Beethoven: Symphonien No. 6 "Pastorale" & No. 8

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Deutsche Grammophon is doing some weird things with Claudio Abbado's Beethoven--issuing, reissuing, and re- reissuing performances coupled every which way at different price levels--in a semi-desperate effort to prove that these performances are worth owning. They are not. Abbado's Beethoven generally suffers from a sense of routine that makes it completely noncompetitive with numerous versions by the likes of Leonard Bernstein, Karl Böhm, and Herbert von Karajan on this same label. Puzzling. --David Hurwitz

Beethoven: Symphonien No. 6 "Pastorale" & No. 8, Music, Ludwig van Beethoven, Claudio Abbado, Wiener Philharmoniker, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Romantic Symphony, Symphonic

Beethoven - Die Symphonien (Symphonies 1-9) / Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic
Average customer rating:

Great LIVE performances

Don't miss this set!

Gee. I thought I knew something about music.

Dear Beethoven Fan, I Urge You, DO NOT Buy This Abbado Cycle! Here are the Reasons...

Two prestigious cycles from Abbado and Rattle--which to choose?

Beethoven - Die Symphonien (Symphonies 1-9) / Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic
Ludwig van Beethoven , Claudio Abbado , and Berlin Philharmonic
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 2000-11-21

Tracks:

Sym No.1 in C, Op.21: 1. Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio
Sym No.1 in C, Op.21: 2. Andante Cantabile Con Moto
Sym No.1 in C, Op.21: 3. Menuetto. Allegro Molto E Vivace - Trio
Sym No.1 in C, Op.21: 4. Finale. Adagio - Allegro Molto E Vivace
Sym No.2 in D, Op.36: 1. Adagio - Allegro Con Brio
Sym No.2 in D, Op.36: 2. Larghetto
Sym No.2 in D, Op.36: 3. Scherzo. Allegro - Trio
Sym No.2 in D, Op.36: 4. Allegro Molto

Tracks:

Sym No.3 in E flat, Op.55 'Eroica': 1. Allegro Con Brio
Sym No.3 in E flat, Op.55 'Eroica': 2. Marcia Funebre. Adagio Assai
Sym No.3 in E flat, Op.55 'Eroica': 3. Scherzo. Allegro Vivace - Trio
Sym No.3 in E flat, Op.55 'Eroica': 4. Finale. Allegro Molto - Poco Andante - Presto
Sym No.4 in B flat, Op.60: 1. Adagio - Allegro Vivace
Sym No.4 in B flat, Op.60: 2. Adagio
Sym No.4 in B flat, Op.60: 3. Allegro Molto E Vivace - Trio. Un Poco Meno Allegro
Sym No.4 in B flat, Op.60: 4. Allegro Ma Non Troppo

Tracks:

Sym No.5 in c, Op.67: 1. Allegro
Sym No.5 in c, Op.67: 2. Andante Con Moto
Sym No.5 in c, Op.67: 3. Allegro
Sym No.5 in c, Op.67: 4. Allegro - Presto
Sym No.6 in F, Op.68 'Pastorale': 1. Pleasant, Cheerful Feelings Awakened...
Sym No.6 in F, Op.68 'Pastorale': 2. Scene By The Brook: Andante Molto Moto
Sym No.6 in F, Op.68 'Pastorale': 3. Merry Gathering Of Country Folk: Allegro
Sym No.6 in F, Op.68 'Pastorale': 4. Thunderstorm: Allegro
Sym No.6 in F, Op.68 'Pastorale': 5. Shepherd's Song: Happy And Thankful Feelings...

Tracks:

Sym No.7 in A, Op.92: 1. Poco Sostenuto - Vivace
Sym No.7 in A, Op.92: 2. Allegretto
Sym No.7 in A, Op.92: 3. Presto
Sym No.7 in A, Op.92: 4. Allegro Con Brio
Sym No.8 in F, Op.93: 1. Allegro Vivace E Con Brio
Sym No.8 in F, Op.93: 2. Allegretto Scherzando
Sym No.8 in F, Op.93: 3. Tempo Di Menuetto
Sym No.8 in F, Op.93: 4. Allegro Vivace

Tracks:

Sym No.9 in d, Op.125: 1. Allegro Ma Non Troppo E Un Poco Maestoso - Karita Mattila/Violeta Urmana/Thomas Moser/Thomas Quasthoff/Swedish Radio Chor/Eric Ericson Chm Chor
Sym No.9 in d, Op.125: 2. Molto Vivace - Presto - Karita Mattila/Violeta Urmana/Thomas Moser/Thomas Quasthoff/Swedish Radio Chor/Eric Ericson Chm Chor
Sym No.9 in d, Op.125: 3. Adagio Molto E Cantabile - Andante Moderato - Karita Mattila/Violeta Urmana/Thomas Moser/Thomas Quasthoff/Swedish Radio Chor/Eric Ericson Chm Chor
Sym No.9 in d, Op.125: 4. Presto - Allegro Assai - Karita Mattila/Violeta Urmana/Thomas Moser/Thomas Quasthoff/Swedish Radio Chor/Eric Ericson Chm Chor
Sym No.9 in d, Op.125: Presto - 'O Freunde, Nicht Diese Tone!' - Allegro Assai - Allegro Assai... - Karita Mattila/Violeta Urmana/Thomas Moser/Thomas Quasthoff/Swedish Radio Chor/Eric Ericson Chm Chor

Amazon.com

Beyond argument, Claudio Abaddo's second Beethoven cycle puts his previous DG traversals of the nine symphonies in the shade. His Berlin Philharmonic musicians, for starters, play with more precision, fire, suppleness, and ensemble sophistication than the Vienna Philharmonic did for Abaddo's live 1980s DG cycle. More significant, Abaddo's interpretations turn nearly 180 degrees from a soft-grained, middle-of-the-road vantage point toward the fleet tempos and tart sonorities favored by such "historically informed" Beethovenians as Charles Mackerras, Nicholas Harnoncourt, and David Zinman. Like Zinman, Abaddo makes use of the much-discussed Barenreiter edition, featuring Jonathan Del Mar's textual revisions based on original sources. One might characterize Abaddo's remakes as the Zinman with better playing.

Symphonies One and Two are cases in point. Both are jam-packed with crisp, fleet articulation and pungent accents. In similar fashion, the Third symphony's radical classicism hits home in a lean, driving performance redolent of the like-minded Kleiber-Concertgebouw and digital Karajan-Berlin recordings of the Eroica. Clarity, however, is often sacrificed for speed in the Fourth. If Abbado's new Fifth lacks the elemental thrust and surging bass line distinguishing Carlos Kleiber's and Gunter Wand's powerful readings, one hears important lines that often get lost in the mix, such as the cellos' countermelody underneath the finale's second theme.

The remaining symphonies boast reams of prodigious, effortless orchestral execution, but they often fall short in dynamic thrust, dramatic momentum, and even humor when appropriate. The finale of the Seventh, for instance, goes too fast for the swirling music to really take shape, and ditto for the wacky last movement of the Eighth. Abaddo's excellent live Berlin Ninth on Sony is hardly superseded by the present lightweight, ill-balanced traversal, although Thomas Quasthoff's riveting declamation in the finale is gorgeous and meaningful. DG's excellent packaging includes an interview with the conductor and informative annotations. All told, an uneven cycle as a whole, but its finest moments easily stand among the best modern Beethoven symphony recordings. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Great LIVE performances.......2007-04-19

I have this cycle on DVD and just noticed today that the audio cycle has been posted at Rhapsody and I am now listening to the first symphony.

One of the reveiws below gave the set a single star and blasted it for poor sound quality. HEY BUD, maybe it is your 2 dollar boom box and not the cds! The DVDs have a nice documentary with Abbado. He said their is not a mutt in the whole litter of the 9 symphonies(to paraphrase). Not one of these performances by Abbado & the BPO is a pound puppy! You may be able to get the DVDs for roughly the same as the cds at Amazon.

The Amazon review plus reviews posted by patrons go into issues like the faster tempos, the critical edition of the musical score employed, etc. I will not beat this horse any longer but will simply note that the playing and conducting is superb and the recorded sound is awesome.

There must be one or two dozen great Beethoven 9 cycles available! I just saw at Rhapsody that the MN Symphony Orchestra has Beethoven symphonies posted and almost screamed , "can't you folks find something else to record?" This charge can also be made of Abbado and the BPO. The BPO must have close to a dozen Beethoven Symphony cycles recorded since 1960! Even so, I am very happy that they decided to crank up the band one more time! You would think that by now the BPO would sound like the Beach Boys singing "good vibrations" for the 200th time! But nothing could be further from the truth. The playing is vigorous and fresh.

Don't miss this set!.......2006-10-17

This is brilliant Beethoven set for the Twenty First Century, with a far greater understanding of Beethoven's music than Karajan ever managed to produce with this outstanding orchestra. Only the third fails to convince, since it is far away from the standard of the powerful performances we have in Klemperer's or Furtwängler's accounts. Nonetheless, on balance, this is probably the best contemporary set we have, when compared with some of other recent DDD sets (Barenboim, Wand, Zinman). And it is far better than some other, older famous sets as well (e.g., Karajan's overrated 1963 cycle).

Sound quality is outstanding, with presence, clarity, dynamics, and detail.

Finally, soloists in #9 are also excellent: K. Mattila, V. Urmana, T. Moser, T. Quasthoff. In particular, I think Quasthoff is among the very best that we now have on record in the baritone part (together with Talvela, for Schmidt-Isserstadt).

Consequently: strongly recommended.

Gee. I thought I knew something about music........2006-04-30

I studied piano from age 4 to 20, I, believe it or not, received a book of miniscores of the Beethoven symphonies when I was around 10. I learned the pieces like that back of my hand.

Flash forward very many years. I don't do music for a living, but I think I know something about it. I read rave reviews of the new Abbado recordings of the Beethoven symphonies. I thought "what the heck, I'm in NY City, I'll buy them." I come back south, listen to the recordings, and I was thrilled. Overwhelmed.

Well, I'm obviously just a rube, because a recent reviewer has denounced the recordings as both technically and musically inadequate. I can't tell you how much it hurts me to learn that what I thought were definitive readings of these wonderful pieces weren't worth the CDs on which they were printed. Maybe it's time for introspection. Perhaps I really don't understand music.

Or perhaps the reviewer in question is just being contrary. I'm sorry, but anyone who would disparage these recordings really doesn't understand music. Both the interpretation and the recording are wonderful. While I might have a quibble or two about no. 9, nos. 1-8 more than make up for it.

If you can afford these recordings, buy them.

Dear Beethoven Fan, I Urge You, DO NOT Buy This Abbado Cycle! Here are the Reasons..........2006-03-29

I know this recent Abbado cycle with the Berlin Philharmonic looks like a tempting proposition, but don't make the mistake of buying this thing! I bought part of it separately and I listened to the rest of the symphonies I didn't buy and I must tell everyone to beware the very poor recording quality that this set offers. You would think that such an expensive set would have great sound, right? Well, you would be severely wrong to think that the imbeciles at Deutsche Grammophon could actually provide a decent digital recording!

The sound as you will instantly notice is recorded at a very low level. It is very distant, like the equivalent of listening to your neighbor play music through their apartment wall and you strain to hear the details. Ok, so it's not that bad, but it is still awful! I turn up the sound really loud and still get a very rounded, small, constricted experience. I know I'm not deaf, I just put on Karajan or Bernstein or Gardiner or damn near anyone and hear the full impact of this music so much more clearly. I recently reviewed Simon Rattle's Vienna Philharmonic Beethoven cycle, ( see my review ), I thought Rattle's cycle was very poorly recorded but Abbado's is just as lousy.

Do not be confused that because the BPO play in a chamber-scaled ensemble for several of the symphonies that the recorded sound should be so low. Gardiner and Harnoncourt play with small orchestras and sound much more powerful.

Ok, so you're saying, the sound is awful, but are the interpretations worth persevering for? Quite simply put, NO!
Claudio Abbado has been studying Beethoven for many years, he recorded the symphonies in the 1980's and since then he's been conserving his energy for something new and radical?! I wish. The only new thing Abbado brings to this cycle is lighter textures, crisper ensemble and faster tempos. That's it, no revelations. The period instrument movement was way ahead of him. The performances are shockingly polite, sedate and boring.

I applaud the Berlin Philharmonic for their wonderful playing but isn't there something more about Beethoven than wonderful playing? How about drama, power, passion, a sense of adventure? You don't find that in this Abbado cycle, but you will find a polite and delicate ensemble. It's true that Abbado once in a while struts his stuff, like the finale of the 7th symphony for instance is taken at a very hectic tempo but the effect is muted by the distant sound.

I listened to the Eroica and felt absolutely nothing! Listening to Abbado's vapid Ninth might make you hate classical music. John Elliot Gardiner is quite vapid too for instance, but at least he's gutsy and fun.

Do you enjoy dinner parties with friends and need some inoffensive background music for the occasion? This Abbado cycle will be perfect for that.

Do you actually want to hear the rage, the power, the beauty, the passion of Beethoven, one of the greatest musical minds that ever lived?

Try the following performances. Karajan in Symphonies 1 and 2 from the 1960's cycle on Hybrid SACD. The digital Karajan Gold performance for the Eroica. Furtwangler's insane Symphony 4 on Music and Arts. Karajan's massive 5th from 1962, on Hybrid SACD. For the Pastoral, try Karl Bohm or Bruno Walter. For a truly devastating 7th, Furtwangler on Music and Arts. Karajan Gold again for a thrilling 8th, and last but not least, listen to the magnificient Solti Ninth with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1972 if you like slow speeds, available in the Solti Collection or the hair-raising Gunther Wand record on RCA if you like fast intensity. For a historical Ninth Symphony, Furtwangler is the man to go to, in 1942 or 1951.

Any one of those recordings is an 'event', an experience to cherish. I will not however be cherishing Claudio Abbado's Beethoven cycle, it's disposable. If you want to hear Abbado and the BPO in full glory and great sound, try out their great Brahms symphonies, recorded more than a decade and a half ago. At least you'll know they can be great together in something!

Two prestigious cycles from Abbado and Rattle--which to choose?.......2005-09-24

The recording industry is in such bad shape now that only the most super of superstar conductors can release a complete set of Beethoven symphonies. EMI opted for Simon Rattle with the Vienna Phil. while DG bet on Abbado with the Berlin Phil. Both conductors declared that they had totally rethought these works, which is code for "I have something to offer beyond Karajan."

They do, in a way. Both sets feature faster tempos, leaner ensembles, a less grand approach, and diminished heroism and Romanticism. If that is how you like modern Beethoven--not lean to the bone like Gardiner, Norrington, and other "authentic" conductors but not fat and sluggish like Barneboim and other traditionalists--then to my ears Abbado and Rattle come out about neck and neck.

In neither case do I hear best-of-class readings of any symphony, and the rethinking often slides by without making a strong impression in the absence of total commitment, which is what Klemperer, Furtwangler, Toscanini, and Karajan brought to Beethoven, each in a different way. Rattle and Abbado have superficially jazzed up the symphonies, but they almost make me want to mourn the end of Beethoven as a living force rather than just a museum piece. Of the two, Rattle will revert to the old ways more often--the Adagio to his Ninth, for example, has no period flavor at all.

The fact that these two conductors seem about equal suprised me, though, because Rattle has studiously avoided Beethoven almost his entire career while Abbado has been devoted to him for decades. Rattle's live concert performance of Fidelio with substandard singers was no great shakes, but Abbado has yet to hit one out of the park, either, having turned in a disappointing live Beethoven Ninth on Sony, some quite lackluster symphonies with the vienna Phil. when he was much younger, and a so-so set of concerti with Pollini.

The reviewer below compalins bitterly about the unsatisfactory sonics on the Abbado set. It was also my experience that DG didn't do as good a job as they might have, but unfortunately EMI gives Rattle somewhat tight, boxy, shrill sound as well.

If I had to, I would choose the Abbado set since Rattle is just starting out. It makes an impact when two high-profile ocnductors basically declare that period proponents like Norrington, Harnoncourt, and Gardiner were right. But I don't expect to return to either cycle very often.

Average customer rating:

Individual, Profound
My favorite cycle of the symphonies
Far short of bernstein's best Beethoven, which was in NY
Bernstein outdoes Beethoven
Bernstein, Beethoven and the Vienna Philharmonic : Great Set

Beethoven: 9 Symphonien; Ouvertüren

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies (Collectors Edition)
SanDisk 2 GB Ultra II Memory Stick PRO Duo

ASIN: B000001G98
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Sym No.1 in C, Op.21: 1. Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio
Sym No.1 in C, Op.21: 2. Andante Cantabile Con Moto
Sym No.1 in C, Op.21: 3. Menuetto. Allegro Molto E Vivace
Sym No.1 in C, Op.21: 4. Adagio - Allegro Molto E Vivace
Sym No.7 in A, Op.92: 1. Poco Sostenuto - Vivace
Sym No.7 in A, Op.92: 2. Allegretto
Sym No.7 in A, Op.92: 3. Presto
Sym No.7 in A, Op.92: 4. Allegro Con Brio
'The Creatures Of Prometheus' Ov, Op.43: Adagio - Allegro Molto Con Brio

Tracks:

Sym No.2 in D, Op.36: 1. Adagio - Allegro Con Brio
Sym No.2 in D, Op.36: 2. Larghetto
Sym No.2 in D, Op.36: 3. Scherzo. Allegro
Sym No.2 in D, Op.36: 4. Allegro Molto
Sym No.4 in B flat, Op.60: 1. Adagio - Allegro Vivace
Sym No.4 in B flat, Op.60: 2. Adagio
Sym No.4 in B flat, Op.60: 3. Allegro Vivace
Sym No.4 in B flat, Op.60: 4. Allegro Ma Non Troppo

Tracks:

Sym No.3 in E flat, Op.55 'Eroica': 1. Allegro Con Brio
Sym No.3 in E flat, Op.55 'Eroica': 2. Marcia Funebre. Adagio Assai
Sym No.3 in E flat, Op.55 'Eroica': 3. Scherzo. Allegro Vivace
Sym No.3 in E flat, Op.55 'Eroica': 4. Finale. Allegro Molto
Goethe's Tragedy, 'Egmont' Ov, Op.84: Sostenuto, Ma Non Troppo - Allegro
H.J. Von Collin's Tragedy, 'Coriolan' Ov, Op.62: Allegro Con Brio

Tracks:

Sym No.5 in c, Op.67: 1. Allegro Con Brio
Sym No.5 in c, Op.67: 2. Andante Con Moto
Sym No.5 in c, Op.67: 3. Allegro
Sym No.5 in c, Op.67: 4. Allegro
Sym No.8 in F, Op.93: 1. Allegro Vivace E Con Brio
Sym No.8 in F, Op.93: 2. Allegretto Scherzando
Sym No.8 in F, Op.93: 3. Tempo Di Menuetto
Sym No.8 in F, Op.93: 4. Allegro Vivace
'Fidelio', Ov, Op.72b: Allegro

Tracks:

Sym No.6 in F, Op.68 'Pastoral': 1. Awakening Of Cheerful Feelings Upon Arrival In The Country...
Sym No.6 in F, Op.68 'Pastoral': 2. Scene By The Brook: Andante Molto Mosso
Sym No.6 in F, Op.68 'Pastoral': 3. Merry Gathering Of Country Folk: Allegro
Sym No.6 in F, Op.68 'Pastoral': 4. Thunderstorm: Allegro
Sym No.6 in F, Op.68 'Pastoral': 5. Shepard's Song: Happy And Thankful Feelings After The Storm...
'Leonore III' Ov, Op.72a: Adagio - Allegro
August Von Kotzebue's Festival Play, King Stephen Ov, Op.117: Andante Con Moto - Presto

Tracks:

Sym No.9 in d, Op.125: 1. Allegro Ma Non Troppo, Un Poco Maestoso
Sym No.9 in d, Op.125: 2. Molto Vivace
Sym No.9 in d, Op.125: 3. Adagio Molto E Cantabile
Sym No.9 in d, Op.125: 4. Presto
Sym No.9 in d, Op.125: 5. Schiller's 'Ode To Joy', Final Chor - Gwyneth Jones/Hanna Schwarz/Rene Kollo/Kurt Moll

Amazon.com

Leonard Bernstein's Beethoven cycle for Deutsche Grammophon has remained one of the best around for nearly three decades. It was the first large project that Bernstein recorded live--or mostly live, there were patch-up sessions after each concert--and these performances really do capture the inspiration of the moment. Particularly outstanding are the versions of Symphonies 3, 6, 7, and 9, though reaction to Bernstein's Fifth is a matter of taste. On balance, though, this is an excellent set. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Individual, Profound.......2007-05-20

This is, without a doubt, one man's interpretation of Beethoven's nine symphonies. But when that one man is Leonard Bernstein, you're in good hands. The Vienna Philharmonic sounds rich and engaged (if wind-heavy), and are obviously willing to follow Bernstein wherever he takes them.

The addition of a disk's-worth of overtures only sweetens the deal. This might not be your reference set of the symphonies, but it is a striking alternate look at some classic scores.

My favorite cycle of the symphonies.......2006-01-10

I have the Karajan 1960's Beethoven cycle as well as the more recent Harnoncourt cycle. They are both excellent and enjoyable. I also have several recordings each of all the individual Beethoven symphonies. All have their strong points and some single symphony recordings are stronger than some of the individual symphonies from Bernstein's Vienna cycle. But, as a whole, this complete set of symphonies remains my favorite. If you're not into Bernstein, you will not favor these recordings. If you are a Lenny fan, like I am, you will love this set.

Far short of bernstein's best Beethoven, which was in NY.......2005-09-11

Bernstein in New York was the essence of "American" Beethoven: dynamic, extroverted, heedless of Germanic conventions, totally displaced from the long line leading from Nikisch to Furtwangler and Klemperer. In Vienna he lost his American perspective, but the one he gained wasn't better. The Viena Phil play wonderfully, as always, but this is their composer, not Bernstein's. In general the readings are much more fleet and small-scalled than in NY, and although nothing is wrong exactly, not a single performance, to my mind, is better than what he did before--the sound is certainly no great shakes, being dry and uninvolving. Bernstein shouldn't have tried to compete on hallowed gorund, not in Beethoven, at least. His Fidelio from Vienna is the one exception, but these readings aren't.

Bernstein outdoes Beethoven.......2002-10-17

I can not describe what I feel every time I listen to this set,Lenny has the capability of turning everything he conducts into a totally new experience,I have been studying these sinphonies since I was 14,now I'm 36!!!! H e is the only conducter who can surprise every time,this is not only music,this is pure emotion pouring out of his miraculous hands.I will be thankfull to Lenny all my life for having me live such a wonderfull experience.

Bernstein, Beethoven and the Vienna Philharmonic : Great Set.......2001-08-26

Leonard Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic enjoyed a great musical partnership which spanned nearly two and a half decades. Bernstein's excellent Beethoven symphony cycle was one of the finest recordings he did for Deutsche Grammophon. Admittedly the sound quality isn't as refined as a studio recording, but these are very good to exceptional performances of Beethoven's symphonies. The only major disappointment is his reading of the 5th symphony, which isn't nearly as inspiring as Bohm's - or especially Kleiber's - with the Vienna Philharmonic. His splendid reading of the 3rd Symphony is far more elegant than any I have heard from Karajan. Other great performances include those of the 1st, 2nd, 6th and 9th symphonies. The two finest performances are of the 7th and 8th symphonies, with Bernstein's riveting account of the 7th almost as fine as Kleiber's. Unfortunately, Deutsche Grammophon's inadequate placing of recording microphones resulted in less than optimal sound quality; for example one can not easily distinguish between the woodwind and string sections in the Vienna Philharmonic's performance of the 3rd symphony. Yet despite these flaws I have found Bernstein's Vienna Philharmonic Beethoven symphony cycle as enjoyable as Bohm's and far superior to any I have heard from Karajan.

Average customer rating:

Beethoven: 9 Symphonien

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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-Presto
Sym No. 1 in C, Op. 21: I. Adagio molto-Allegro con brio
Sym No. 1 in C, Op. 21: II. Andante catabile con moto
Sym No. 1 in C, Op. 21: III. Menuetto (Allegro molto e vivace)& Trio
Sym No. 1 in C, Op. 21: IV. Adagio- Allegro molto e vivace

Tracks:

Sym No. 2 in D, Op. 36: I. Adagio malto
Sym No. 2 in D, Op. 36: II. Larghetto
Sym No. 2 in D, Op. 36: III. Scherzo-Allegro & Trio
Sym No. 2 in D, Op. 36: IV. Allegro molto
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. Menuetto (Allegro vivace) & Trio (Un poco meno allegro)
Sym No. 4 in b flat, Op. 60: IV. Allegro ma non troppo

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) & Trio
Sym No. 3 in e flat, Op. 55 'Eroica': IV. Finale (Allegro molto-Poco andante-Presto)
Ov: Fidelio, Op. 72b
Ov: The Consecration of the House, Op. 124

Tracks:

Sym No. 6 in F, Op. 68-'Pastoral': I. Awakening of happy feelings on arriving in the country
Sym No. 6 in F, Op. 68-'Pastoral': II. Scene by the brook
Sym No. 6 in F, Op. 68-'Pastoral': III. Merry gathering of the country folk
Sym No. 6 in F, Op. 68-'Pastoral': IV. Storm and Tempest
Sym No. 6 in F, Op. 68-'Pastoral': V. Shepherd's song. Happy and thankful feelings after the storm
Ov: Leonore No. 3, Op. 72a

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-Assai meno presto
Sym No. 7 in A, Op. 92: Allegro con brio
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. 9 in d, Op. 125: I. Allegro ma non troppa, un poco maestro - Cheryl Studer/Delores Ziegler/Peter Seiffert/James Morris/Westminster Chor/Joseph Flummerfelt
Sym No. 9 in d, Op. 125: II. Molto vivace-Presto
Sym No. 9 in d, Op. 125: III. Adagio molto e cantabile- Andante moderato
Sym No. 9 in d, Op. 125: IV. Presto-Recitativo-Allegro assai- Allegro assai vivace...

Average customer rating:

Karajan's digital Beethoven is often masterful, but it lacks a great Ninth
Classically Underated
Superb Mastery of Beethoven
Karajan and Beethoven
I don't even consider this to be music.

Beethoven: 9 Symphonien
Ludwig van Beethoven , Agnes Baltsa , and Herbert von Karajan
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Dvorák: Symphonie No. 9; Smetana: Moldau
Brahms: The Complete Symphonies / Karajan, Berlin PO

ASIN: B000001GKP
Release Date: 1993-10-12

Tracks:

Symphony No.1 In C Major, Op.21: 1. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No.1 In C Major, Op.21: 2. Andante cantabile con moto - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No.1 In C Major, Op.21: 3. Menuetto. Allegro molto e vivace - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No.1 In C Major, Op.21: 4. Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No.2 In D Major, Op.36: 1. Adagio - Allegro con brio - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No.2 In D Major, Op.36: 2. Larghetto - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No.2 In D Major, Op.36: 3. Scherzo. Allegro - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No.2 In D Major, Op.36: 4. Allegro molto - L.V. Beethoven

Tracks:

Symphony No.2 In E flat Major, Op.55 'Eroica': 1. Allegro con brio - Beethoven
Symphony No.2 In E flat Major, Op.55 'Eroica': 2. Marcia funebre. Adagio assai - Beethoven
Symphony No.2 In E flat Major, Op.55 'Eroica': 3. Scherzo. Allegro vivace - Beethoven
Symphony No.2 In E flat Major, Op.55 'Eroica': 4. Finale. Allegro molto - Beethoven
Ouverture 'Egmont' Op.84: Sostenuto, ma non troppo - Allegro - Beethoven

Tracks:

Symphony No.4 In B Flat Major, op.60: 1. Adagio - Allegro vivace - Beethoven
Symphony No.4 In B Flat Major, op.60: 2. Adagio - Beethoven
Symphony No.4 In B Flat Major, op.60: 3. Allegro vivace - Beethoven
Symphony No.4 In B Flat Major, op.60: 4. Allegro ma non troppo - Beethoven
Symphony No.7 In A Major, Op.92: 1. Poco sostenuto - Vivace - Beethoven
Symphony No.7 In A Major, Op.92: 2. Allegretto - Beethoven
Symphony No.7 In A Major, Op.92: 3. Presto - Beethoven
Symphony No.7 In A Major, Op.92: 4. Allegro con brio - Beethoven

Tracks:

Symphony No.5 In C Minor, Op.67: 1. Allegro con brio - Beethoven
Symphony No.5 In C Minor, Op.67: 2. Andante con moto - Beethoven
Symphony No.5 In C Minor, Op.67: 3. Allegro - Beethoven
Symphony No.5 In C Minor, Op.67: 4. Allegro - Beethoven
Symphony No.6 In F Major, Op.68 'Pastoral': 1. Awakening of Cheerful Feelings upon Arrival in the Country - Allegro ma non troppo - Beethoven
Symphony No.6 In F Major, Op.68 'Pastoral': 2. Scene by the Brook - Andante molto mosso - Beethoven
Symphony No.6 In F Major, Op.68 'Pastoral': 3. Merry Gathering of Country Folk - Allegro - Beethoven
Symphony No.6 In F Major, Op.68 'Pastoral': 4. Thunderstorm - Allegro - Beethoven
Symphony No.6 In F Major, Op.68 'Pastoral': 5. Shepherd's Song: Happy and Thankful Feelings after the Storm - Allegretto - Beethoven

Tracks:

Symphony No.8 In F Major, Op.93: 1. Allegro vivace e con brio - Beethoven
Symphony No.8 In F Major, Op.93: 2. Allegretto scherzando - Beethoven
Symphony No.8 In F Major, Op.93: 3. Tempo di Menuetto - Beethoven
Symphony No.8 In F Major, Op.93: 4. Allegro vivace - Beethoven
Ouverture 'Coriolan' Op.62: Allegro con brio - Beethoven
Ouverture 'Fidelio' Op.72b: Allegro - Beethoven
Ouverture 'Leonore' III Op.72a: Adagio - Allegro - Beethoven

Tracks:

Symphony No.9 In D Minor, Op.125: 1. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No.9 In D Minor, Op.125: 2. Molto vivace - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No.9 In D Minor, Op.125: 3. Adagio molto e cantabile - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No.9 In D Minor, Op.125: 4. Presto - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No.9 In D Minor, Op.125: 4. Presto - 'O Freunde, Nicht Diese Tone!' - Allegro Assai - L.V. Beethoven

Customer Reviews:

Karajan's digital Beethoven is often masterful, but it lacks a great Ninth.......2006-07-15

Critics have plenty of room to disagree when a conductor provides them with four versions of every Beethoven symphony, and more than four of the Seventh and Ninth, as Karajan did. He's unique in that regard and probably will remain unchallenged for the foreseeable future. The classical music today market barely allows conductors to make one cycle. Karajan's last set in digital sound has been widely dismissed, but as several reviewers here have noted, it has some unique strengths.

First, the digital sound, especially as remastered in the Karajan Gold edition, is far superior to the flawed analog sound that he got in the Sixties, much less the muddy monaural sound EMI gave him for his first cycle with the Philharmonia in the Fifties. There was a steely edge to early digital, and that remains in this box set before the remastering. Nonetheless, we not only get more clarity, but the Berlin Phil. performs with a sheen and polish that's mesmerizing (unless you simply think it's unacceptable for Beethoven to sound beautiful).

Karajan didn't greatly change his interpretations of any of these works, so if you dislike his glib Pastorale from earlier cycles, here it is again. But also here are his superlative Second, Fourth, Fifth, and Seventh. I find the Eroica seriously underpowered, however, and the Ninth is clearly inferior to all ealier versions, thanks to light voices in the solo quartet and a loss of mystery and emotional depth throughout.

A Beethoven cycle wihtout a great Ninth isn't worthy of five stars, but for many other reasons Karajan's last words on Beethoven are a must-listen.

Classically Underated.......2004-09-09

Reviewers often certify that the 1963/4 Karajan/Berliners cycle is far and away the best. I suspect this general opinion is based mostly on their awe for that version of the 9th symphony, and such an opinion is reasonable. The debate rages on, however. I personally think that each of Karajan's recorded cycles was a substantial improvement on the previous version, for two reasons: the steady improvements in recording technology which gave greater transparency to the sound, and the evolution of the interpretation by the most incredible marriage of conductor and ensemble in modern musicmaking history. By the way, there is a fourth cycle by Karajan with the Philharmonia (producer Walter Legge's creation in London, and also led by Klemperer) recorded in the 50s by EMI. It is even swifter than the 60s Berlin version, but not "better."

Karajan's forte was with the 7th and 9th symphonies. They "make" each of the sets, and the last versions could not have conceivably been "better." They are not to be dismissed. They are arguably the best performances ever recorded, ranking with the best performances by Furtwaengler, Walter and Klemperer, his only rivals. (Toscanini was the Horowitz of the symphony orchestra; his creations were of something else, not quite what was intended by the composer -- but that's another story.) Klemperer's "live" 9th from 1961 (on BBC Testament) is, I'd say, the truer, more authentic realization: the 3rd movement remarkably (and perhaps exclusively) up-tempo and musical, the 4th showing its debts to earlier masters (even Haendel) as it forges the modern form.

While Klemperer is unadorned pure music, Karajan is the master of power. When the music demands it, say in Bruckner and Beethoven especially, he is unequalled in creating the maximum effect. His tempi are less flexible than Klemperer's which clearly embrace the dance elements. Instead Karajan can be described as purposeful in his rhythmic progressions, always feeding a larger theme. In the classical terms, Klemperer is more Dionysian; Karajan, more Apollonian. Both approaches result in glorious renditions, never surpassed, only rarely equalled. Bruno Walter's renditions either in mono with the NYPO (Phila. Orch. in the 6th) or in stereo with the Columbia Symphony are arguably as wonderful and definitive as any others, and more subjectively, even lovingly handled. A few of the performances of the handpicked-for-Walter (largely LA Phil) Columbia Symphony Orchestra have been held in diminished regard by some, unfairly I think. Certainly most, I would say all of the Walter/CSO recordings are among the most beautiful recordings of the Romantic repertoire ever made. Perhaps detractors are responding to the close miking employed by CBS, and perhaps because Walter discouraged showy playing some feel they sometimes lack a certain edge when compared to Walter's recordings earlier in life. (Recorded rehearsals show his later recordings were exactly what he wanted from the CSO, not some unintended shortcoming.) It could also simply be the result of comparing an unretouched recording of a top-rate orchestra to the patched-if-necessary perfect recordings of probably the best orchestra ever, the BPO. It should be noted in this regard that the first Karajan/BPO undertakings in the early sixties were not nearly as polished, the orchestra showing it was not so unlike the Philharmonia, NYPO or CSO. Of the Walter/CSO recordings, the least favorite seems to be the Ninth. A couple of missed trumpet notes to mention, and a very slow, or perhaps heavily indulged third movement. The last movement is taken slower than most until the end, but that is not necessarily wrong. I happen to enjoy it. Klemperer was known for "ponderous" tempi, and I disagree with the aspersion. In those days, flashy, edgy interpretations were somewhat frowned upon, which made the renditions by Toscannini stand out all the more. I compare Toscannini unfavorably for what I consider flashy, often bombastic performances. On the other hand, Karajan can be quite slow, say in Mahler compared with Walter; and Klemperer can be quite swift in concert particularly in the 3rd movement of the Beethoven Ninth.

For technical sonic reference, the Karajan/BPO recordings win hands down, and the Walter/CSO recordings are a distant second. The others mentioned suffer from the technical limitations of their times, Furtwaengler's suffering the most, but remain very enjoyable notwithstanding.

These performances are precious, and I hope they remain in the Amazon catalogue for a very long time.

Superb Mastery of Beethoven.......2000-08-19

This recording shows the mastery of a lifetime of superb conducting by Karajan. The orchsetra is perfectly balanced; the technical execution is top knotch. And the voices are perfect. In my opinion this is still one of the finest symphonies ever written. And this recording by Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic is one of the best there is.

Karajan and Beethoven.......2000-05-16

Karajan recorded the complete cycle of Beethovens 9 symphonies no less than three times: first, in the early sixties, next in the mid seventies and finally in the mid eighties, this recording. Karajan was always at the cutting edge of recording techniques. It was only natural for him to be among the first to embrace the new digital technology, that was the basis of the compact disc - incidentally, his "Zauberflöte" (Mozart) became the first DDD recording to be released on CD by the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. One of the main reasons for Karajan to do no less than three cycles of Beethoven-symphonies was his desire to leave a state-of-the-art legacy on record (or CD), and as he died in 1989, it became a race against time. It is potentially interesting to be able to view the approach to these hallmark works by the same conductor at three stages of his career. Sadly, it is all too obvious that Karajan had nothing to add to the previous cycles. The only advantage is the polished, deluxe sound that comes from the all-digital DDD recording techniques. The music-making itself has an almost rheumatic quality to it - Karajan's approach to Beethoven was always a rather dry, polished one, far from that of his predecessor as "conductor-in-chief" of the BPO, Wilhelm Furtwängler. At this advanced stage of his career, there was hardly anything left but the polished sound and the precise conducting - no joy or life. This is not to say that Karajan wasn't a great conductor. To my mind, he was perhaps the greatest, also as a conductor of Beethoven. But get the recordings he made during the sixties and early seventies, which, I believe was his best period. Many of those recordings - and there are LOTS of them - are available on disc under the "Originals" label by DGG.

I don't even consider this to be music........2000-04-13

I'm no fan of Karajan, but even I 'm stunned by these detestable misinterpretations. It doesn't sound like Beethoven. It doesn't even sound like music. It sounds like K. trying (and failing) to create new and interesting orchestral SOUNDS. There is no heart behind it, and no intellect either. Usually I can find something in a bad disk, but who can stay in the room when this stuff is on? It's offensive that K. did this to Beethoven.

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In C Major, Op. 21: I. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio - Herbert Von Karajan
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. 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) And Trio
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Eroica': IV. Finale (Allegro molto - Poco andante - Presto)

Tracks:

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) And Trio
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 36: IV. Allegro molto
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 - Assai meno presto - Presto
Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: IV. Allegro con brio

Tracks:

Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: I. Adagio - Allegro molto
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: II. Adagio
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: III. Menuetto (Allegro vivace) And Trio (Un poco meno allegro)
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: IV. Allegro ma non troppo
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 - Presto
Overture: Coriolan, Op. 62

Tracks:

Symphony No.6 In F Major, Op.68 'Pastoral': 1: Allegro 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
Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: I: Allegro vivace e con brio
Symphony No.8 In F Major, Op93: 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
Overture: Egmont, Op.84

Tracks:

Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op.125 'Choral': 1: Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso
Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op.125 'Choral': II: Molto vivace - Presto
Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op.125 'Choral': III: Adagio molto e cantabile - Allegro moderato
Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op.125 'Choral': IV: Presto - Recitavivo - Allegro assai - Allegro assai vivace - Alla Marcia - Andante maestoso - Allegro energico, sempre ben marcato - Allegro ma non troppo - Prestissimo

Amazon.com

These mono recordings from the early fifties (No. 8 is in stereo) testify to Herbert von Karajan's instinct for Beethoven's confrontational idiom, particularly in the 1st, 2nd, and 6th through 8th symphonies. The "Eroica" is weighty to the point of heavy-handed compared to the conductor's fleeter, more transparent Berlin remakes. Conversely, the London 5th and 9ths sport a blended proficiency far removed from the conductor's earlier, more inflected and involving Vienna versions. On balance, Karajan's 1963 Berlin cycle on DG remains first choice for its superior sound, more alluring orchestra, and cheaper price. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

5 stars for the performance, 1 star for the poor quality recording.......2007-06-27

I have a 3 lp Bruno Walter Brahms NY Philharmonic box set on the Columbia Odyssey label recorded in MONO in 1954. These lps sound wonderful! The Karajan Beethoven Cycle recorded in MONO at about the same time sounds like crapola, yes, CRAPOLA. True, the Walter Brahms set will not challenge DDD for king of the sound hill, but for 1954 MONO they sound WONDERFUL! They are night and day better than Walter's 1940ish historical recordings with the NBC Symphony and the NY Phil is a real orchestra that is more than up to the challenge of playing Brahms. Since excellent mono recordings were possible in 1954, the blame for Karajan's horrible sound falls to his recording engineers.

You do not have to buy these discs since they are posted at Rhapsody. Maybe, if you are a collector you would consider buying. Rhapsody has this cycle, plus the 70s and DDD 80s cycles posted. Karajan's 3 other complete cycles are much better sound wise. We can debate the performance virtues of each Beethoven Cycle until the cow jumps over the moon, but for my time and money, I would rather argue about recordings that, first of all sound great, instead of the manure that was put on disc back in the 1950s.

Vigorous early interpretations versus poor mono sound.......2006-03-15

I am a great admirer of Karajan's Beethoven and can second all the praise given to this, his earliest Beethoven symphony cycle from London (it also includes a Coriolan and Egmont Over.). But I can also second the complaints about the sound. EMI was not in the vanguard of LP sonics, and during this same period (1951-55) recorded sound was all over the map. We were getting marvelous early stereo from RCA, incredibly ugly mono for Toscanini's NBC Sym. from the same company, excellent warm-sounding orchestral recordings for Bruno Walter from Columbia's 30th St. studio in New York, and just as good Kingsway Hall sound from EMI in London. These recordings are also from Kingsway Hall, but at least in this reissue they are murky, thin, and muddled, with the Philharmonia frequently placed too far from the microphones for real impact.

The glaring proof of these flaws is the Sym. #8, the sole performance recorded in stereo (1955), which jumps into vivid relief--the sound here is worthy of the great performance. I also find that the reviewers here, both pro and con, are exaggerating Karajan's change of style. The Amazon reviewer is mistaken to call this early Eroica ponderous--it's as fast as Karajan's later readings. Admittedly, he tends to be more thrustful and incisive in London than in Berlin, but Karajan's 1963 cycle is by no means mannered, smoothed-over, or glib. He is recognizably the same conductor in that cycle as in this earlier one. Any listener will recognize how compelling these London readings are; the question is really over the dated sonics.

Karajan's First Beethoven Cycle (1951-55) Still His Best.......2004-11-23

Karajan at his freshest and most inspired, the Philharmonia in its absolute prime...THIS is the Beethoven cycle for a newcomer to classical music- there's not a weak link in it ! It's sensuous and warm when it needs to be; it's austere and noble when it needs to be; it's deep when it needs to be; and it's "fleet-of-foot" when it needs to be. Nothing goes wrong...

The FIRST is like Haydn, with a touch of insolence- a great start to the cycle. And contrary to what another reviewer wrote, the THIRD isn't heavy or lumpish AT ALL- it DANCES. The SECOND and FOURTH prove to be almost as "pastoral" as the Pastoral. The FIFTH is all MUSIC- not Schopenhauerian metaphysics. And unlike the 1962 Berlin re-make of the Pastoral (where the first two movements are unconscionably rushed, so that it isn't a weekend in the country, but a lunch break in the city park), THIS one is as fresh as a field of Mount Rainier lupines after the rain. The SEVENTH is the greatest since the 1936 NY Toscanini - without T's rushing of the scherzo. The EIGHTH is all Rossinian gas & gaiters. The NINTH carves a new path to the heart of this work: spirituality, not ideology- and yet with all the colors of a Florentine fresco. (For some, this betrays the "core" of the NINTH, but it's good to hear it done THIS way for a change.)

But the amazing thing is how HvK and the producer of this set, Walter Legge, were able to conjure up a South German/Viennese sound from those British strings...Not to mention the solo horn passages by Dennis Brain !!!

The 1990 transfers are fully adequate. Still, a re-do would be welcome (don't hold your breath, music lovers). Karajan's next Beethoven cycle, the ballyhooed 1961-62 Berlin, is of course better known, and one of the best in stereo. It was the first to be internationally MARKETED as a cycle (JFK was given a complimentary copy on his last Euro trip in June 1963). But it was NOT THE FIRST TO BE RECORDED AS A CYCLE- all hype to the contrary. (Two such cycles, the stereo Bruno Walter/Hollywood, and the Josef Krips/LSO, had already been completed.)

When you compare the '61-62 Berlin with this earlier Philharmonia set, a conscious cleverness...a certain "been there, done that," has already seeped into the music: "This is PRODUCTION- Just LISTEN to our execution!" True, in the early 60s, Karajan's notorious penchant for gloss & smoothness hadn't yet taken hold; but the Philharmonia cycle is the more musical, organic experience of Beethoven.

You can get greater depth in Furtwangler; greater fire in Toscanini; perhaps greater "organic" structuring in Jochum and greater nuancing with Monteux (MY two other favorites for Beethoven)...But the Karajan Philharmoinia cycle is an ideal one for entering Beethoven's multi-faceted realm of thought and feeling. You can't lose.

Dissenting Opinion.......2004-04-22

It's probably true that the 1962-63 DG Berlin set is the best of Karajan's four(!) recorded Beethoven cycles. But there is more to these earlier mono Philharmonia performances than the other reviewers seem able to appreciate. As interpretations, the Philharmonia recordings certainly sound less massive and brilliant than any of their DG counterparts. But to compensate, the Philharmonia performances achieve a freshness and naturalness that eludes DG's later stereo sets. In a word, the Philharmonia performances sound less self-conscious than the DG recordings, where you're always very much aware that the performances are about "Herbert von Karajan Conducts Beethoven." The Italian composer Bruno Maderna once contemptuously referred to Karajan's "chocolate Beethoven," and it was the Berlin recordings that lay behind that judgment, not these much less fussy-sounding Philharmonia performances. One explanation for the difference: Karajan didn't "own" London's Philharmonia Orchestra the way he came to own the Berliners, and the English orchestra's very unique and un-Karajan sound -- with strings recessed & winds front and center -- tended to resist the conductor's extreme preference for smoothed-out textures and soft attacks. (And, by the way, the Philharmonia's wonderfully colored woodwinds consistently outclasses the Berliners, no matter which Berlin cycle you turn to for comparison.) Finally, the mono sound on these recordings (only the 8th symphony is stereo) is much better than the other reviewers indicate. The recordings were produced by EMI legend Walter Legge, whose engineers were famous for securing a natural and warm sound quality, even in mono. I don't hear any harshness or shallowness at all, just a very attractive, well-defined orchestral sound stage where instrumental choirs register, but without unnatural spotlighting. The "Eroica," Fourth and "Pastorale" symphonies are particularly satisfying examples of Legge's very musical approach to recording. There's no question but that the DG stereo recordings sound more modern and high-tech than the Philharmonia recordings. But whether they sound more musical is another question entirely.

Only Karajan completists need apply.......2003-10-02

This is by far the weakest of Karajan's 4 (!) recorded Beethoven cycles. The performances and orchestra are rather bland, and the sound quality is quite bad, with significant tape hiss and muddled frequency ranges throughout -- perhaps if this were 20-bit remastered to current standards, it would be more competitive. Only recommended for those who *must* have all 4 of Karajan's sets -- it's not truly terrible, by any stretch, but it's mediocre, and at this price you can do far better elsewhere.

Tracks:

Symphonie No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 - Pastorale: 1. Awakening Of Cheerful Feelings Upon Arrival In The Country. Allegro ma non troppo
Symphonie No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 - Pastorale: 2. Scene By The Brook. Andante molto mosso
Symphonie No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 - Pastorale: 3. Merry Gathering Of Country Folk. Allegro
Symphonie No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 - Pastorale: 4. Thunderstorm. Allegro
Symphonie No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 - Pastorale: 5. Shepard's Song: Happy And Thankful Feelings After The Storm. Allegretto
Symphonie No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: 1. Allegro vivace e con brio
Symphonie No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: 2. Allegretto scherzando
Symphonie No. 8 F Major, Op. 93: 3. Tempo di Menuetto
Symphonie No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: 4. Allegro vivace

Amazon.com

Deutsche Grammophon is doing some weird things with Claudio Abbado's Beethoven--issuing, reissuing, and re- reissuing performances coupled every which way at different price levels--in a semi-desperate effort to prove that these performances are worth owning. They are not. Abbado's Beethoven generally suffers from a sense of routine that makes it completely noncompetitive with numerous versions by the likes of Leonard Bernstein, Karl Böhm, and Herbert von Karajan on this same label. Puzzling. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Far too middle of the road - but Abbado got better.......2007-02-25

Abbado's eqrly cycle of the Beethoven symphonies with the Vienna Phil. did little to enhance his reputation and much to affirm that he could be bland and uninspired. But he had a tremendous capacity for personal growth as a musician, and in recent years his live readings of Beethoven with the Berlin Phil. have drawn awed responses. This stody Sixth and Eighth are best forgotten. They come in so-so sound, the orchestra is by no means energized, and Abbado himself has no ideas to communicate. I can't quite understand why the reviewer below who calls this CD a stroll in the countryside thinks that he's bestowing praise.

Beethoven 6 and 8: Clear, Lucid Reading by Abbado.......2006-04-01

This is an excellent interpretation of two masterpieces. Claudio Abbado and the Vienna Philharmonic have a wonderful rapport, and it is evident from this recording. One of the most notable aspects is the wonderful sound Abbado draws from this great orchestra: rich (only when necessary), yet crisp, clean, and lucid. Even in the loudest sections, texture is always very discernible, and never borders on muddy. The tempi are very logical. To those who complain about tempi being too slow, I would say simply that there are dozens of fast, racing recordings; why not experience this music from a slightly different perspective?
Unfortunately, the Amazon.com reviewer, Mr. David Hurwitz, clearly missed the point on this excellent disc. He says that Bernstein or von Karajan readings of this music are better, and that Abbado is too routine. Well, Mr. Hurwitz, I would prefer "routineness" any time to the often self-indulgentness of Bernstein, or cloudy textures of von Karajan.
I highly endorse this recording. For once, let the music express itself.

A leisurely stroll through the country.......2005-09-20

I picked up this CD for about $6 US and I have not been dissappointed.

As other reviewers have said, this is a solid 6th. Abbado's opera background gives him a good grip on the imagery and drama of this piece, if he does take it a bit too slow. Nevertheless, it does not disappoint, and I enjoy it a lot.

Abbado's 8th is much better than many recordings. Most conductors seem to be doing the 8th just to fill out the box set or the second half of a CD. The 7th is the greatest of all Beethoven symphonies and the 9th is something on a completely different level from any other piece of music ever written, so its easy to overlook the 8th. Beethoven thought the 8th was his best, though, and it has a subtle power and eloquence throughout that finally bubbles to the surface in one of Ludwig's best finales. In a way it is a look back at the era of C.P.E. Bach, Haydn and Mozart rather than a look forward to the romantic era. Or perhaps even a look past romanticism to the neo-classicism of the 20th century (ok I know that's a stretch).

Hurwitz is obviously not a fan of Abbado's Beethoven or DG's marketing department so take the editorial review above with a grain of salt.

All that said, unless you find as good a bargain as I did, get the Szell 6th (and 8th!) on Sony. It's better and cheaper.

Not Worthwhile.......2004-12-29

The editorial review is partially correct. These performances are actually strong accounts- from Abbado one should expect no less. The problem is in the recording. These are distant, mushy recordings that offer little detail. They sound as if a stereo pair was set up at the last minute in the middle of row X.

As for DG's odd marketing of these early Abbado/Wiener Beethoven symphonien, the reason is the new Abbado recordings of the nine with the Berlin PO on the same label. These were done in 2000 and are better recordings.

DG is just trying to move the few remaining copies of the earlier recordings.

I would inveigh against the DG Masters and most of the other budget lines.

A Fresh Authentic Beethoven.......2000-06-03

Claudio Abaddo plays Beethoven with an earnest and imaginative authenticity. His clarity of tone and rich orchestral expression - two distinguishing characteristics of Maestro Abaddo - takes one into an extraordinary feast.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

She Was Only a Grocer's Daughter [Import]

Twentieth Century Contrasts

Tigerman

Sings Bossa Nova [Import]

TCV3

World of Hollywood Classics [Import]

Will Jesus Be Waiting

The New Golden Era

Women of the World: International

Voices in the Wind

Vital Idol [Original recording remastered]

Te Siento Ausente

Y Siguen los Exitos

What Grace

Mil Verões: Greatest Hits