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

Track Listings

1. Symphony No.1 In C Major, Op.21

2. Symphony No.2 In D Major, Op.36

3. Symphony No.4 In B-Flat Major, Op.60

4. Symphony No.6 In F Major, Op.68

5. Symphony No.9 In D Minor, Op.125

6. Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In D Major, Op.61

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Lost Dreams

Ornstein, Lundborg, Ziffrin and others

Pink Opaque

Jazz Music: 20th Century Closet

Calling Up My Bad Side [Enhanced] [Explicit Lyrics]

S.I.O.S.O.S., Vol. 1 [Clean]

Sarah, Plain and Tall ~ the musical [Cast Recording]

Mozart: Piano Concerto Nos. 9 & 17

Only You

Mozart: Symphony No40; Symphony No41

Moonroom

Memories

My Man Speedy!

20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Barrett Strong

Social Call

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