Beethoven: Complete Overtures

Editorial Reviews
The Guardian (UK)
"Phenomenal clarity of articulation...marks all these performances."

About the Artist
Born in 1936, American conductor David Zinman has risen to the pinnacle of his career in the last decade. After bringing the Baltimore Symphony to major status, he became musical director of the Aspen Music Festival and then took the helm of Zurich’s beloved Tonhalle Orchestra. Zinman’s discography of over 100 recordings has won five Grammys and two Grands Prix du Disque.

Founded in 1868, the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra is Switzerland’s oldest symphony orchestra. Today, it gives... read more

Album Description
"Of course this is what Beethoven is supposed to sound like. All the warmth, the breadth, the depth, the height, the solemnity, the hilarity, the agony, and, of course, the wild-eyed ecstasy that are in Beethoven in these performances of his complete Overtures by David Zinman leading the Tonhalle Orchestre Zurich. As Zinman proved in his cycle of the nine symphonies, he knows Beethoven, knows his music and his moods, knows when to hold back and when to let loose, when to dance and when to sing in blissful rapture. In his cycle of the 11 overtures, Zinman soars with Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus, rails with Egmont, roars with Coriolan, and laughs with König Stephen. Zinman is as heroic as Fidelio, as passionate as Leonore, and as countrapuntally intoxicated as Die Weihe des Hauses. The Tonhalle Orchestre, which showed itself an adept and powerful Beethoven orchestra in the symphonies, once again shows its colors, its strength, and its tenderness in the overtures. ! Arte Nova’s sound is deep, lush, and real."-ALL MUSIC GUIDE

Beethoven: Complete Overtures

Album Description

"Of course this is what Beethoven is supposed to sound like. All the warmth, the breadth, the depth, the height, the solemnity, the hilarity, the agony, and, of course, the wild-eyed ecstasy that are in Beethoven in these performances of his complete Overtures by David Zinman leading the Tonhalle Orchestre Zurich. As Zinman proved in his cycle of the nine symphonies, he knows Beethoven, knows his music and his moods, knows when to hold back and when to let loose, when to dance and when to sing in blissful rapture. In his cycle of the 11 overtures, Zinman soars with Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus, rails with Egmont, roars with Coriolan, and laughs with König Stephen. Zinman is as heroic as Fidelio, as passionate as Leonore, and as countrapuntally intoxicated as Die Weihe des Hauses. The Tonhalle Orchestre, which showed itself an adept and powerful Beethoven orchestra in the symphonies, once again shows its colors, its strength, and its tenderness in the overtures. ! Arte Nova's sound is deep, lush, and real."-ALL MUSIC GUIDE

Customer Reviews:

Wonderfully fresh.......2007-06-06

David Zinman and his Tonhalle Orchestra of Zurich deliver what is, hands down, the best overture to the Ruins of Athens on disc. Zinman opens the work with great energy at a quick tempo - those of us familiar with Masur's slow and stately introduction will certainly feel as if they are hearing this familiar music for the first time. The oboe cadenza is delightfully zippy as Zinman plunges headlong into the allegro proper with such authoritative vitality that one almost feels foolish for not liking this work more, slight though it is on musical argument. Horns wail, strings dig, and winds bite in this marvelous traversal. This performance gave me several impressions. First, how nice it is to hear Beethoven (here and in his traversal of the symphonies) with smaller forces married to historically informed performance practices - hard mallets for the timpani, violins divided stereophonically, winds forwardly balanced. It has a tremendous amount of textual clarity which enhances the musical argument in no small part. Secondly, how impressive that even two hundred years after some of these pieces were composed they can still be played to the hilt with fresh energy and conviction. Even with the reduced string section, I would be curious if anyone could find other versions of these overtures with this much vigor. And finally, as always, its wonderful to hear a music director and his orchestra bring something new to familiar music, all the while maintaining the highest performance and musical standard. And the love both Zinman and the Tonhalle have for this music is immediately palpable.

The same level of energy Zinman brings to The Ruins of Athens runs throughout the entirety of this two-disc release. Prometheus certainly benefits from the scaled-down proportions of the orchestra, finding the perfect balance between classical grace and Beethoven's rougher energy. Coriolan is just as bit as convincing, free from the overly-romanticized patina that this work has amassed over the years. The Overture in C receives a particularly convincing interpretation. Listen to how Zinman maintains tension throughout the overly-repetitive music and certainly makes the most sense out of the often odd-sounding scales at near the end of the piece. It just goes to show that even less convincing works can sound convincing when played with this level of conviction. Fidelio is another winner, a performance of lively grace but imbued with appropriate power.

The Consecration of the House is a delight. Zinman shapes a cogent and appropriately Baroque sounding opening to the piece and, although the trumpets are a bit reticent in their fanfares, the textual clarity of it all is quite refreshing. The allegro certainly benefits from the antiphonal violin placement, a reading of uncanny transparency, culminating in a roaring conclusion. I still have the slightest preference for Masur's performance and no one can match Charles Munch's Boston Symphony reference interpretation in this work, but all in all it is simply a matter of taste and certainly Zinman offers steep competition. Zinman's reading of King Stephen is one of balanced, proportional energy befitting its classical nature but, when all is said and done, I still prefer Szell's all-or-nothing Cleveland traversal, which possesses unbelievable physicality. As for the three Lenore Overtures, Zinman's approaches are period appropriate, but it is slightly difficult to listen to Lenore No. 3 in this leaner state. I still prefer Gunter Wand's performance, one of almost excessive weight and physicality, but the excitement is unquestionable. Egmont again is wonderful, but seems slightly undernourished when compared to the competition. But preferences aside, Zinman's interpretations are as convincing as ever and offer tremendous musical nourishment.

Recorded sound is excellent throughout but the microphone placement seems to differ from work to work. In the performances where the orchestra is most distant, the horns can often sound recessed and slightly pinched (such as in Prometheus and Fidelio) or the timpani overly reverberant (Overture in C). Still, the playing is uniformly spectacular and these are small quips that in no way detract from the listening experience and become less noticeable after repeated outings.

This set is certainly a welcome addition to a field that, until now, had virtually no competition. That Masur's performances were uniformly splendid made the dearth of great Beethoven Overture compilations less frustrating, but this set, in modern sound with period performance techniques, is almost self-recommending. Comparing Masur to Zinman seems unfair as both offer so much and say such individual things that I could not imagine having one over the other. This is a welcome addition to the catalog, one that no Beethoven fan should be without.

Great -- All Around.......2006-01-16

Wonderful recordings. Great musicianship and superb sound. A real joy! Highly recommended.

Old (but Very Fine) Wine, New Skins--A Revelatory Listening Experience.......2005-11-22

Beethoven's great overtures need no special pleading, and yet David Zinman gets down so effectively to where this music lives that in some cases, it is like hearing a thrice-familiar work for the first time. Even the Zur Namensfeier Overture, easily the least distinguished of the pieces collected here, has both sparkle and bite in Zinman's reading. The similar but much finer King Stephen Overture is always a smile-inducing surprise among Beethoven's dramatically charged overtures, given its simple joviality. Here it smiles with a youthful freshness that you don't hear in every interpretation.

The most revelatory performance for me, though, is of the Coriolan Overture, a darkly brooding piece that usually seems a bit dour despite its obvious craftsmanship and the undying memorability of its poignant second melody. Zinman succeeds in bringing out the fiery drama in this piece, which seems more often to smolder than to burn outright. Zinman's is a truly captivating performance and will be the way I choose to hear this wonderful work from now on.

Another piece that can seem pedantic and overwrought, The Consecration of the House Overture, is in Zinman's hands perfectly proportioned. Here as elsewhere, Zinman is faster than a lot of conductors but without sacrificing any of the grandiosity of this very grand piece. The one place where I'd say he rushes things too much is in the slow introduction to Egmont: the "quasi allegro" at which he takes the opening fails to provide contrast to the true allegro that is to follow. A small misstep given the many, many felicities of this set. Overall, in fact, it should let you hear these tried-and-true masterworks with a new set of ears.

In writing of Zinman's Beethoven Symphonies series, some critics have complained that the Tonhalle Orchestra produces an anemic sound. I don't hear evidence of that on these discs. There is real heft in the lower strings at the start of the Zur Namensfeier and Egmont Overtures, and the consciously "big" pieces such as the Leonore 2 and 3 and The Consecration of the House Overtures have a proper Beethovenian robustness. Sometimes, I'd say, the horns sound overtaxed, but just as often they produce a blaze of glory for Zinman. So I can't find any great objection to the playing of this mostly very fine orchestra.

I also like the sound the engineers have captured in the lively Tonhalle. It provides depth as well as detail: there is sheen to the high strings; punch and heft to the brass, timpani, lower strings.

In fact, I like just about everything these discs have to offer, including their super bargain price.

Much-needed fresh interpretation of the overtures.......2005-06-12

Surprisingly, there are relatively few choices currently available when it comes to complete collections of the Beethoven overtures, long part of the standard repetoire of any respectable orchestra. The Masur/Leipzig collection has been around for about 30 years, but until Zinman's collection was released this year, it has been pretty slim pickings.

At first, I did not know quite what to think, because Zinman offers a much leaner, fast-paced interpretation of nearly every overture. On average, his tempi are over a minute faster than the more traditional tempi of Masur's, which means that the Tonhalle Orchestra is really on a brisk clip. The orchestra's sound is also considerably lighter than one might expect (unless you are dealing with Gardiner & his period instruments, who have not yet recorded the overtures as far as I know). Whether this a result of reduced personnel or careful mike placement, I don't know, but the result is a much less heavy sound than what normally hears.

Initially, I did not care for what I found to be unfamiliar, but the more I listened, the more Zinman's tempi made sense and the more accessible these overtures became. Also (unlike Masur's edition), the three Leonore overtures do not run consecutively which is to the overall benefit of the collection. There are occasional moments of weakness in the horns & the violins, but they are brief and do not particularly detract from the performances. The recording appears to be a little bass-heavy at times, but not oppressively so; most of the time the sound has a light freshness to it that is most pleasing to the ear.

It also doesn't hurt that Arte Nova has made these CDs dirt-cheap. A mediocre performance for this little money could be easily forgiven; it is made all the better that these performances are top-notch. Anyone who loves Beethoven overtures (and who doesn't?) would be mad to overlook this collection.

Average customer rating:

All of Beethoven's Orchestral Overtures: A Great Collection
Great bargain, OK performances --- but there are better
One of my ten 'desert island' recordings
Glorious
Fine Collection!

Beethoven: Complete Overtures

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

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Famous Overtures
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Beethoven: The Five Piano Concertos
Schubert: 8 Symphonies

ASIN: B00000417D
Release Date: 1994-02-15

Tracks:

Overtures: Coriolano, Op.62
Overtures: Egmont, Op.84
Overtures: King Stephen, Op.117
Overtures: The Creatures of Prometheus, Op.43
Overtures: Leonore No. 1, Op.138
Overtures: Leonore No. 2, Op.72a
Overtures: Leonore No. 3, Op.72b
Overtures: The Consecration of the House, Op.124

Tracks:

Overtures: Fidelio Overture, Op.72c
Overtures: Overture in C, Op.115 (Nameday)
Overtures: (The Ruins of Athens Overture), Op.113
Twelve Minuets, WoO 7: No. 1
Twelve Minuets, WoO 7: No. 2
Twelve Minuets, WoO 7: No. 3
Twelve Minuets, WoO 7: No. 4
Twelve Minuets, WoO 7: No. 5
Twelve Minuets, WoO 7: No. 6
Twelve Minuets, WoO 7: No. 7
Twelve Minuets, WoO 7: No. 8
Twelve Minuets, WoO 7: No. 9
Twelve Minuets, WoO 7: No. 10
Twelve Minuets, WoO 7: No. 11
Twelve Minuets, WoO 7: No. 12
Twelve German Dances, WoO 8: No. 1
Twelve German Dances, WoO 8: No. 2
Twelve German Dances, WoO 8: No. 3
Twelve German Dances, WoO 8: No. 4
Twelve German Dances, WoO 8: No. 5
Twelve German Dances, WoO 8: No. 6
Twelve German Dances, WoO 8: No. 7
Twelve German Dances, WoO 8: No. 8
Twelve German Dances, WoO 8: No. 9
Twelve German Dances, WoO 8: No. 10
Twelve German Dances, WoO 8: No. 11
Twelve German Dances, WoO 8: No. 12
Twelve Contredanses, WoO 14: No. 1
Twelve Contredanses, WoO 14: No. 2
Twelve Contredanses, WoO 14: No. 3
Twelve Contredanses, WoO 14: No. 4
Twelve Contredanses, WoO 14: No. 5
Twelve Contredanses, WoO 14: No. 6
Twelve Contredanses, WoO 14: No. 7
Twelve Contredanses, WoO 14: No. 8
Twelve Contredanses, WoO 14: No. 9
Twelve Contredanses, WoO 14: No. 10
Twelve Contredanses, WoO 14: No. 11
Twelve Contredanses, WoO 14: No. 12

Customer Reviews:

All of Beethoven's Orchestral Overtures: A Great Collection.......2005-09-24

Once again, the Phillips Label has released another great collection of classical music for any devotee. This is the complete collection of Beethoven's overtures. In truth, and technically speaking, there is only one true overture on this recording- the Overtures to Leonore/Fidelio, Beethoven's only opera. The rest, while still dubbed "overtures" by musicologists, remain in the "incidental music" department. They are brilliantly performed by the expert orchestra of the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Germany, the oldest orchestra in the world and one of the finest in Europe. The principal conductor in this 2 disc recording is Kurt Masur, though the final tracks are courtly dances- German Dances and Contredanses, in a kind of homage to Mozart, and are performed by The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields conducted by the virtuoso Neville Marriner.

The Coriolan Overture is an appropriate opening track, with its compelling orchestral fortissimi and romantic style. It is followed by the Egmont Overture, and this is pure Beethovenesque romanticism. The King Stephen Overture tops off these incidental musical scores, which Beethoven had annotated with a particular story or idea. To Beethoven, music was poetry/drama, his theories foreshadowed the later Wagner who would write that "Poetry is the reason for music and drama is the reason for both." Theese are all superb pieces of music, and any true fan of Beethoven should own these along with his 9 symphonies. The other "program" overtures include Ruins of Athens, which even contains chorus, Name-Day Celebration Overture and Consecration of the House, which was a commission given to Beethoven for music for the social event of the opening of a new theater, a theater which still stands intact in Austria.

While Kurt Masur is brilliant, he finds that he has an equal in the other featured conductor Sir Neville Marriner, who just happens to be the more famous of the two. Marriner conducted his Academy of St Martin in the Fields for the soundtrack to the 1984 film Amadeus, about the life of Mozart. Marriner has long been associated with conducting Classical and Baroque repertoire, keeping faithful to the original scores. The German Dances are jubilant and a pleasure to hear as are the Contredances, both which number 12 in total. This is a great recording to add to your Beethoven collection. I highly recommend it.

Great bargain, OK performances --- but there are better.......2005-06-12

Until recently, I believe Masur's cycle has been the only commercially available collection of the overtures, so it has (by default) been the standard. A number of people would consider this to be the definitive collection, but I think serious consideration has to be given to Zinman's new release of the complete overtures with the Tonhalle Orchestra of Zurich, which takes a significantly different approach to the overtures.

Is the performance Masur and the Leipzig Gewandhaus great and definitive? Certainly the orchestra sounds typically lush throughout, but the overtures at times seem ponderous & almost soggy. The rather arch quality of the brass section can really detract from the overall performance at times, and who really can ignore the appallingly out of tune winds section in the 2nd Leonore? The performances are generally good but they only occasionally approach greatness.

Marriner & the ASMF turn in an outstanding performance, but I don't think anyone is buying this collection for the Minuets, German Dances, and Contradances, which are expertly rendered, Haydnesque tunes, but which are hardly an example of Beethoven pushing the envelope. Noone will ever mistake this for being nice, incidental music of little significance. These pieces will only matter to those collectors in search of a totally complete Beethoven collection.

Still, this is a reasonable collection for the price, and one could certainly do worse where the performances are concerned.

One of my ten 'desert island' recordings.......2005-01-13

Masur's recordings of Beethoven's overtures (complete) stand out from a crowded field. They have a drive and intensity that grab your attention and don't let go. After playing them for the first time, I had to immediately play them again. And now they are available at a bargain price. You owe it to yourself to hear them.

Glorious.......2002-07-18

Words fail me on this one. Beethoven's music always brings me to tears, and the recordings here are, well, glorious.

The world is a better place for having hosted the genius that was Ludwig van.

Fine Collection!.......2002-05-25

First of all, this CD is a rare find; normally, when we hear the Beethoven overtures, we hear a few of them in the context of larger works (ie, we get only two or three overtures in a box set of symphonies or concerti, and they are overshadowed). To have all the overtures together (especially at these top-rate perfomances) is a treat. Though a wonderful set for any serious Beethoven fan, this may also serve as a good introduction for those new to Beethoven's orchestral music, because the pieces normally clock in at only 10 minutes, give or take, but also because the overtures are always charmingly songful or fast and exciting. It is the more abrasive Beethoven at work here, and it's great fun.

Beethoven: Complete Symphonies; Overtures; Missa Solemnis

Average customer rating:

Excellent...period!
A delightful change
Hardwearing Velet
Hanover Band Beethoven
Beethoven of varied quality

Beethoven: Complete Symphonies; Overtures; Missa Solemnis

Manufacturer: Nimbus Records
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

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major Op. 55 'Eroica': I. Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major Op. 55 'Eroica': II. Marcia funebre: Adagio assai
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major Op. 55 'Eroica': III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major Op. 55 'Eroica': IV. Finale: Allegro molto
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major Op. 60: I. Adagio -- Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major Op. 60: II. Adagio
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major Op. 60: III. Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major Op. 60: IV. Allegro ma non troppo

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5 In C Minor Op. 67: I. Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor Op. 67: II. Andante con moto
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor Op. 67: III. Allegro
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor Op. 67: IV. Allegro
Symphony No. 6 In F Major Op. 68 'Pastoral': Allegro ma non troppo
Symphony No. 6 In F Major Op. 68 'Pastoral': II. Andante molto mosso
Symphony No. 6 In F Major Op. 68 'Pastoral': III. Allegro
Symphony No. 6 In F Major Op. 68 'Pastoral': IV. Allegro
Symphony No. 6 In F Major Op. 68 'Pastoral': V. Allegretto

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

Symphony No. 9 In D Minor Op. 125 'Choral': Allegro ma nan troppo un maetoso
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor Op. 125 'Choral': II. Molto vivace
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor Op. 125 'Choral': III. Adagio molto e cantabile
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor Op. 125 'Choral': IV. Presto -- Allegro assai

Tracks:

Coriolan, Op. 62
The Ruins Of Athens, Op. 113
King Stephen, Op. 117
Leonore No.2, Op. 72a
Fidelio, Op. 72c
Egmont, Op.84
The Creatures Of Prometheus, Op. 43
The Consecration Of The House, Op. 124

Tracks:

Missa Solemnis: Kyrie
Missa Solemnis: Gloria
Missa Solemnis: Credo
Missa Solemnis: Sanctus
Missa Solemnis: Agnus Dei

Customer Reviews:

Excellent...period!.......2005-05-11

This Beethoven set features the Hanover Band playing on period instruments with less musicians than the average orchestra. These were recorded in a spacious, atmospheric acoustic approximating were Beethoven would have premiered them. The result is thoroughly enjoyable and still sound and feel great after repeated listening.

I also find them far preferable to Hogwood, Norington and Gardiner. Though the Bruggen set on the Phillips label are also pretty good as well. But these seem to have a magical quality about them that is hard to beat.

It's interesting to read about what are the "best" performances, as far as I can tell there are no weak spots to be found. One person wrote - the first was the only letdown - and yet, I found the first to be something quite special. I personally thought the 8th was the only slight drawback to the set, and yet someone else wrote it was their favorite. So who really knows?

This also makes a good second set if you already have a modern interpretation.

A delightful change.......2003-10-07

This is a thoroghly delightful set performed on period instruments and tempo. Well worth the price - I have repeatedly listened to the performances and they wear well. There is also a bonus - the recordings are encoded in Ambiasonic sound and will decode nicely on a home theater surround system. One caveat - the recordings were done in an accoustically live environment and if your system tends to the bright side, the recording will seem a tad on the bright side. If you have a complete set of the Beethoven symphonies with a contemporary interpretation, this set is a worthwile acquisition as a reference.

Hardwearing Velet.......2003-01-29

This Nimbus Beethoven set features the Hanover Band - playing on period instruments with fewer players than the average `symphony orchestra' - recorded in a spacious, atmospheric acoustic. The result is seductive, velvety and thoroughly enjoyable!

The performances are directed by Roy Goodman and Monica Huggett. It's not easy to tell them apart and I dare say the seasoned players of the Hanover Band would do almost as well without anyone `directing' them in these honest, workman-like performances. Nothing `revelatory' or earth-shattering. No fuses blow, no lightening strikes. But on the other hand we're not wearied by pointless idiosyncrasies that after hearing once only annoy. Quite the opposite in fact - the Hanover Band performances wear well after repeated listening, although the complacent, vacuous presentation of the slow movements of the 3rd and 9th symphonies can't be said to improve with re-hearing. But don't be put off - there's much here that's enjoyable. And it must be worth something for once not to have to endure a conductor who insists on impressing you with his `insights'!

Hanover Band Beethoven.......2001-07-22

A lot of critical attention has been drawn to the resonant acoustic in which these performances were recorded. The original Gramophone reviewer for example commended the 'natural' balance and perspective, while the Amazon's reviewer David Hurwitz (an anti-authentic critic if there ever was one!) referred to both sound and performance as 'utterly grotesque'! I personally favour the former evaluation; while the reverberance may not be to everybody's taste, it does mean that the brass can let rip without overwhelming the rest of the orchestra, and gives the string tone a warmth and bloom not found on other period cycles. While the woodwind may at times appear 'disembodied' this is a very minor cavil and again this is a subjective issue. As for the performances themselves, I personally find them far preferable to such rivals as Hogwood and Gardiner; the directorship of Goodman allows more freedom of expression than the former, while avoiding the at times wilful excesses of Gardiner. Overall these are played with zing and character, two qualities Beethoven would have surely admired.

Beethoven of varied quality.......2001-05-13

Do period instruments always make for a more authentic performance? Some would accept that as an axiom, but listening to this set shows that this is not always the case. Remember that Beethoven did not always write his visionary music with the instruments of his time in mind; for him, the limitations of those instruments were something to be overcome, not worked around. Accordingly, the Hanover Band sometimes struggles with this powerful and revolutionary music, producing recordings of varied quality.

For a group whose strengths lie in the music of the early Classical period, it is surprising that perhaps their weakest performance comes in the most Haydnesque of all the symphonies, the First. Monica Huggett takes the music at too measured a pace, and the result is a performance that plods along, in contrast to (for example) Karajan's peppy version of the First. The other more "conservative" symphonies (Second, Fourth, and Eighth), however, are excellent. The Sixth is the best of the set, with Roy Goodman and the Hanover Band managing to capture all the nuances of what is Beethoven's most textural symphony with the possible exception of the Ninth.

It is in the more powerful symphonies (Third, Fifth, and Ninth) where the Hanover Band struggles. It is easy to see the vision and striving of Beethoven in these performances, but they lack the excitement and verve of the greatest recordings, and in the end, they can sound hopelessly old-fashioned (in the Ninth wasting an outstanding effort by the soloists).

The biggest argument in favor of this set is, like all of Nimbus's sets, the bargain price, made even more tempting by the inclusion of a sampling of Overtures, and a fine Missa Solemnis (though it, too, is not without its shortcomings).

Tracks:

I. Adiago Molto - Allegro Con Brio
II. Andante Cantabile Con Moto
III. Menuetto: Allegro Molto E Vivace
IV. Finale: Adagio-Allegro Molto E Vivace
I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Marcia Funebre: Adagio Assai
III. Scherzo: Allegro Vivace
IV. Finale: Allegro Molto

Tracks:

I. Adagio Molto-Allegro Con Brio
II. Larghetto
III. Scherzo: Allegro
IV. Finale: Allegro Molto
1. Poco Sostenuto-Vivace
II. Allegretto
III. Presto
IV. Allegro Con Brio
Overture

Tracks:

I. Adagio-Allegro Vivace
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Vivace
IV. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
I. Allegro Vivace E Con Brio
II. Allegretto Scherzando
III. Tempo Di Menuetto
IV. Finale: Allegro Vivace
Overture No. 3

Tracks:

I. Allegretto Con Brio
II. Andante Con Moto
III. Allegro
IV. Allegro
I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
II. Andante Molto Mosso
III. Allegro
IV. Allegro
V. Allegretto

Tracks:

I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo, Un Poco Maestoso
II. Molto Vivace
III. Adagio Molto E Cantabile
IV. Finale: Presto

Toscanini Conducts Beethoven: Complete Symphonies & Selected Overtures

Average customer rating:

Toscanini Conducts Beethoven: Complete Symphonies & Selected Overtures

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

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000R7G6LI
Release Date: 2007-07-17

Tracks:

Adagio Molto: Allegro Con Brio
Andante Cantabile Con Moto
Menuetto: Allegro Molto E Vivace
Adagio: Allegro Molto E Vivace
Allegro Con Brio
Marcia Funebre: Adagio Assai
Scherzo Allegro Vivace; Trio
Allegro Molto: Poco Andante; Presto

Tracks:

Adagio Molto; Allegro Con Brio
Larghetto
Scherzo; Trio
Allegro Molto
Adagio; Allegro Vivace
Marcia Funebre: Adagio Assai
Scherzo Allegro Vivace; Trio
Allegro Molto; Poco Andante: Presto
Leonore Overture No.3

Tracks:

Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Andante Molto Mosso
Allegro
Allegro
Allegretto
Allegro Con Brio
Andante Con Moto
Allegro
Allegro

Tracks:

Egmont Overture
Poco Sostenuto; Vivace
Allegretto
Presto; Assai Mono Presto
Allegro Con Brio
Leonore Overture No.1
Allegro Vivace E Con Brio
Allegretto Scherzando
Tempo Di Menuetto
Allegro Vivace

Tracks:

Leonore Overture No.2
Allegro Ma Non Troppo, Un Poco Maestoso
Molto Vivace
Adagio Molto E Cantabile; Andante Moderato
Finale. Presto; Allegro Assai

Average customer rating:

Complete Overtures
Beethoven , Neumann , and Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B0000059EZ
Release Date: 1996-06-18

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