Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor Op.125 'Choral'

1. Symphony No. 9 in D minor ("Choral") Op. 125
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by London Symphony Orchestra Chorus , London Symphony Orchestra with Heather Harper , Donald McIntyre , Helen Watts , Alexander Young
Conducted by Leopold Stokowski , John Alldis

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor Op.125 'Choral',Donald McIntyre,Ludwig van Beethoven,John Alldis,Leopold Stokowski,London Symphony Orchestra,London Symphony Orchestra Chorus,Heather Harper,Alexander Young,Polygram Records,Classical,Classical Music,Romantic Symphony,Symphonic

Average customer rating: Great for the road Beethoven 25 Favorites 25 Beethoven Favorites bEtHoVeN mAnIaC Great Price...Not so good itself

25 Beethoven Favorites Manufacturer: Vox (Classical) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Ecossaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Bagatelles | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Incidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra | ( C ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Minnesota Orchestra | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | Sonatas | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Sonatas | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: 25 Mozart Favorites 25 Bach Favorites 25 Tchaikovsky Favorites 25 Vivaldi Favorites 25 Classical Favorites ASIN: B0000058HX Release Date: 1996-08-20

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating: Toscanini's last Beethoven cycle -- a unique, bargain glimpse of the performing rite i can't take it anymore Classic circa 1950 Beethoven Symphony Cycle Beethoven's symphonies Great Historical Collection

Ludwig van Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies - Arturo Toscanini / NBC Symphony Orchestra Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer) , Arturo Toscanini (Conductor) , and NBC Symphony Orchestra Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Toscanini, Arturo | ( T ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Toscanini, Arturo | ( T ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Brahms: The Four Symphonies Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Capriccio Espagnol; Russian Easter Overture Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos Vaughan Williams: The Nine Symphonies Beethoven - The Complete String Quartets / Alban Berg Quartet ASIN: B0000CNTLU Release Date: 2003-12-09

Customer Reviews:

Toscanini's last Beethoven cycle -- a unique, bargain glimpse of the performing rite.......2007-06-30

This set's insighful and irresistable, especially at the 'Amazon' price. 5 stars from me!

Imagine being able to hear works played by musicians with direct links to performers who've remembered what the composer wanted in performance of his/her works during his/her lifetime. Such opportunities arise through listening to recordings made by maestros like Arturo Toscanini (born 1867, began orchestra conducting 1886) whose musicianship -- not just in terms of scholarship and technical powers -- take us to a view of the contemporary Beethoven performing rite that seems to have dimmed with successive generations. Not that every Toscanini performance of a work is the same -- indeed there's noticeable evolution -- but his basic underlying approach remained sufficiently consistent for it to be captured in recordings, like this set, made quite late in his career (it ended in mid-1954, he died early 1957).

This Beethoven cycle is ADD mono and may not be any sonic improvement over either RCA's "74321", or "GD", series CDs of the same cycle; and it's unlikely to be sonically better than the superb LP transfers in the 100-disc set released (in the late 1970s) by RCA Japan (n.l.a.). But if you don't already own this latest RCA CD package, then, at the 'Amazon' price, it'll be an indispensible part of your Beethoven cycle experience.

The NBC Symphony is in great form (Toscanini reportedly said it didn't really become a top symphony orchestra until around its 1950 continental US tour and these discs are from that period) and the recorded sound, for the most part (say except for the Seventh's last movement) captures the dynamics and unique, chrystaline fabric of the Toscanini orchestral sound.

There's apparently some confusion over whether the set's 'Eroica' is the 1949 "studio" or 1953 "live" (broadcast) performance, but the insert-booklet's per-movement timings indicate it's the 1953 one (which is broader and differently inflected compared to the '49, and some earlier, Toscanini Eroicas; the 1949 one is included in RCA's "GD" CD series). Anyhow, this kind of issue is more for discographers than those out on a journey of important musical discovery.

Buy this set, especially at the price, the performances shouldn't fail to stimulate and inspire!

Some suggested references:-

'The Toscanini Legacy' by Spike Hughes (pub. 'Dover')
'Toscanini and the Art of Conducting' by Robert C. Marsh (pub. 'Collier Books') (in UK, titled 'Toscanini and the Art of Orchestral Performance' (pub. 'Allen & Unwin'))
'Arturo Toscanini - The NBC Years' by Mortimer H. Frank (pub. 'Amadeus Press').

i can't take it anymore.......2007-06-02

i'm tired of aficionado's bashing toscanini around while praising furtwangler as the ultimate interpreter of beethoven. just as an average "uneducated" listener is likely to praise karajan, an average "uneducated" aficionado is likely to praise furtwangler as the only viable option of beethoven performance.
which is just utterly not true!
don't get me wrong - i love furtwangler. he is one of the conductors i revere most, and i DO think that his beethoven is rarely surpassed. but there are a million ways to perform a piece! and most likely than not, this is not a matter of the cliched "subjective vs. objective" argument that most people put forward.
to argue that beethoven would not have conducted his music a la toscanini is absurd. very presumptious, of you ask me. actually, comparing beethoven's metronome markings with furtwangler's and tostanini's recordings, toscanini actually is closer to the norm. furtwangler actually disregards a lot of beethoven's instructions regarding tempi, phrasing, development, dynamics, etc.
many people, including me, would argue that furtwangler is not disregarding beethoven's intentions at all. beethoven's intention when, for instance, composing the first movement of the eroica, was not, as toscanini has said, "allegro con brio." it was the expression of beauty, the expression of the human soul. beethoven might've heard in his head the movement much faster than is usually performed. but music that occures in the mind and in the physical is significantly different (think of printing - the blue on your computer screen doesn't really turn out to be the blue you want when you print it out!). if furtwangler's performances best achieve this end (which i do believe they do), he has serviced beethoven immensly.
but who is to judge that furtwangler expressed what beethoven intended? perhaps beethoven intended a different kind of beauty? a different kind of soul? and this is why people who love music often have more than one record of the same music.
toscanini was a supreme maestro in his own right. he might not have the ability to direct a mind towards musical epiphany like furtwangler, or to steadily provoke the mind and heart to a state of climax like klemperer, but he does have a supreme sense of orchestral control. no one makes tuttis sound like tuttis as toscanini. he also has an insuperable talent of conveying musical excitement: not even erich kleiber, who in my opinion had one of the most powerful rhythmical senses amongst all the great conductors, can imbue a performance with as much explosive propulsion.
i must admit that i was also infected with the "toscanini-hate" for a while, particularly because sergiu celibidache, absolutely one of the greatest conductors, derided him as being a "note-factory." compared with celibidache or furtwangler, toscanini is a note factory. but this is merely because he prefers a more "absolute music" approach. to him, music is not an emotional, or spiritual language. it is just music. what the audience feels from the music is because of the innate quality of the notes themselves, not because the conductor tries to express them. one might say that people who prefer the first chords of the fifth symphony to be blatantly like "fate knocking on the door" would be disappointed by toscanini. but in a sense, such expectations are naive. to some performers and listeners, fate knocking on the door does not have to take on the gothic melodrama that most modern performances aim to achieve.
surely, there are sets out there that please me more - and this is not a collection of toscanini's best performances. there is a particularly noteworthy seventh on naxos coupled with an equally compelling fifth. this collection, however, serves as a worthy exponent of the virtues of toscanin's art.
for catharsis, look to furtwangler. for a sense of musical consummation, look to klemperer. elegance and liveliness, to erich kleiber. rough-edged and fiery, hawk-eyed execution, to schuricht. weingartner, walter, carlos kleiber, bohm, scherchen, and kempe also provide heartwrenching accounts. amongst the HIP performers, only gardiner had me convinced. actually, toscanini wouldn't be on top of my list of favorite beethoven conductors. but for others, he surely is, and it is more than a proper position.

Classic circa 1950 Beethoven Symphony Cycle.......2007-05-30

Toscanini was born in 1867, the same year as my great grandfather. According to RCA, his first gig as a conductor was in 1886! These recordings were made at Carnegie Hall between November 1949 and November 1952 except symphonies 4 & 5 which were taken from NBC broadcasts.

After seeing a great performance of Verdi's La Traviata, I bought Toscanini's rendition of the preludes from this opera. This was in 1978. Toscanini's music were on budget lps at the time. And being in college, I was on a budget. I have several of his budget lps plus this Beethoven Symphony cycle on the RCA plum dog label from the 1950s that I bought used. I have always enjoyed the performances and have always had misgivings about the at best AM radio like fidelity of the recordings.

I recently listened to Toscanini's Brahms Symphonies at Rhapsody and the remastering has almost brought the sonics into the space age. WOW! The Beethoven symphonies too are at Rhapsody. They sound pretty good, but far from the great Analog of the late 50s to when digital kicked in circa 1980. When the music intensifies, it seems to my ear to start to distort a little and get a little shrill. Kinda like a movie theater where you can enter and egress with abandon as long as no one yells "Fire!!"

If we look at the fidelity coming from the 1930s and 40s, all complaints would be dropped and instead our astonishment would be given at just how great they sound. For historical recordings, they do sound GREAT. I enjoyed listening again to them.

Toscanini has gone from being the best thing since sliced bread to being regarded as an out of favor commissar who is now commissaring in outer Siberia. By listening to these recordings I would hope that your perspective will improve and that you would realize that Toscanini was a pretty good conductor, who brought great classical music to the masses, who had wide influence that is still felt thru his understudies, and that he was not the boogie man!

Beethoven's symphonies.......2007-05-12

When the master conducts the master, you will get nothing but a superb rendition of excellent musice. A must for classics lovers

Great Historical Collection.......2007-05-07

Any collection of all nine Beethoven symphonies is likely to have some great recordings and some not-so-great ones, and this collection is no exception. On balance, however, if you appreciate the Toscanini style (generally fast paced), this group ranks very close to the 1963 Karajan with the Berlin SO and right there with Walter and the Columbia SO. Plus, this is the most economical way to get Toscanini's recordings of the third, seventh and ninth, so the others are a "bonus."

Average customer rating: Those who ignore repeats should be taken outside and shot One of the best cycles out there - if not the best! Excellent set of Beethoven's 9 Symphonies SACD set is better one of the best beethoven cycles

Beethoven: 9 Symphonies Ludwig van Beethoven , Herbert Von Karajan , Gundula Janowitz , Waldemar Kmentt , Hilde Rossel-Majdan , and Berlin Philharmonic Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra | ( V ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Bargain Box Sets | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 35-41 Tchaikovsky: Symphonies no 4, 5, & 6 / Karajan, Berlin PO Bach - The Complete Brandenburg Concertos / Pearlman, Boston Baroque Brahms: The Complete Symphonies / Karajan, Berlin PO Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 2 ASIN: B000001GBQ Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

1. Symphony No.1 in C major, Op. 21: 1. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio - L.V. Beethoven
2. Symphony No.1 in C major, Op. 21: 2. Andante cantabile con moto - L.V. Beethoven
3. Symphony No.1 in C major, Op. 21: 3. Menuetto. Allegro molto e vivace - L.V. Beethoven
4. Symphony No.1 in C major, Op. 21: 4. Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace - L.V. Beethoven
5. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, op.55 Eroica: 1. Allegro con brio - L.V. Beethoven
6. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, op.55 Eroica: 2. Marcia funebre. Adagio assai - L.V. Beethoven
7. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, op.55 Eroica: 3. Scherzo. Allegro vivace - L.V. Beethoven
8. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, op.55 Eroica: 4. Finale. Allegro molto - L.V. Beethoven

Tracks:

1. Symphonie No. 2 D-dur Op.36: I. Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio - L.V. Beethoven
2. Symphonie No. 2 D-dur Op.36: Larghetto - L.V. Beethoven
3. Symphonie No. 2 D-dur Op.36: Menuet & Trio: Allegro Molto E Vivace - L.V. Beethoven
4. Symphonie No. 2 D-dur Op.36: Adagio - Allegro Molto E Vivace - L.V. Beethoven
5. Symphonie No. 4 B-dur Op. 60: I. Adagio - Allegro Vivace - L.V. Beethoven
6. Symphonie No. 4 B-dur Op. 60: Adagio - L.V. Beethoven
7. Symphonie No. 4 B-dur Op. 60: Allegro Vivace: Un Poco Meno Allegro - L.V. Beethoven
8. Symphonie No. 4 B-dur Op. 60: Allegro Ma Non Troppo - L.V. Beethoven

Tracks:

1. Symphonie No. 5: 1. Allegro Con Brio - L.V. Beethoven
2. Symphonie No. 5: 2. Andante Con Moto - L.V. Beethoven
3. Symphonie No. 5: 3. Allegro - L.V. Beethoven
4. Symphonie No. 5: 4. Allegro - L.V. Beethoven
5. Symphonie No. 6: 1. Erwachen Heiterer Empfindungen Bei Der Ankunft Auf Dem Lande (Allegro Ma Non Troppo) - L.V. Beethoven
6. Symphonie No. 6: 2. Szene Am Bach (Andante Molto Mosso) - L.V. Beethoven
7. Symphonie No. 6: 3. Lustiges Zusammensein Der Landleute (Allegro) - L.V. Beethoven
8. Symphonie No. 6: 4. Gewitter - Sturm (Allegro) - L.V. Beethoven
9. Symphonie No. 6: 5. Hirtengesang, Frohe Und Dankbare Gef Hle Nach Dem Sturm (Allegretto) - L.V. Beethoven

Tracks:

1. Symphony 7: 1 Poco Sostenuto - Vivace - Ludwig Van Beethoven
2. Symphony 7: 2 Allegretto - Ludwig Van Beethoven
3. Symphony 7: 3 Presto - Ludwig Van Beethoven
4. Symphony 7: 4 Allegro Con Brio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
5. Symphony 8: 1 Allegro Vivace I Con Brio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
6. Symphony 8: 2 Allegretto Scherzando - Ludwig Van Beethoven
7. Symphony 8: 3 Tempo Di Menuetto - Ludwig Van Beethoven
8. Symphony 8: 4 Allegro Vivace - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 9: Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso - Ludwig Van Beethoven
2. Symphony No. 9: Molto vivace - Ludwig Van Beethoven
3. Symphony No. 9: Adagio molto e cantabile - Ludwig Van Beethoven
4. Symphony No. 9: Presto - Ludwig Van Beethoven
5. Symphony No. 9: Presto. - - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Amazon.com essential recording

By general consensus, Herbert von Karajan's first (1963) Beethoven cycle for Deutsche Grammophon is the best of the four (!) that he recorded. The Berlin Philharmonic was in top form, and they had not yet made an artistic fetish out of the bland smoothness that typified the conductor's later recordings of this music (and just about everything else). Karajan's squeaky clean, emotionally cool Beethoven will always be something of an acquired taste, but this set makes the best possible case for it. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Those who ignore repeats should be taken outside and shot.......2007-06-07

Karajan shows no respect for the balance of Beethoven's score. Overall, there is little here to laud or hate......a bonus second star for spectacular execution by the Berlin Phil, without actually playing any music. Glossy, zero rubato, zero sforzati, continuous mezzo forte.

In 20 years, music notation software with masterful samples will sound exactly like this: the most perfect and beautiful sounds a computer can generate. These performances are soulless.

Give me Bernstein/VPO or Solti/Chicago any day over this rubbish.

One of the best cycles out there - if not the best!.......2007-05-05

The 9 Symphonies play a great role in my life because of their sheer beauty and touching deepness. So I have obtained a lot of recordings of these pieces through the years, some of them on CD, some on casette, some on LP. And there are the concerts, of course. As a natural consequence, I have listened to a lot of different interpretations of these masterpieces. All interpretations (well not all but a great majority) have their moments but when I listen to Maestro Karajan's recordings of these, I always discover something that wasn't there the last time I heard. Karajan has always been critiqued for being too mechanical, too much in control but he always introduced something new to the music through his interpretation... The artistical point of the 1963 Karajan cycle has already been talked about a lot, I've got nothing more to say about it, I can only repeat that this cycle is perpahs the best cycle you will ever find. It is one of those works which become to be the yardstick for the later recordings to be compared with.

I was most pleasantly surprised to discover that the sound quality is phenomenal for a 1963 recording, it is better than more recent ADD records. The sound engineering is also very good, it is like having the full orchestra play for you in youor living room. The deep notes of the double basses go right through you while the violins tease your ears in a most pleasent way. So, the sound quality is just great.

I also would like to talk about the CD design, which is something very important for me. I know it is strange but I like to own CDs that have good design. Of course the included material is a lot more important but... Anyway, there are two CD cases with the first one including the first 6 symphonies on 3 CDs, and the other presenting the remaining three on 2 CDs, with the last CD contains the 9th. CDs have mirror surface with the classic DG logo and the contents are listed on the CD itself as well as the booklet. The booklet offers a good read on the 9 symphonies and the cycle presented with the set.

I hope you will enjoy the set as much as I do...

Excellent set of Beethoven's 9 Symphonies.......2007-04-12

I have only one complaint: the first part of both the 5th and 6th
symphonies feel a bit rushed in my view, the tempo seems just a
little fast. Other than that, this is an excellent set of
Beethoven's 9 symphonies, well worth it.

SACD set is better.......2007-03-30

Beethoven's 5th by Karajan was my first classical record purchase.
Thousands of analogue and digital discs later, I again purchased the same 5th and eight others on this CD set.

Karajan lived through the eternal dilemma of the all artists who came after the great predecessors.
At his last Saltsburg Festival, after conducted "Don Giovanni"He said to his wife,

"Furtwangler would have said it wasn't all that great."
She consoled the Maestro,
"It was! It was!"
Karajan had a life long struggle with legacy of Furtwangler and was not too sure if he won.

Well, his style and interpretations are definitely non-Furtwangler, or to more precisely put non-German.
It seems to me that Karajan tried to avoid playing Beethoven's music in conjunction with German culture and spirituality.

Whether his attempt was successful one or not, has been a topic of many music critics and connoisseurs.

Personally, I have a mixed feeling toward this cycle.
I like No.1, 2 and 7 very much. However, there are some flaws; for instance in the fourth movements of 5th and 9th,
cello, bass, tympani and all lower notes suddenly disappear. All you hear is the first violin all the way to coda with painfully
bright tone.(it is called Karajan glare and is more obvious if you own high resolution Audiophile stereo system)

Wonder if this deletion of bass is a part of Karajan's interpretations or a fault of old analog recorder, which is incapable of
recording loud passages?

In each symphonies, the first violin is always exaggerated over other instruments. I think that is the reason why some people
call these recordings "light" Beethoven.

If you must listen to Karajan's Beethoven Symphonies, I would recommend SACD reissue, which is more expensive and bass is
still thin but tonal quality is somewhat more acceptable.

And if you want to listen to the best Beethoven cycle, do yourself a favor:
Obtain the 9 symphonies by Furtwangler.

This set is not my first choice.

one of the best beethoven cycles.......2007-02-22

generally this set is one of the best beethoven cycles, audio is good considering that this recording was done in the 60's. though the string section of the orchestra was quite dominant, the wind instruments were sonically weak maybe due to placements of microphones during recording( compare with carlos kleiber beethoven symphonies). Last movement of symphony no. 9 seems to be lacking of the high frequecy content of the sound. it seems that there was a cutting of the full audio frequency. maybe they were trying to suppress the noise but the fidelity of the audio was sacreificed. overall this cycle is a must for a beethoven fan.

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

Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Bargain Box Sets | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Similar Items: Beethoven - The Complete String Quartets / Alban Berg Quartet Mozart:The Complete Piano Sonatas and Variations Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas / Daniel Barenboim Dvorák: The Symphonies Furtwangler Conducts Beethoven - Beethoven: symphonies no 3,4,5, & 9, Leonore ASIN: B00004YA0S Release Date: 2000-11-07

Tracks:

1. I: Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio
2. II: Andante Cantabile Con Moto
3. III: Menuetto & Trio: Allegro Molto E Vivace
4. IV: Adagio - Allegro Molto E Vivace
5. I: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
6. II: Andante Molto Mosso
7. III: Allegro - In Tempo D'allegro - Tempo I
8. IV: Allegro
9. V: Allegretto

Tracks:

1. I: Allegro Con Brio
2. II: Marcia Funebre: Adagio Assai
3. III: Scherzo & Trio: Allegro Vivace
4. IV: Finale: Allegro Molto - Poco Andante - Presto
5. Gross Fuge

Tracks:

1. I: Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio
2. II: Larghetto
3. III: Scherzo & Trio: Allegro
4. IV: Allegro Molto
5. I: Allegro Con Brio
6. II: Andante Con Moto - Piu Mosso - Tempo I
7. III: Allegro -
8. IV: Allegro - Presto

Tracks:

1. I: Adagio - Allegro Vivace
2. II: Adagio
3. III: Menuetto: Allegro Vivace - Trio: Un Poco Meno Allegro
4. IV: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
5. I: Poco Sostenuto - Vivace
6. II: Allegretto
7. III: Presto - Assai Meno Presto
8. IV: Allegro Con Brio

Tracks:

1. I: Allegro Vivace Con Brio
2. II: Allegretto Scherzando
3. III: Tempo Di Menuetto
4. IV: Allegro Vivace
5. Overture
6. Overture
7. Overture
8. Overture

Tracks:

1. I: Allegro Non Troppo, Un Poco Maestoso - Christa Ludwig
2. II: Molto Vivace - Presto - Christa Ludwig
3. III: Adagio Molto E Cantabile - Andante Moderato - Christa Ludwig
4. IV: Presto - Recitativo - Allegro Assai - Alla Marcia - Christa Ludwig
5. Overture - Christa Ludwig

Tracks:

1. I: Allegro Con Brio
2. II: Largo
3. III: Rondo: Allegro Scherzando
4. I: Allegro Con Brio
5. II: Adagio
6. III: Rondo: Molto Allegro

Tracks:

1. I: Allegro Con Brio
2. II: Largo
3. III: Rondo: Allegro
4. I: Allegro Moderato
5. II: Andante Con Moto
6. III: Rondo: Vivace

Tracks:

1. Fantasia For Piano, Chorus And Orchestra
2. I: Allegro
3. II: Adagio Un Poco Mosso -
4. III: Rondo: Allegro

Amazon.com essential recording

Otto Klemperer's Beethoven is one of the towering achievements in the history of recordings. By today's standards, these performances are hopelessly old-fashioned: dark, heavy, and frequently very slow. But they are also the grandest, most unsentimental, most purposeful versions in the catalog. In addition, the relatively slow tempos (only in the fast movements--the slow ones are pretty swift) and forward wind balance permit more detail to be heard than in most original-instrument performances. At budget price and with the entire piano concerto cycle thrown in for good measure, this is greatness incarnate. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Great Performance.......2007-07-07

There are many different ways to perform Beethoven and each one is valid.
If you like it fast - go to Toscanini or Norrington. If you prefer slow, powerful and majestic, this is your set. Towards the end of his distinguished career, the great Otto Klemperer set down his final views of the performance of these symphonnies. The set is a coherent whole and will give great pleasure for ever. The challenging mix of the young Barenboim and the aged Klemperer worked surprisingly well and thus the concertos may also be recommended. There are odd additional items which add to the pleasure. Finally do not forget to purchase his memorable set of 'Fidelio' to complete your traversal of a great conductor giving great performances of a composer that he loved. Finally the price is ridiculously low and provides quality and quantity at a great price. Thus you should be able to buy the opera set from the savings made!

Great Analog Beethoven Cycle.......2007-05-07

This Klemperer cycle is just one of a dozen or so GREAT analog Beethoven symphony cycles that were recorded during Analog's golden age starting about 1958. These cycles are easily a match for digital and they should still be around for another 1,000 years, if the Lord tarries. These sets include: Karajan (twice, early 60s and late 70s) Bohm, Krips, Jochum, Bruno Walter, Leinsdorf, Rene Leibowitz, Szell, Ormandy, Bernstein, Steinberg, and Solti. This morning I listened to the Klemperer recordings of Beethoven's symphonies 5, 6, & 7. Very enjoyable, I got my Beethoven RDA fix.

Of all these Analog sets, I most enjoy the Leibowitz Spring 1961 cycle with the Royal Philharmonic. I have this cycle on an audiophile early 90s European import Edition Phoenix label special pressing "on extra virgin vinyl." These are by far the best analog symphonic lps I have ever heard from a recording standpoint. BY FAR! And they will rock your house.

You can almost justify Karajan's 4 recorded Beethoven cycles and one video based upon improvements in recording technology. Thru Rhapsody, I have listened to his mid 50s cycle and the orchestra sounds great, but the recording quality is sub par compared to Analog's golden age. So the rational for 4 cycles would be, (1) recent great improvements in recording technology (early 60s), (2) it has been 15 years and he has grown as an artist (late 70s), (3) we now have digital! Let's do one of the first Beethoven digital cycles (80s).

Klemperer is a no-brainer. I do not have to think twice about plopping one of his lps onto my turntable or hitting the play button at Rhapsody. When the music starts, the listening pleasure begins. Don't miss his Bruckner symphony recordings!

An essential collection.......2007-04-25

How best to describe Otto Klemperer's perspective on Beethoven's symphonies: grand, heroic, intense, insightful, stubborn, obstinate, detailed, dramatic, monumental, granitic, deeply emotional, never sentimental. This boxed set of the complete symphonies and concerti embodies all of these elements as stands as one of the great achievements of recorded music.

These performances were recorded with the Philharmonia Orchestra at its peak, in the sumptuous acoustics of Kingsway Hall in London and in fine and detailed sound, and mostly in the mid-1950's during one of the brief charmed periods of Klemperer's life. EMI's impresario Walter Legge had made him permanent conductor of the Philharmonia, and when Klemperer embarked on this project in his 70's, he was in relatively good mental and physical health (Klemperer could show symptoms of manic depression and survived many health crises - brain tumor, broken bones, paralysis - which would have stopped most people).

By this time Klemperer had slowed the tempi of the fast movements of the Beethoven symphonies (listen to his early 1950's recordings of the 5th and 6th on Vox to hear by how much). This tendency is more pronounced in these studio recordings than in the live performances which were recorded during that era. The slowness is mostly saved by Klemperer's use of "sprung" rhythms, which keep the slow tempi from feeling laggardly.

Klemperer's earliest recordings in this series - symphonies 3, 5 and 7 - predate stereo and were recorded in excellent monaural sound. He rerecorded all three of these symphonies in stereo, but those recordings were made after he burned himself by falling asleep while smoking in bed. All three performances feature slower tempi than the earlier ones (whether this was the conductor's preference or the result of physical incapacity is open to conjecture). In particular, the rerecorded 7th suffered from lax phrasing, inattentiveness and perverse tempi. That is NOT the version contained in this set: fortunately, EMI had simultaneously recorded the earlier version of the 7th in "experimental" stereo, and it is that earlier version which is released here (and in remarkably good stereo). The versions of the 3rd and 5th are the rerecorded stereo ones.

You will find no finer studio versions of the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th or 8th. All are insightful, beautifully detailed and powerful. The 2nd clearly looks forward to the 3rd and not back toward Hayden, the 4th is boisterous and vital, the 6th bucolic and sumptuous (not a quality normally associated with Klemperer), the 7th gains in drama what it loses in swiftness and lightness, and in the 8th in particular we see the conductor's empathy to Beethoven's sense of humor. Klemperer had a deep affinity for the "Eroica", and the rerecorded version here, while slower than the 1955 recording, was dubbed by "High Fidelity"'s Harris Goldsmith (no Klemperer fan, he) as "the best Eroica going slow" and is a monumental masterpiece (the second movement is shattering). The 1st, while leisurely, is a lovingly crafted.

That leaves the 5th and 9th. There is no doubt in my mind that the earlier, mono 5th is superior to the remake in this set. We lose that sense of an inevitable onslaught, especially in the outer movements. And the 9th, while similar in conception to the live versions recorded around the same time (on Testament with the Philharmonia and on Music&Arts with the Concertgebouw), suffers from diffuse sound and occasional lack of focus. I emphasize that these recordings of both symphonies are still head and shoulders above most of the competition; we're talking about different levels of greatness here.

Are there superior Klemperer recordings of these symphonies? Yes; but all are live, and despite the relatively good reprocessed sound, they don't reveal the same level of detail that these studio recordings do. Klemperer was a very different conductor in front of an audience, and there is more vitality and drama in the live versions of the 3rd (Testament, with the Danish Symphony), 6th 7th and 8th (Music&Arts with the Concertgebouw) and the 9th (see above). Music&Arts' set of the complete symphonies, recorded live in Vienna in 1960, is long out of print and had cramped sound with poor detail - a supplement to this set, not a replacement.

As to the piano concerti: they are better than one might expect. Barenboim, although steeped in the Germanic performance tradition, is more naturally aligned with the Furtwangler and Edwin Fischer than with Klemperer. However, the two of them actually work together extremely well and this is a fine, insightful set.

Any complete cycle of Beethoven, symphonies or concerti, will have drawbacks. There will be unevenness in the performances, as there are here. But there are advantages to hearing one musician's perspective on the works, especially when (as here) the performer has depth of understanding, integrity of vision, and a structural understanding of the pieces.

The digital remastering is excellent and the sound barely shows its age. This may not be your only complete set of Beethoven's symphonies, but it should be one of them. And at a price this low, it's a bargain too.

The best value in classical music on CD at the moment..........2007-01-02

What is the best value in classical discs available today ? Who knows, but I defy anyone to beat the EMI compilation of Klemperer' recordings of the complete Beethoven Symphonies, Piano Concertos (with Barenboim), several overtures the Choral Fantasia etc etc. 9 discs for only $44 ( well that was the price I paid). You have got to be kidding... I only had two concerns with buying this. First on the age of the recordings, all more than 40 years old. No worry at all. This is a masterpiece of reconstruction. The sound quality indistinguishable from any modern recording. Secondly , the performances themselves. I had been warned that Klemperer notoriously chose rather slow tempi. Again I needn't have worried. I immediately went to the slow movements of the 2nd piano concerto and the fourth symphony, where many slow tempists have in the past come unstuck. The piano concerto was an absolute revelation. The combination of the youthful Barenboim and the Philharmonia's masterful playing time and gain had me on the edge of my seat. " Yes,go on, well...." Slow it may have been. Boring, never. The same applies in spades to the slow movement of the fourth. Right from the eerie opening, which is yes, very slow indeed, I knew this movement would be a revelation and I can honestly say I have never hear it better played. Follow this with a scherzo bounding in energy and thumping finale and you will never get a better performance of this, one of Beethoven's "lesser" symphonies. And I haven't even got round to the "biggies" yet! The box set looks unattractive and the portrait of Klemperer makes him appear a first class nerd. Pay absolutely no attention to this....

Wonderful Performances.......2006-04-07

I have admittedly not made it through the entire set as of yet, but feel sufficiently blown away by the First Symphony and the Eroica - particularly the second movement of the latter - to weigh in here. With respect to the tempo issue, I must - at least so far - argue in favor of Klemperer's decision to slow things down a bit. I think the effect is, as someone else has observed, a clearer and more visceral experience of Beethoven's composition. It brings out the feeling. The sound comes up a little short on the low end, but it isn't a major distraction. My only problem lies in EMI's inexplicable lack of any discussion of the performances. The notes are bland, dry descriptions of the pieces themselves, with some basic history thrown in. Given the fact that there are probably hundreds of different CDs of Beethoven's symphonies out there, all with similar explanatory notes, it is infuriating that nothing is said about these particular performances. This is in contrast with the EMI Bach set (with Yehudi Menuhin) in which there is a wonderful essay that discusses Menuhin's work in historical context.

Average customer rating: Baby loves this mucic! Music to her ears! ok Ugh! Glorified Music-Box Music A Classy Classical CD

Baby Beethoven Various Artists Manufacturer: Buena Vista ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Children's Music | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Children's Music | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Children's Music | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music CDs | Music & Video | Products | Similar Items: Baby Mozart Baby Einstein: Lullaby Classics Baby Bach Baby Neptune Baby Galileo ASIN: B000065V7N Release Date: 2002-05-07

Product Description

The Baby Beethoven music CD is an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award winner. Featuring 19-tracks, the 35-minute collection designed as a playful introduction to the drama and range of Beethoven's music. All of the pieces featured on the Baby Beethoven music CD were composed in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and trace the range of history's most famous musician. Masterfully re-orchestrated by the Baby Einstein Music Box Orchestra for little ears, Baby Beethoven music CD is an excellent audio accompaniment to any child's playtime. Tracks from this delightful CD are featured on Baby Einstein's Baby Beethoven DVD.Musical Selections:1. Tune up and theme from Symphony No. 9, 2nd movement2. Symphony No. 1, 1st movement, Op. 213. Minuet in G4. Sonata in F5. Sonata No. 14 (Moonlight), 2nd movement, Op. 27, No. 26. The Ruins of Athens, Turkish March, Op. 1137. Rondo in C, Op. 51, No. 18. Fur Elise, WoO 599. Rondo a Capriccio in G, Op. 12910. Symphony No. 5, 1st movement, Op. 6711. Military March No. 1 in F, WoO 1812. Sonatina in G13. Sonata 8 (Pathetique), 3rd movement, Op. 1314. Symphony No. 9, 4th movement, Op. 12515. Sonata No. 2, 1st movement, Op. 2, No. 216. Allegro for a Flute Clock17. Symphony No. 6, 3rd movement, Op. 6818. Sonata No. 8 (Pathetique), 2nd movement Op. 1319. Symphony No. 9, 4th movement coda, Op. 125Age: Birth +Awards:* Billboard Magazine Top Midline Classical Albums (#2) - 2004* Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award (2002)

Customer Reviews:

Baby loves this mucic!.......2007-02-17

Puts our 6-week old daughter to sleep. What more could you ask for!

Music to her ears!.......2006-11-04

One of the first things I bought for my infant daughter was a collection of the Baby Einstein cd's, and I'm so glad I did! My girl just loves to listen and brightens up everytime the orchestra tunes up at the start of the cd. It is simplified, so not as thrilling for mom, but no real complaints... It certainly beats the Wiggles.

ok.......2006-02-15

This CD is just ok. I like the "Baby Needs..." collection much better. The music in this CD is nice, but some of it is fast paced and does not work well to listen to during nap time. My son seems to enjoy it, though. It is nice for playtime.

Ugh! Glorified Music-Box Music.......2005-12-04

My husband and I are fans of classical music with a substantial CD collection. When we found out we were pregnant, I picked up the Baby Beethoven CD from my local library to see what it was like.

It's glorified music box music... some of the pieces are almost impossible to distinguish without checking the jewel case for the name.

If you really want to expose your child to Beethoven, don't waste your time with this CD. For soothing sleepy-time music, try "Beethoven at Bedtime."

A Classy Classical CD.......2005-04-15

Classical music makes your baby smart? Who cares what the "experts" say? As a mom, I judge any children's music CD by how often my kids ask to hear it. And Baby Beethoven CD gets two tiny thumbs up! My 5-year-old daughter has enjoyed this music since she was small (we also own the VHS tape). Now her younger sisters love it, too. The play list of 19 selections ranges from soothing symphonies, such as Symphony No. 6 in F major ("Pastoral"), to lively sonatas, like the Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor ("Pathétique") that inspire my girls to leap and twirl across the room. And that makes this CD a smart buy.

Average customer rating: Beethoven Collection Amazing! An excellent introduction to beethoven's symphonies. Beethoven Collection Top music!

Beethoven Collection: Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Complete Recording (Box Set) Manufacturer: Delta ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music Bargain Box Sets | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Similar Items: 25 Mozart Favorites 25 Tchaikovsky Favorites 25 Vivaldi Favorites 25 Bach Favorites 25 Beethoven Favorites ASIN: B000001VVY Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 5 Op. 67 C Minor: Allegro con brio
2. Symphony No. 5 Op. 67 C Minor: Andante con motto
3. Symphony No. 5 Op. 67 C Minor: Scherzo - Allegro
4. Symphony No. 5 Op. 67 C Minor: Finale - Allegro
5. Symphony No. 4 Op. 60 B Flat Major: Adagio - Allegro vivace
6. Symphony No. 4 Op. 60 B Flat Major: Adagio
7. Symphony No. 4 Op. 60 B Flat Major: Menuetto, Allegro vivace Trio: un poco meno allegro
8. Symphony No. 4 Op. 60 B Flat Major: Allegro ma non troppo

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 3 Op. 55 E Flat Major, 'Eroica': Allegro con brio
2. Symphony No. 3 Op. 55 E Flat Major, 'Eroica': Marcia funebre. Adagio assai
3. Symphony No. 3 Op. 55 E Flat Major, 'Eroica': Scherzo-Allegro vivace
4. Symphony No. 3 Op. 55 E Flat Major, 'Eroica': Finale-Allegro molto
5. Symphony No. 8 Op. 93 F Major: Allegro vivace e con brio
6. Symphony No. 8 Op. 93 F Major: Allegretto scherzando
7. Symphony No. 8 Op. 93 F Major: Tempo di menuetto
8. Symphony No. 8 Op. 93 F Major: Allegro vivace

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 6 Op. 68 F Major: Allegro ma non troppo
2. Symphony No. 6 Op. 68 F Major: Andante molto mosso
3. Symphony No. 6 Op. 68 F Major: Allegro
4. Symphony No. 6 Op. 68 F Major: Allegro
5. Symphony No. 6 Op. 68 F Major: Allegretto
6. Symphony No. 2 Op. 36 D Major: Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
7. Symphony No. 2 Op. 36 D Major: Larghetto
8. Symphony No. 2 Op. 36 D Major: Scherzo Allegro
9. Symphony No. 2 Op. 36 D Major: Allegro molto

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 7 Op. 92 A Major: Poco sostenuto - vivace
2. Symphony No. 7 Op. 92 A Major: Allegretto
3. Symphony No. 7 Op. 92 A Major: Presto - Assai meno presto
4. Symphony No. 7 Op. 92 A Major: Allegro con brio
5. Symphony No. 1 Op. 21 C Major: Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
6. Symphony No. 1 Op. 21 C Major: Andante cantabile con moto
7. Symphony No. 1 Op. 21 C Major: Menuetto (Allegro molto e vivace)
8. Symphony No. 1 Op. 21 C Major: Finale Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 9 Op. 125 In D Minor: Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso - Beethoven
2. Symphony No. 9 Op. 125 In D Minor: Molto vivace - Beethoven
3. Symphony No. 9 Op. 125 In D Minor: Adagio molto e cantabile - Beethoven
4. Symphony No. 9 Op. 125 In D Minor: Presto - Allegro assai - Beethoven

Customer Reviews:

Beethoven Collection.......2007-05-14

I just got this for my brother-in-law as a gift and he loves it!

Amazing!.......2007-01-24

Having Beethoven's Symphonies in one, very affordable, set is heaven! The recordings are clear and crisp. Each symphony is truly a masterpiece from the very soft tones of the woodwinds to the thundering sounds of horns. It is amazing to listen to certain passages of Beethoven and realize the genius and otherworldliness of his talent.

An excellent introduction to beethoven's symphonies........2007-01-11

The sound is excellent, and the musicianship and conducting is excellent.

Beethoven Collection.......2006-07-23

Beethoven is my favorite composer. No matter how upset or tired I am, his music calms me down, just like a big, gentle hug.
But the cheap CDs have poor quality. And the good ones are too expensive for me. When I found this collection, with such a good price on Amazon.com, I couldn't believe it. Shortly after I purchased it, I received it. The quality is great. I am enjoying it. Thank you

Hoda

Top music!.......2006-07-19

Everything else you can get over, but classical music like Beethoven is stuff you just can't get sick of. A whole collection of Beethoven's Symphonies for such a small price, Wow!. Classical music is so relaxing and peaceful that you can't go wrong with spending time chillin out to this pure classic. The symphonies are great but after this you've got to go get the sonata's etc and I guarantee you won't be dissapointed!

Think about it, they don't call it classical for nothing.

Average customer rating: Beethoven for Babies Nicest classical CD I have found for my baby (& me) Ode To Beethoven Pseudoscientific crap, but some of the music is good here Nicest classical music CD I've found for my baby (& me)

Beethoven for Babies Manufacturer: Philips ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Bagatelles | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Flute | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Sonatas | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Sonatas | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music $9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Bach for Babies The Mozart Effect - Music for Babies - Playtime to Sleepytime Build Your Baby's Brain Mozart for Mothers-To-Be: Tender Lullabies for Mother and Child The Mozart Effect: Music For Babies: Nighty Night ASIN: B000009OU6 Release Date: 1998-08-11

Tracks:

1. Six National Airs With Variations, Op. 105: The Cottage Maid (Welsh)
2. Six National Airs With Variations, Op. 105: The Last Rose Of Summer (Irish)
3. Six National Airs With Variations, Op. 105: Chiling O'Guirg (Irish)
4. Six National Airs With Variations, Op. 105: English Bulls (Irish)
5. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: St. Patrick's Day (Irish)
6. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: O Mary, At The Window Be (Scottish)
7. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Oh, Thou Are The Lad Of My Heart (Scottish)
8. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Fur Elise
9. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor ('Pathetique') - Adagio cantabile
10. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: String Quartet No. 13 In B-Flat - Alla Danza Tedesca. Allegro assai
11. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Piano Sonata No. 7 In D - Menuetto (Allegro)
12. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: The Creatures Of Prometheus - Finale. Allegretto
13. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Piano Sonata No. 18 In E-Flat - Menuetto (Moderato e grazioso)
14. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Piano Sonata No. 20 In G - Tempo di menuetto
15. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Symphony No. 8 In F - Allegro scherzando
16. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Symphony No. 9 In D Minor ('Choral') - Ode To Joy
17. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Piano Sonata No. 15 In D ('Pastoral') - Rondo (Allegro ma non troppo)
18. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Symphony No. 6 In F ('Pastoral') - Hymn Of Thanksgiving

Amazon.com

For the parent looking to ease their child into a familiarity with classical music, this is a very well chosen set of Beethoven works. It begins with a generous selection of airs composed late in the composer's life. The presence of the flute as the lead instrument on these selections has a soothing quality that moves the ear in an ideally subtle way, especially as it gives way to the more excited piano sonata pieces. Zoltán Kocsis's reading of "Pathétique" is followed by Claudio Arrau's take on the 7th, 15th, and 18th sonatas and Sviatoslav Richter's lyrical take on the 20th ("Pastoral"). Programmed amidst the piano pieces, which are great studies in dynamics and musical spacing, are some fine orchestral snippets, none longer than five minutes. The collection does a fine balancing act, condensing works that don't inherently lend themselves to shortened renditions and carefully managing moods, entry, and egress to each segment. This is fine anthology work. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

Beethoven for Babies.......2007-05-21

My baby and I really enjoy this CD. It is so fun to feel the baby get excited when I play it. I have a pillow speaker and just place it right up against my stomach. It evens helps me to get in a nap or just rest for a while.

Nicest classical CD I have found for my baby (& me).......2005-09-01

This is a very pleasant CD to listen to, and I think the quality of the music is excellent. I enjoy listening to this with my 10 month old son, and we also listen to the radio and lots of modern music. I recently purchased 5 of the classical "Baby Einstein" CDs and I consider them to be inferior to this Beethoven for Babies CD. The Baby Einstein are very synthesized sounding and I think they are annoyingly mellow and kind of dopey. This Beethoven CD is beautiful. In fact I'm going to buy 1 or 2 more from this series.

Ode To Beethoven.......2005-05-13

The actual reason I bought this cd is for "Fur Elise" but it turned out to be much more than I bargained for. Before road rage sets in while sitting in a traffic jam during rush hour, play this. If you need to take it easy and escape from your reality, play this. Need something to play at work that's not explicit or offensive, play this. Of course, it's not Beethoven himself, but if you need some quiet time, play this. Even while you read, you could play this. If you want some authenticity to your collection, get Beethoven for Babies.

Pseudoscientific crap, but some of the music is good here.......2004-05-27

The 3 stars is only because the hucksters that put this together at least had the decency to tracks featuring Arrau & Richter on this CD. A lot of these "turn your baby into a genius with classical music" CDs and tapes feature only lousy musical performances from hack musicians you have never heard of.

That having been said, if you are stupid enough to believe any of this "Mozart Effect" horse manure --- which continues to have no support in any sort of controlled test environment --- then your babies will probably inherit your limited intellectual capacities & no amount of Beethoven & Mozart will ever be able to help them.

If, on the other hand, you are introducing Junior to classical music, you could do worse --- but you could also do better. Go get Arrau's complete Beethoven sonatas & concerti, get the Berg Quartett's complete Beethoven quartet cycle, and get John Eliot Gardiner's complete Beethoven symphonies --- just for a start. Also, don't stop with Beethoven & Mozart. My 9-month old daughter gets a diverse exposure to a thousand years of music, and very little is off limits. She got acquainted with the Bartok Quartets within her first couple of months, and it doesn't look like we have created an axe murderer or anything like that.

Anyway, if you want to create a classical music lover, do it right and go the distance, rather than doing it piecemeal with CDs like this. Your baby may still be a moron, but at least will be a moron with exquisite taste.

Nicest classical music CD I've found for my baby (& me).......2003-11-23

This is a very pleasant CD to listen to, and I think the quality of the music is excellent. I enjoy listening to this with my 10 month old son, and we also listen to the radio and lots of modern music. I recently purchased 5 of the classical "Baby Einstein" CDs and I consider them to be inferior to this Beethoven for Babies CD. The Baby Einstein are very synthesized sounding and I think they are annoyingly mellow and kind of dopey. This Beethoven CD is beautiful. In fact I'm going to buy 1 or 2 more from this series.

Average customer rating: Below Average Beethoven Performances Immortal beloved film Living Perfection A wonderful tribute to the artist Very emotional and moving!!

Immortal Beloved / Sir Georg Solti (film 1994) Ludwig van Beethoven , Georg Solti , Renée Fleming , Yo-Yo Ma , Murray Perahia , Emanuel Ax , Pamela Frank , Thomas Frost , Gidon Kremer , Vinson Cole , London Symphony Orchestra , and London Voices Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Bagatelles | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Solti, Sir Georg | ( S ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | 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 Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Immortal Beloved More Immortal Beloved Amadeus: The Complete Original Soundtrack Recording Amadeus: Original Soundtrack Recording Amadeus: More Music From The Original Soundtrack Of The Film Amadeus ASIN: B000002AQD Release Date: 1994-12-06

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op.67: Napoleon Shells Vienna
2. Fur Elise: Childhood Dreams
3. Symphony No. 3 In E-flat Major, Op. 55: Ludwig And Julia At Schonbrunn Palace Gardens
4. Piano Sonata No. 14 (Quasi Una Fantasia) In C-sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2 'Moonlight': Julia And Her Father Secretly Watch
5. Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op.68 'Pastoral': Ludwig And Caspar Fight
6. Piano Trio No. 4 In D Major, Op. 70 No. 1 'Ghost': Ludwig Consols Anna Marie
7. Violin Concerto In D Major, Op. 61: The Beethoven Brothers In Baden
8. Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 13 'Pathetique': A Concert For Lichnowsky
9. Piano Concerto No. 5 In E-Flat Major, Op. 73 'Emperor': The Letter
10. Missa Solemnis In D Major, Op.123: The Funeral
11. Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: Karl At The Ruins
12. Violin Sonata In A Major, Op. 47 'Kreutzer': The Carriage Stuck In The Mud
13. Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125: The Night Of The Premiere

Customer Reviews:

Below Average Beethoven Performances.......2007-03-10

It is unfortunate that they chose Solti's direction for the symphonic pieces in this soundtrack as he is simply one of the worst conductors for Beethoven. His direction is so slow one would think he is leading a funeral procession instead of music inspired by the French Revolution.

Of all old school directors such as Karajan, Toscanini, etc., Solti's performances are simply morbidly slow to the point of killing the grieving attendants with boredom. The cacophony of the oversized orchestra doesn't help either. Solti's interpretations are even too slow for a requiem. You think a regular interpretation of the 7th's second movement is slow? Wait 'til you hear this one; you're going to need a massage you'll be so stiff. The 9th symphony march is supposed to be a brisk revolutionary march calling the citizens to arms and to join the militia marching through a town. With Solti you imagine only a funeral procession coming through the town. In the Fifth the whole orchestra is almost struggling to slow down to match the strings. Karajan's interpretations are not particularly fast either but at least he breathes some life into them and the orchestra. I personally like Toscanini in terms of the old 20th century symphonic conductors and Gardiner's traditional interpretations that are at least at a correct speed and give the listener the impression they are marching off as part of a revolutionary batallion to bring liberty to the oppressed instead of being rolled to the morgue. Beethoven was a revolutionary anti-monarchist and strongly supported the idea of political change. Although Periah is a great pianist for Beethoven's concertos, there are simply better performances by him that fortunately aren't conducted by Solti such as on Sony with Bernard Haitink and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. The same goes for the performances with Axe and Yo-Yo Ma. Gidon Kramer's performance for the Violin Concerto in D is also mediocre at best: there are better violinists out there than Kremer for Beethoven.

This is just not the best CD to get quality performances of Beethoven's works. Overall, Solti's interpretations are simply too sluggish and indecipherable to represent the ideals of Beethoven's music. Solti would definitely be my last choice for anything. You won't lose anything by not buying this soundtrack that's for sure: Solti's interpretations are so slow they will simply fossilize you.

Immortal beloved film.......2007-02-06

having watched a recording of Immortal beloved for a number of years the tape was past its best. now that i have the chance of ordering on line i did , and a good move it was. It was nice to see the film and things so clear, i had not see before, the writing on the love letter at the begining and tears that was shed. Iam very pleased with the dvd.

Living Perfection.......2007-01-14

This is one of the most perfect CDs I own, it's one I come back to time and time again. The recording quality is excellent - even on the cassette, which I've finally replaced after 12 years - but even better, the musical interpretation is splendid. Anyone who thinks that classical music is no longer relevant in our culture needs to buy this CD.

A wonderful tribute to the artist.......2005-05-25

This CD is perfect in my opinion. The recording is perfect, the pitch is perfect, the tempo is perfect, and the track selections are perfect. I think the album samples Beethoven's most remarkable pieces of work from his early years to his death. I have heard many recordings of the Ninth symphony that was just executed poorly; which is a shame because it is such a powerful piece. However, this album does it superbly. Sir Georg Solti and Murray Perahia did an amazing job with this album.

The album just flows really well from one piece to the next evoking a vast array of emotions along the way. Beethoven is timeless and forever will be. There is no comparison even to this day. This a wonderful tribute to the artist.

Very emotional and moving!!.......2005-05-23

I am a big fan of classical music. Beethoven, in my opinion, was one of the best composers, Mozart 1st, Beethoven 2nd, etc. This album is very moving and filled with emotion. I am currently listening to Adagio Cantabile-from Piano Sonata No. 8-from the film album. This piece is so moving and emotional. Another piece was Moonlight Sonata which I especially liked. Beethoven loads this piece with love and emotion for his one true love. In my opinion, Beethoven was the best at writing emotional and moving music. Whenever I listen to his music, I am immersed in a world of emotion and feeling. His music is truly beautiful. Back to the album, Sir Georg Solti really captured Beethoven's genius and devotion to his music in this album. This album really accents the film. You cannot have one, you must have both the film and the soundtrack. This is a must have for classical music/Beethoven fanatics and people who want to get a great summary of Beethoven's genius. BUY THIS!!!!

Average customer rating: Terrible overture, okay symphony. As Promised Don't Listen to The Hype! Absolutely amazing If One Must...

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 / Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra | ( V ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Janowitz, Gundula | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Vocal Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | A to B | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Beethoven: Symphonien Nos. 5 & 7 / Kleiber, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 35-41 Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Symphony no 9 / Furtwangler, Schwarzkopf Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 6 "Pastorale" Schubert: Trout Quintet, Death and the Maiden / Amadeus Quartet ASIN: B000001GPY Release Date: 1996-01-23

Tracks:

1. Ouverture 'Coriolan', Op.62: Ouverture
2. Symphony No.9 In D Minor: 1. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso
3. Symphony No.9 In D Minor: 2. Molto vivace
4. Symphony No.9 In D Minor: 3. Adagio molto e cantabile
5. Symphony No.9 In D Minor: 4. Presto
6. Symphony No.9 In D Minor: Presto - 'O Freunde, nicht diese Tone!' - Allegro assai - (Final Chorus From Schiller's 'Ode To Joy')

Amazon.com

This performance is also available on Deutsche Grammophon in an earlier, mid-price incarnation, but this version is clearly the one to own, since the remastered sound is a definite improvement over previous issues. Herbert von Karajan always did a good job with this symphony, and his performances are quite consistent, even down to the very backward-balance of the chorus. By general consensus, though, this is the best of them. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Terrible overture, okay symphony........2007-07-11

I do not wish to discredit Herbert von Karajan, who is simply one of the most versatile and talented conductors the world has ever seen. His Mahler and Sibelius possess a charm that I just cannot resist, though this does not mean I do not prefer other conductors. However, it must be noted that Karajan himself always felt as if he would never fill Furtwangler's shoes, and he simply does not. Most people criticize Karajan's readings of anything to be shallow and "string-laden," and while some of the allegations are unjust, in this case they are definitely true.

The overture is almost a grotesque caricature of what Furtwangler, Mengelberg, or even David Zinman can do with it. the brass players strain to the extent that they almost squeal, and the Berlin players would definitely not do so unless ordered by the maestro to give the tutti an "oomph!" Fluctuations of dynamics and tempi are grossly exaggerated and clearly not well thought-out. This is certainly one of Karajan's worst outings, and actually it is my experience with this performance a few years back that compelled me to abandon Karajan's Beethoven.

While the 9th symphony fares a bit better, there are nonetheless hallmarks of Karajan's art that may prove to be slightly annoying to some listeners (such as me)
The first movement will surprise you with what seems to be a superficial treatment of Beethoven's score. The opening tremolos are fine. The crashing chords that follow, not so. They are not given the position they require to exhibit a certain degree of inevitability or naturalness. This impression is retained throughout the entire performance, and peaks during the last movement. Compare Karajan's last five minutes with Klemperer, Fricsay, or Furtwangler. The tempi are not merely badly judged - they do not seem to be judged at all!
If I sound harsh it is only because better, greater performances litter the market. Take anything by Wilhelm Furtwangler, Otto Klemperer, Erich Kleiber, Arturo Toscanini, Ferenc Fricsay, Sergiu Celibidache, Rafael Kubelik, Charles Mackerras, David Zinman, and even John Gardiner. True, a recording of this quality does not deserved to be condemned to the ranks of obscure, pathetic performances. It just doesn't have what it takes to be great. Three stars for a performance that deserves neither two nor four.

As Promised.......2007-05-14

I received the CD quickly and in perfect condition. Just what I ordered, as promised.

Don't Listen to The Hype!.......2006-12-10

I listened to the other reviewers and purchased this Ninth as my first version of Beethoven's great symphony. It's something I really regret. There are at least two very irritating flaws in this recording that you should know about:

1) The second movement is played with a ludicrously fast tempo that's sounds obviously unnatural. I played it to friends who never listen to classical music and even they felt that something didn't seem right. You almost get the sense that Karajan didn't like the 2nd movement nearly as much as the others and therefore wanted to skip over it. It's played in maybe 11:00 flat, if that.

2) Karajan truly ruins the fourth movement by completely nullifying the beautiful choral performance. He overpowers the humanity of the piece, drowning out what would be a divine, effulgent chorus in an almost bludgeoning display of orchestral power. You would think that in a long, grandiose symphony with very few choral action until the end that you would want to emphasize or at least preserve the human voices, but Karajan treats them as if they are just a few more violins joining the fray.

3) Lastly, I can't really put my finger on it but something about Karajan's style just seems to lack an underlying soul. The strings sound wonderful and the sound quality is top-notch...and it's still Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, a wonderful piece of music obviously! Yet Karajan's performance lacks the desperate zeal and awe-inspiring outrage of Furtwangler's 1942 recording. Solti's early 70s version of the Ninth may have a weaker 3rd movement than this Karajan recording, but Solti's first and final movements are both better performed. Solti's Ninth has the best choral peformance of any of the Ninth recordings hands down.

I would recommend Solti's early 70's rendition, Furtwangler 1942, or Fricsay before buying this recording. Only after owning these other great recordings would I round out my collection with this version of the Ninth.

Absolutely amazing.......2006-05-30

This is a great interpretation of the piece (which is admittedly my favorite piece of all). The tempi are faster than other recordings, but the orchestra never really lags or slows down. The level of musicianship throughout are exactly what you'd expect from one of the world's leading orchestras.

The truely stunning thing about this recording is the solo quartet. Now I have many recordings of this symphony, with many different soloists (Domingo included), but this is the best. The solo tenor here (Waldemar Kmentt) is truely brilliant. His voice is loud, booming, and full of life. The same can be said about the whole group. The group dynamic in general is something special, though I wish the alto would show off her tremendous voice more.

This is HIGHLY recommended.

If One Must..........2006-05-13

Knowing that this reviewer's view of this internationally popular favorite of every concertgoer is that of a curmudgeon, this recording is as acceptable as any of the ones available. Herbert von Karajan is at the helm of the trusty Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna Singverein, and a cast of soloists that are the envy of any conductor - Gundula Janowitz, Hilde Rossel-Majdan, Waldemar Kmentt and Walter Berry, stalwarts all and obviously veteran performers of this regularly programmed piece. The interpretation is brisk and lively and yet lingers over the inner two movements that gives some solace between the sandwich ends of the first and fourth movements. It is a fine recording.

For this listener this is Beethoven's least impressive symphony. While there are moments in the 'Adagio molto e cantabile' that justify the Elysium reference in the final movement, and yes, there are interesting inner fugues and some lovely solo lines for paired celli and double basses, the popularity of the piece seems to be the much recorded last movement 'An die Freude'. It is big, loud, long, and uses massive forces and it does gratefully terminate a 70 minute piece. Heresy? Yes, for most listeners these words are scandalous. But just getting trough the first movement's wandering ideas and then waiting for the climax can be wearing. Does anyone else agree? Probably not. But if you must your own #9, this recording is as fine as they come. Grady Harp, May 06

Average customer rating: CD set is misnamed Do not Buy Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music Seek better versions It Is What It Is

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The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe ASIN: B000003QWH Release Date: 1994-06-09

Tracks:

1. Canon In D
2. 'Brandenburg' Concerto No. 3: Allegro
3. The Four Seasons - The Winter: Largo And Allegro
4. Fanfare ('Masterpiece Theatre' Theme)
5. Camerata Romana: Air For The 'G' String
6. 'Eine kleine Nachtmusik': Allegro
7. Piano Concerto No. 21 ('Elvira Madigan' Theme): Andante
8. Introduction To Symphony No. 5
9. 'William Tell' Overture: Finale
10. 'Aida': Triumphal March
11. On The Beautiful, Blue Danube Waltz
12. 'The Nutcracker': Waltz Of The Flowers
13. '1812' Overture: Finale

Tracks:

1. Sabre Dance
2. 'Light Cavalry' Overture: Finale
3. Carmen: The Toreadors
4. ' Midsummer Night's Dream': Wedding March
5. Radetzky March
6. Symphony No. 9, 'Choral': Finale
7. 'Prince Igor': Polovstian Dance No. 17
8. Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
9. Peer Gynt: Solveig's Song
10. Sleepers, Wake
11. Water Music: Hornpipe
12. Symphony No. 9, 'From The New World': Largo
13. Emperor Waltz
14. 'Emperor' Quartet: St. Anthony's Chorale
15. 'The Tales Of Hoffman': Barcarolle
16. L'Arlesienne: Farandole
17. 'The Nutcracker': Dance Of The Mirlitons
18. 'The Nutcracker': Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy
19. 'Rhapsody In Blue': Highlight
20. 'Orpheus In The Underworld': Can-Can

Tracks:

1. Introduction To 'Also sprach Zarathustra'
2. Symphony No. 4, 'Italian': Saltarello: Presto
3. Piano Concerto No. 20: Romance
4. 'The Valkyrie': Ride Of The Valkyries
5. 'The Four Seasons' - The Spring: Allegro
6. Toccata and Fugue
7. Trumpet Voluntary
8. 'Royal Fireworks Music': la rejouissance: Allegro
9. 'Moonlight' Sonata: Adagio Sostenuto
10. London Festival Orchestra: Overture To 'The Barber Of Seville'
11. Piano Concerto No. 2: Adagio Sostenuto

Tracks:

1. Carmina Burana: Introduction To 'Carmina Burana'
2. Peer Gynt: Dawn From 'Peer Gynt'
3. Lohengrin: Prelude To 'Lohengrin'
4. 'Lieutenant Kije': Troika From 'Lieutenant Kije'
5. Adiago For Strings
6. 'Carmen': Habanera From 'Carmen'
7. 'Double' Concerto: Allegro From 'Double' Concerto
8. The Marriage Of Figaro: Overture To 'The Marriage Of Figaro'
9. (Rondo) Alla Turca
10. Xerxes: Largo From 'Xerxes'
11. Symphony No. 5: Allegro vivace From Symphony No. 5
12. 'Swan Lake': Scene: Enchanted Lake From 'Swan Lake'
13. Clair De Lune
14. Bolero

Customer Reviews:

CD set is misnamed.......2007-06-08

They should have titled this "classical music for people who love classical music" because most of the selections are typical classical music. The title suggests it would be lively selections of "light classical" music that is more upbeat, i.e. Sabre Dance, etc. I really don't hate classical music at all and have many classical CDs in my collection but I really wanted to hear more exciting selections. I won't be purchasing any more of this set but if you like traditional classical music these are good one.

Do not Buy.......2007-02-21

I do know it says classical music for people who hate it, but serioulsly you would have better luck never listening to classical music again. The recordings are awfull and do not do justice to any of the composers. Buy something else.

Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music.......2007-01-30

We love this set of CD's. I just got a new copy because my kids keeping taking our first copy with them so that they can listen at work or in their bedrooms but then I can never find them.

Seek better versions.......2006-12-09

If you are fairly new to classical purchases then compilation CD's can be useful for deciding what to buy next. Sometimes you only need a small taste of a piece to inspire you to buy a release with the whole performance on. The problem with this compilation however is that most of the versions are poor in performance or recording quality (or both) when compared to the best versions and the fact that the conductors aren't even credited on the track listing made me suspect that this would be the case. One of my favorite classical pieces is Tchaikovsky's 1812 festival overture but if the first CD version I had heard had been the finale excerpt that is on this compilation I may not have gone on to buy the whole thing. Luckily I heard Adrian Leaper's version first and Adrian's version is rather good.
My classical CD buying experience is limited to only a couple of dozen discs but I have found that the Naxos and Deutshe Grammophon releases are fairly safe. Avoid any release which does not name the conductors on the track listing or sleeve notes.

It Is What It Is.......2006-10-27

It's fitting that this page is fraught with the same kind of silly snobbery that turns people off from classical music (and necessitates collections like this) in the first place.

Any criticism of this compilation, which focuses on the quality of the performances or the fact that many tracks are excerpts, misses the point. This is not a collection for people who consider such things, nor does it purport to be. The idea is to package as many ultra-famous classical melodies as possible in one affordable collection and market it to people who have never purchased a classical recording. As such, top-tier performances are likely too expensive to be sold so cheaply and are unnecessary anyway. Those of us who already know and love a piece or two can forgive the compilers the inclusion of sub-par recordings, when we are exposed to so many other beautiful pieces for the first time.

It probably comes as a shock for some to hear that most people are not familiar with these classics. We may hear snippets on TV or movies, but are left with no idea as to the composer or historical context. With that in mind, it is extremely intimidating to begin buying classical. I suppose those among us, who so thoroughly dismissed the very notion of a boxed set like this, would have us begin by buying full albums by reputable interpreters. Surprisingly enough though, the majority of people would consider that a tad cost-prohibitive.

To conclude, this is a STARTER collection. It will either affirm a listener's feelings about classical music or lead to an interest in purchasing better recordings. Ideally, I suppose the interpretations would be better, but, for reasons mentioned above, that just isn't in the cards for a collection of this nature. If you're familiar with 50 different recordings of "The Ring" series, or have season tickets to the New York Philharmonic, then this probably isn't for you. For us cretins with limited foreknowledge of classical music though, it serves as a succinct introduction with little to complain about.

Track Listings:

1. Beniamino Gigli (Heroes)
2. Berg & Bartók: Violin Concertos
3. Berg: Violin Concerto; Three Orchestral Pieces, Op. 6
4. Berlitz Passport: Music of Scandinavia
5. Bloch:Schelomo/Shcumann:Cello Concerto
6. Borodin: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3; Songs
7. Buxtehude: Membra Jesu nostri
8. C.P.E. Bach: The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus (Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu)
9. Carissimi: Jonas; Historia Divitis
10. Complete Works for 2 Pianos

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

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Beastwomen From The Center Of The Earth

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Back Country Suite

Arturo Toscanini Collection, Volume 15: Franz Schubert

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