maazel, Vanska and even Karajan have all brought their particular strengths to this piece as well, strengths that are much different than Szell's forte(s). There's plenty of room at the top when it comes to great recordings of great music.

Having lived with both the Beethoven and Sibelius for years, it's a bit disconcerting to have to make the above observations, but there you have it.

For the rest of the set, it is good to have Szell's interpretations of Tchaikovsky and Schubert on hand in such good sound. But truth be told, there are better versions out there of these works as well, the Tchaik 4 in particular (which in Szell's hands hangs fire in the least-expected places). The Baroque recordings included here are testament to a long-gone era when the standard Baroque works (worques?) were made acceptable to orchestral audiences by beefing them up to quasi-Wagnerian proportions. And even here, Szell is bettered by his contemporaries like Adrian Boult and Karl Richter in similar repertoire. A Baroque curate's egg if there ever was one.

Having said all of the above, I can still safely recommend this set to just about anyone interested in Szell or the repertoire on offer. Yes - work to work, there are better versions available, some from Szell himself. But *overall,* this set will provide plenty of pleasure and musical excitement to everyone save the anti-Szell wing of the classical music zealotry.

Enjoy.

George Szell is best known from his Columbia recordings.......2005-08-31

George Szell (1897-1970) is best known from his recordings made in the 1950s and 60s for Columbia records, mostly with the Cleveland Orchestra, many of which are now on Sony Classical. But he also made a number of recordings during the same period for Decca and Philips in Europe, with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam; Vienna Philharmonic, and London Symphony, all of which are included in this box. If you think of Szell as a cold, calculating technician - and he could be in some of his Columbia recordings - he has precision here in spades, but also warm sound, perhaps partly from the remastering for this release.

Szell's Concertgebouw Beethoven Symphony 5 is MUCH BETTER than his Cleveland recording. The precision is there, but it also sings, and is warmer than the Cleveland recording (Sony, coupled with Symphony 2). Szell's Vienna EGMONT is one of the best recordings of the work, if not THE best recording of the stereo age, even 36 years after it was recorded. The Sibelius 2 (also with the Concertgebouw) is warm and fine in every way. The Concertgebouw played beautifully for him, and it shows.

The Mendelssohn MIDSUMMER NIGHT's DREAM, Schubert ROSAMUNDE, Mozart Symphony 34, Handel WATER MUSIC and ROYAL FIREWORKS MUSIC are all excellent, too. Some may have favorite performances, but I cannot imagine anything better than Szell's Concertgebouw Mozart 34: perhaps Bohm (DG) and Krips (Philips).
The 5th disc has two classic mono recordings of the early 1950s:
Dvorak's Symphony 8, and Brahms 3, both with the Concertgebouw. The sound is just fine: beautifully remastered, and Szell's performances very solid and musical.

As you can tell, I'm very happy with this, and would advise anyone with $30.00 spare change to pick it up at their first opportunity.

Average customer rating:

Orchestra Excerpts for Viola

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

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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Orchestral Excerpts for Viola, with written and spoken commentary
Orchestral Excerpts for Cello
Orchestral Excerpts for Violin
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Romances & Elegies for Viola & Piano

ASIN: B0000038L5
Release Date: 1998-01-27

Tracks:

Intro
Don Quixote
Hary Janos
Concert Variations
Daphnis et Chloe, Ste No. 2
Midsummer Nights Dream
Peter Grimes
Tchaikovsky: Sym No. 6
Sym No. 5
Roman Carnival Ov
Don Juan
Tallis Variations
Sym No. 35
Sym No. 4
Haydn Vars
Sym No. 10
Peer Gynt
Sym No. 5
Mother Goose
Romanian Rhap No. 1
Romanian Rhap No. 2

Average customer rating:

Top notch mostly 1950s mono recordings in excellent sound
A great conductor's legacy of great performances of music of a wide variety of composers.
Brilliant "Life in Music" Rescued from the Vaults

Ferenc Fricsay: A Life in Music

Manufacturer: Umvd Labels
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Igor Markevitch
Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon
The 1950s Concerto Recordings
Hindemith Conducts Hindemith: The Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon
Troubadour of the Piano

ASIN: B00009LW2Z
Release Date: 2003-08-12

Customer Reviews:

Top notch mostly 1950s mono recordings in excellent sound.......2005-11-10

"Ferenc Fricsay: A Life in Music" consists mostly of top notch 1950s mono recordings in excellent sound, from DG's back catalog. I knew of Ferenc Fricsay (1914-1963) mostly from his recording of Bartok's Piano Concertos 1,2,and 3 with pianist Geza Anda. Fricsay also recorded Mozart's operas "Don Giovanni" and "Die Zauberflote", both with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau in the cast for DG; also Beethoven's 9th Symphony; Bartok's "Concerto for Orchestra", and "Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta", all for DG. Fricsay did not live a long time, dying at age 48 from cancer, but he made alot of recordings from 1949 until his death in 1963, many of them sadly hidden in DG's vaults for decades.

DG has given the public a great release with this 9 disc set of Fricsay recordings, mostly in mono, but excellent sound. Do not be afraid of the mono sound: it is very clear and balanced, in many cases better than many stereo and even digital recordings made more recently. Included are Beethoven's Symphony 1; Mendelssohn's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" with the vocal duets included; Prokofiev's "Classical" Symphony; Franck's Symphonic variations and Rachmaninoff Paganini Variations with Swiss pianist Margrit Weber; Haydn's "The Seasons" (complete, live performance with Maria Stader, Ernst Haeflinger, and Joseph Greindl); works of Falla, Francaix, Hindemith, Frank Martin, Hartmann, and others. There is a wide variety of music and you will not be disappointed.

Most of these recordings are with the RIAS Symphony Orchestra of Berlin, which Fricsay conducted for the majority of his conducting career. The RIAS orchestra was "Radio in the American sector" of Berlin, a part of West Berlin during the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Some tracks are with the Berlin Philharmonic, others with the Berlin Radio Orchestra. In all cases, the orchestras play very well, responding with great precision to every nuance of Fricsay's direction.

I believe Fricsay would have wider recognition had he lived longer. He was roughly a contemporary of Karajan, Solti, Giulini, and Bernstein, and is sadly underrated today. Perhaps this collection will help to boost his reputation with a new generation of music lovers born after his time. Highly recommended.

A great conductor's legacy of great performances of music of a wide variety of composers........2005-09-18

Some two years after Mr. Richman posted his review, I wish only to support his high rating of these masterful performances by one of the greatest conductors of the mid-twentieth century. These recordings are gifts of grace. The fact that this collection remains available is little short of a miracle. And in addition thre is a Fricsay set in the series of "Great Conductors of the 20th Century" also still available. Many other recordings of performances under the baton of Ferenc Fricsay are to be found if one searches under his name on Amazon. His recordings of Verdi's Requiem and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on DG remain among the greatest ever made of either of these two eternal masterpieces.

Try the $12.00 2CD "great Conductors" set first. At that price you can't lose. I predict that having heard those recordings you will quickly seek out and purchase "Ferenc Fricsay, A Life in Music." Too expensive? Not at all. It's worth every penny. It's easily worth several months of anyone's budget for buying CDs. And the recorded interview with Fricsay, already ill and seemingly knowing his death is approaching, will inspire you even as it breaks your heart. His death as he approached his 40th birthday was an incalculable loss to the Western classical tradition. Yet we do have the recordings -- go and listen to them!

Brilliant "Life in Music" Rescued from the Vaults.......2003-08-13

Now that Deutsche Grammophon is part of Universal, we have seen some interesting things happen, and not all of them bad. What I'm referring to in this case is the new "Original Masters" Limited Edition Box Set series. Finally, the classical music world has taken a page out of the jazz reissue handbook -- put out a quality product featuring rare recordings but make its availability limited, and people will snatch it up.

Now in its second round of the "Original Masters" box sets, DG has chosen to follow-up on the success of the "Great Conductors of the Century" series. They have just released two glorious 9-disc collections of the performances of conductors Ferenc Fricsay and Igor Markevitch, the vast majority of which have been previously unavailable on CD.

This particular set, "A Life in Music," showcases some of the numerous recordings made by the great conductor Ferenc Fricsay for Deutsche Grammophon, many of which have been rare (and expensive) collector's items for years. As the track information is non-existent above, I will try to be of assistance.

The first disc contains Beethoven's 1st Symphony (1953) and the Overture and Incidental Music to Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream (1950) both with the Berlin Philharmonic (BP), and Prokofiev's 1st Symphony with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra (BRSO) from 1954.

Disc two features Mahler's Ruckert-Lieder with Maureen Forrester (BRSO, 1958), and Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony (BRSO, 1959).

Discs three begins with Respighi's orchestration of Rossini's La Boutique Fantasque (BRSO, 1955) and ends with Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade (BRSO, 1956).

Disc four features the great Waltzes, Polkas, Overtures and Marches of the Strauss Family (all with BRSO from 1949-52). Included here are The Blue Danube, Vienna Blood, Musical Joke, Pizzicato-Polka, Die Fledermaus, The Gypsy Baron, Voices of Spring, Roses from the South, Morning Papers, Annen-Polka, Chit-Chat Polka, and the Radzetky March.

Disc five focuses on Fricsay as an accompanist with pianist Margrit Weber (and the BRSO). Together they tackle Falla's Nights in the Garden of Spain (1957), Francaix's (1956) and Honegger's (1955) Concertos for Piano, Franck's Symphonic Variations (1957) and Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (1960).

Disc six shines the spotlight on 20th Century composers. Here we get Von Einem's Zwischenspiel Interlude (1949), Hindemith's Symphonic Dances (1950), Hartmann's 6th Symphony (1955), and Martin's Petite Symphonie Concertante (1950), with Gerty Herzog on piano, Sylvia Kidd on harpsichord and Irmgard Helmis on harp.

On discs seven and eight, Fricsay performs a memorable account of Haydn's The Seasons. This is a live recording with the Berlin RSO from 1961 featuring soprano Maria Stader, tenor Ernst Haefliger, bass Josef Greindl and the St. Hedwigs Cathedral Choir, Berlin.

The final disc, number nine, wraps things up with "Ferenc Fricsay: A Life Retold," a 57-miunte interview complete with excerpts of memorable performances.

Despite the fact that most of these recordings are in mono (only the selections on disc two, and the Paganini Rhapsody are in stereo), the first rate performances more than compensate for any audio shortcomings. Well, I guess the consolidation of the music industry isn't so bad after all, as long as I can look forward to more reissues like Ferenc Fricsay: A Life in Music.

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Tribute to Peter Maag
Mozart , Beethoven , Schumann , Mendelssohn , and Maag
Manufacturer: Arts Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00007KMRQ
Release Date: 2004-02-24

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A+B=C! Abbado + Berlin= Charismatic!

Abbado: The Berlin Album
Ludwig van Beethoven , Johannes Brahms , Gustav Mahler , Claudio Abbado , and Berliner Philharmoniker
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B000063TAK
Release Date: 2002-05-14

Tracks:

Bizet: L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2: Farandole
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7: Allegretto
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 1: allegro brioso (excerpt)
Dvorak: Symphony No. 9: Largo
Wagner: Ride Of The Valkyries
Mahler: Symphony No. 7: Nachtmusik I
Debussy: Nocturnes: Fetes
Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1: Andantino semplice
Brahms: Academic Festival Overture

Tracks:

Verdi: La traviata: Prelude (Act I)
Mahler: Symphony No. 5: Sturmisch bewegt
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3: Rondo. Allegro
Prokofiev: Romeo And Juliet: Suite No. 1
Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition: The Hut On Chicken's Legs. The Great Gate Of Kiev
Beethoven: Egmont Overture
Tchaikovsky: Slavonic March
Brahms: Symphony No. 3: Poco allegretto
Berlioz: Le Carnaval romain

Customer Reviews:

A+B=C! Abbado + Berlin= Charismatic!.......2003-08-20

This 2 CD set offers a strong sampling of contrasting Classical Composers' works, performed by one of the world's finest orchestral music combinations: Claudio Abbado and The Berlin Philharmonic. Thankfully I found this 2002 recording at Amazon after having been blown away by the phenomenal PBS broadcast performance of the Berlin Philharmonic under Maestro Abbado at the Europakonzert 2003 in Palermo, absolutely requiring me to hear more recent recordings by this especially exquisite chemistry of conductor and orchesta.
The program notes state that since Maestro Abbado had taken his place at the helm of the Berlin Philharmonic in 1990, close to one third of the orchestra members have been replaced. What lucky listeners are those who can appreciate the result of this evolution, given the quality of musicianship that is represented by this ensemble in the new millenium. The orchestral sections are incredibly well rehearsed, the musicality of phrasing is most noteworthy and the recording quality provided by Deutsche Grammophon is top notch. Special treats on this recording include the previously unreleased Debussy "Nocturnes: Fetes" and Belioz "Le Carnaval romain." With gratitude to some of the world's finest musicians! May many more lovers of fine music discover your recordings!

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Best-Loved Classics 10

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Ov 'Der Freischutz' - Philharmonia Orch/Wolfgang Sawallisch
Sym No.38 in D, K.504 'Prague': IV. Finale (Presto) - English CO/Jeffrey Tate
Sym No.9 in d, Op.125 'Chorla': II. Molto Vivace - Munich PO/Rudolf Kempe
Ich Liebe Dich, Op.5 No.3 - Victoria De Los Angeles/Synfonia Of London/Rafael Fruhbeck De Burgos
Ballet Egyptien' Ste3, Op.12- I: Allegro Non Troppo - RPO/Anatole Fistoulari
Ov, Op.9 'Roman Carnival' - Philharmonia Orch/Herbert Von Karajan
L'Africaine: Act III, O Paradis - Nicolai Gedda/ROHCG/Guiseppe Patane
Radetzky March, Op.228 - Weiner Johann Strauss Orch/Willi Boskovsky
Pno Son No.2 in b flat, Op.35: III. Marche Funebre (Lento) - Andrei Gavrilov
1812 Ov, Op.49 - LPO/Sir Adrian Boult

Musik.... Sprache der Welt (Music.... The Universal Language): Works by Haydn / Mozart / Beethoven / Schubert / Berlioz / Schumann / Brahms / Bruckner Conducted by Fricsay / Jochum / Sanderling / Böhm / Markevitch / Lehmann / Furtwängler

Average customer rating:

Ten CDs of Magical "Musik"

Musik.... Sprache der Welt (Music.... The Universal Language): Works by Haydn / Mozart / Beethoven / Schubert / Berlioz / Schumann / Brahms / Bruckner Conducted by Fricsay / Jochum / Sanderling / Böhm / Markevitch / Lehmann / Furtwängler
Ludwig van Beethoven , Hector Berlioz , Georges Bizet , Johannes Brahms , Anton Bruckner , Franz Joseph Haydn , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Max Reger , Franz Schubert , Robert Schumann , Eugen Jochum , Ferenc Fricsay , Fritz Lehmann , Igor Markevitch , Karl Böhm , Kurt Sanderling , Wilhelm Furtwängler , Bayerischen Rundfunks Sinfonie-orchester , Berliner Philharmoniker , Lamoureux Concert Association Orchestra , Leningrader Philharmonie , RIAS Symphonie-Orchester , Sinfonie-Orchester des Bayersichen Rundfunks , and Wiener Symphoniker
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Musik...Sprache der Welt: Selected Orchestral Recordings II [Box Set]
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ASIN: B0002HACMW
Release Date: 2004-10-12

Customer Reviews:

Ten CDs of Magical "Musik".......2005-12-23

This ten CD boxed set contains the first batch of releases in DG's "Musik...Sprache der Welt" series. Aside from a flimsy paperboard box/container and a booklet featuring an essay on DG's post-WWII recording activities, the packaging is identical to the single disc releases. I have reviewed eight of the ten individual titles included in this collection:

Bohm - Beethoven Syms 5 & 7
Bohm - Brahms Sym 2 / Reger
Furtwangler - Schumann / Haydn
Jochum - Bruckner Sym 9
Jochum - Mozart Syms 33, 36 & 39
Markevitch - Berlioz / Bizet
Markevitch - Schubert Syms 3 & 4
Sanderling - Beethoven Sym 2, Piano Cto 3

Instead of repeating those reviews, please consult the individual Amazon listings. No matter which way you purchase these value-priced classic mono and stereo performances, this is great music not to be missed.

Edward van Beinum : The Decca Recordings 1948-1953

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Brilliant Recordings Rescued From The Vaults

Edward van Beinum : The Decca Recordings 1948-1953

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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ASIN: B00008CLMH
Release Date: 2003-05-13

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant Recordings Rescued From The Vaults.......2003-06-04

Now that Decca and Deutsche Grammophon, among others, are all part of Universal, we have seen some interesting things happen, and not all of them bad. What I'm referring to in this case is the new "Original Masters" Limited Edition Box Set series. Finally, the classical music world has taken a page out of the jazz reissue handbook -- put out a quality product featuring rare recordings but make its availability limited, and people will snatch it up. In the "Original Masters" series, first DG and now Decca have each reissued five box sets, of 4 to 7 CDs each, in distinguished, space-saving slim paper boxes, though the style of packaging is different. The DG sets feature 50s style graphics design on their covers, while the Decca ones have a distinctive rainbow/spectrum pattern on the spines and banners, and a black-and-white photo of the artist in question on the face of the box.

This particular set features the great conductor Eduard van Beinum's Decca recordings from 1948-53. As the track information is non-existent above, I will try to be of assistance. The first disc contains Beethoven's "Creatures of Prometheus" with the London Philharmonic (LPO) from 1952, and Brahms' 1st Symphony with the Concertgebouw (RCO) from 1951. Disc two is all Berlioz with the Concertgebouw from '51 & '52 -- "Symphonie Fantastique," "Le Carnival Romain" Overture and three extracts from "La Damnation de Faust." Disc three begins with Bartok's "Concerto for Orchestra" (RCO, 1948) and then sees Beinum conducting less standard fare with Willem Pijper's "Symphony No. 3" with Clifford Curzon joining in on piano obbligato (RCO, 1953), and Incidental Music from Alphons Diepenbrock's "Marysas (La Source Enchantee)." CD Four returns to the standard repertoire with Mozart's "Haffner" Symphony (LPO, 1950), Schubert's "Die Zauberharfe" (or Rosamunde) Overture and "Tragic" Symphony (both RCO, 1952), and Mendelssohn's Overture and Incidental Music to "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (RCO, 1952). The final disc concludes with four Rossini Overtures (RCO, 1952) -- "William Tell," "La Scala," "Semiramide" and "La Gazza Ladra"-- and Lalo's "Symphonie Espagnole" (LPO, 1953). Despite the fact that all of these recordings are in mono, the first rate performances more than compensate for any audio shortcomings. Well, I guess the consolidation of the music industry isn't so bad after all, as long as I can look forward to more reissues like this.

Sergiu Celibidache In Berlin: The Early Years, 1945-1948, Deutsches Rundfunkarchiv

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Let Us Sing Joyfully to the Lord!
Ferociously Passionate Performances

Sergiu Celibidache In Berlin: The Early Years, 1945-1948, Deutsches Rundfunkarchiv
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Manufacturer: Music & Arts Program
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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CELIBIDACHE / Münchner Philharmoniker - Brahms: Symphony No. 1 / Ein deutsches Requiem

ASIN: B00005B1E5
Release Date: 2006-01-01

Tracks:

Leonore Overture No.3, Op.72
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Andante Moderato
III. Allegro Giocoso
IV. Allegro Energico E Passionato
Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Adagio Ma Non Troppo
III. Finale. Allegro Moderato
I. Lacrymosa. Andante Ben Misurato
II. Dies Irae. Allegro Con Fuoco
III. Requiem Aeternam. Andante Molto Tranquillo
I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Larghetto
III. Gavotte. Non Troppo Allegro
IV. Finale. Molto Vivace

Tracks:

I. Adagio Cantabile-Vivace Assai
II. Andante
III. Menuetto. Allegro Molto
IV. Finale. Allegro Molto
Allegro Assai Con Fuoco
I. De L'Aube A Midi Sur La Mer
II. Jeux De Vagues
III. Dialogue Du Vent Et De La Mer
Nocturnes, No.2: Fetes
Andante

Tracks:

Allegro
Romeo And Juliet Overture-Fantasy
I. The Montagues And The Capulets
II. Julia As A Young Girl
III. Friar Laurence
IV. Dance
V. Romeo Bids Juliet Farewell Before Parting
VI. Dance Of The Maids With Lillies
VII. Romeo At Juliet's Grave
Andante Calmo

Customer Reviews:

Let Us Sing Joyfully to the Lord!.......2004-01-12

Put aside your prejudices about the late 1940's sound for a moment, gentle friend, and let us embark together on a musical
journey full of wonders and magic.
Sergiu Celibidache is the most legendary "unknown" conductor of the 20th Century. His refusal to make commercial recordings, combined with his uncompromising attitudes towards music making enforced the life of nomadic guest conductor on him for most of his career. But for those Europeans who were fortunate enough to hear him in the concert hall or on the radio, his performances
achieved mythic status. These 4 CD's, covering a good range of
the "basic repetoire" give ample reason as to why.
Celibidache's general method here is to take softer passages at
a slow, deliberate pace, allowing him ample space to sculpt each
phrase and each orchestral detail with infinite care. He slams
the forte's home with an accellerando that's like a good shot of adrenaline, yeilding ferocious climaxes. In the hands of a lesser conductor, these are mere technical tricks, but Celibidache's musical instincts are so uncanny and unerring as to achieve the most remarkable results. You will never hear a
performance of the Brahms 4th Symphony which sings so beautifully
throughout, particularly the final movement, where the point is
architecture, not cantabile. Celibidache demonstrates the two can live quite happily together here.
Likewise, Celibidache treats the humor in "Till Eulenspiegel" more as manic, mischievous glee, which is thoroughly appropriate.
Why hasn't any other conductor done this?
The juxtapositions of Prokofiev's "Classical Symphony" with Haydn's "Surprise Symphony" and Tchiakovsky's and Prokofiev's
takes on "Romeo and Juliet" prove most instructive. In the former case, Celibidache eschews the usual vision of Prokofiev
parodying Haydn in favor of a view of Prokofiev play-acting Haydn. This is altogether different. Likewise, Tchiakovsky's
"Romeo and Juliet" is heart-rendingly romantic, Prokofiev's is
heart-rendingly tragic.
Above all, it is the SINGING quality of this music that makes it stand apart. The Debussy, Britten and Busoni performances are
more than examplary... they are revelations!
This set reveals that it was Celibidache, not Furtwangler, who was the true antipode to Toscanini, as THE ultimate Romantic
conductor. The music here is unique, personal and passionate
beyond any other performances of these pieces.
You will NOT be disappointed.

Ferociously Passionate Performances.......2003-02-07

Sergiu Celibidache was one of the most famous unheard conductors in the world. He notoriously detested the clinical sterility of the recording studio (his opinion), so unless you lived in a city where he regularly gave concerts, your chances of hearing his work were almost nil. Oddly enough, he seldom banned the radio broadcast of his concerts, and DG and EMI have issued handsome editions of fifty or more CDs dating from Celi's later years conducting radio orchestras in Stockholm and Stuttgart, as well as the Munich Philharmonic. These performances reflect a unique Zen-influenced aesthetic that demanded that music performance take into account the living factors of concert hall sound production. As a result, they exhibit a dedication to slow tempi that allow the conductor to explore all the various layers of performance components that make up a symphonic score. And not a few people are put off by such an approach, where a Beethoven 'Pastorale' symphony can last the better part of an hour. But the performances on these Music and Arts CDs present a picture of a much younger Celi, the barely experienced young man in his twenties who was asked to take over the Berlin Philharmonic, no less, at the end of the Second World War. (This was at a time when many German conductors, including Furtwaengler, were banned from performing while allied authorities investigated their activities during the Nazi years.) The young Celibidache is revealed to be a passionate, almost reckless, orchestra leader whose self-evident gifts for highly dramatic music-making come across vividly in these brilliantly-remastered CDs. In later years, an embarassed Celibidache would repudiate his high-octane Berlin performances as the work of an undisciplined wild man. But it's hard to resist the sheer musical excitement produced by these CDs. (And it's important to remember that the young conductor we meet here impressed a lot of other musicians at that time, including Furtwaengler.) Some of these performances have appeared in other CD editions, but none of those boasts the amazingly life-like, natural sound of these M&A CDs. M&A has a licensing arrangement with the German Radio Archive and so has access to original master tapes. In the 1940s, Germany was the world leader in tape technology. While no one will mistake these monophonic recordings for contemporary digital stereo productions, the set fully merits five stars just the same: there is no way that these recordings sound like they are almost 60 years old ... and they are!

After Work Hour: Classical Music Selection, Vol. 7

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After Work Hour: Classical Music Selection, Vol. 7

Manufacturer: Berlin Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0009YBZXS
Release Date: 2005-11-29

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1. Ouverture Egmont Op.84
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