Scherchen Conducts Beethoven [Box set]

1. Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Orchesrtre de la La Radio-Television Suisse Italienne Conducted by Hermann Scherchen

2. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Orchesrtre de la La Radio-Television Suisse Italienne Conducted by Hermann Scherchen

3. Ruins of Athens, incidental music, Op. 113
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Orchesrtre de la La Radio-Television Suisse Italienne Conducted by Hermann Scherchen

4. Die Weihe des Hauses (Consecration of the House), overture for orchestra, Op. 124
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Orchesrtre de la La Radio-Television Suisse Italienne Conducted by Hermann Scherchen

5. Fugue for string quartet in B flat major ("Grosse Fuge"), Op. 133
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Orchesrtre de la La Radio-Television Suisse Italienne Conducted by Hermann Scherchen

6. Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Orchesrtre de la La Radio-Television Suisse Italienne Conducted by Hermann Scherchen

7. Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Orchesrtre de la La Radio-Television Suisse Italienne Conducted by Hermann Scherchen

8. Egmont, incidental music, Op. 84 Overture
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Leipzig Radio Orchestra Conducted by Hermann Scherchen

9. Wellington's Victory, for orchestra, Op. 91 Répétition
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Conducted by Hermann Scherchen

10. Wellington's Victory, for orchestra, Op. 91 Exécution
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Conducted by Hermann Scherchen

11. An die Hoffnung (II), song for voice & piano, Op. 94 Annonce
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Toronto Symphony Orchestra with Mary Simmons
Conducted by Hermann Scherchen

12. An die Hoffnung (II), song for voice & piano, Op. 94 Exécution
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Toronto Symphony Orchestra with Mary Simmons
Conducted by Hermann Scherchen

Tracks:

Eine Lustspiel-Ov, Op.120: Vivace
Ser in G Op.95: Allegro Molto
Ser in G Op.95: Vivace A Burlesca
Ser in G Op.95: Andante Semplice
Ser in G Op.95: Allegro Con Spirito
Eine Romantische Ste, Op.125: Notturno: Molto Sostenuto
Eine Romantische Ste, Op.125: Scherzo: Vivace
Eine Romantische Ste, Op.125: Finale: Molto Sostenuto

Tracks:

An Die Hoffnung, Op.124: Grave - Margarete Bence
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Beethoven, Op.86: Thema: Andante
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Beethoven, Op.86: I. Un Poco Piu Lento
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Beethoven, Op.86: II. Appassionato
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Beethoven, Op.86: III. Andante Grazioso
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Beethoven, Op.86: IV. Vivace
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Beethoven, Op.86: V. Andante Sostenuto
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Beethoven, Op.86: VI. Allegretto Con Gracia
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Beethoven, Op.86: VII. Poco Vivace
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Beethoven, Op.86: VIII. Allegro Pomposo
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Beethoven, Op.86: Fuge: Con Spirito
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Mozart, Op.132: Thema: Andante Grazioso
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Mozart, Op.132: I. L'Istesso Tempo
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Mozart, Op.132: II. Poco Agitato
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Mozart, Op.132: III. Con Moto
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Mozart, Op.132: IV. Vivace
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Mozart, Op.132: V. Quasi Presto
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Mozart, Op.132: VI. Sostenuto
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Mozart, Op.132: VII. Andante Grazioso
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Mozart, Op.132: VIII. Molto Sostenuto
Var und Fuge Uber Ein Thema Von Mozart, Op.132: Fuge: Allegretto Grazioso

Customer Reviews:

A composer in search of major audience!.......2005-09-11

The German musicians could not pretend not to hear the Impressionism, the new language of the époque. That is why further than necessary to insist, respect to Reger, he wrote fugues and as Anton Bruckner, started from the organ though unlike Bruckner returned constantly. Reger followed the traces of his ancestors Beethoven and Brahms. He knows just think on the basis of counterpoint and traditional forms. His harmonies seem am opalescent crystal without concrete color. The contiguity of two distinct accords is almost a norm to him. Exaltation and architectonic sobriety are closeness in his music.
Scherchen interprets some of his most known orchestral works in what are worthy to remark his Romantic Serenade and both Variations on Beethoven and Mozart. Pitifully I regret Scherchen has not recorded the Böcklin Suite No. 128.
The jewel of the crown is the Mozart Variations performance, not only due the fact it is the most known of his Orchestral works, but the brightness and transparency conferred by his conductor.
Nevertheless, this is a magnificent opportunity to get close to Reger 's universe, because, the incomprehensible amnesia of the most Orchestras overseas Europe, we must make it by our own and recommended to our closest friends.
It' s time for Reger to be rediscovered, taking account of being reminding the 90th commemoration of his sensible death.

Pleasant performances, but DREADFUL SOUND!.......2005-09-09

I feel compelled to write this, to alert unsuspecting customers (such as I was) that despite the 1960's dates bandied about in the review I read, which contained frequent references to "good" sound, and "unique" sound world, etc. these are actually DREADFUL, boomy "MONO" recordings that do a grave disservice to Reger's well-known dense orchestral writing. - In fairness, I give it 3 stars only in recognition of Scherchen's pleasing interpretations, which in some of the pieces I was familiar with seem to out-class Jarvi and others I've heard (Davis, Polyansky,etc).

So do not be fooled by another reviewer's talk of the "sound" of these recordings. Sadly, Reger's textures need all the help they can get, but they certainly aren't helped by the muddy sound here...

Wonderful Introduction To An Under-Rated Composer.......2005-06-16

My years of collecting classical records have led me down some curious paths. In some cases, exploring a composer's music has led to the discovery of a wonderful conductor. Such was the case with Heinz Bongartz (1894-1978), whom I discovered out of curiosity about the Bruckner 6th Symphony (his extraordinary recording of it is on Berlin Classics). But there have been even more occasions when interest in an already beloved performer has led me to composers that I might never have investigated otherwise. And that's precisely how I came to discover and love the orchestral works of Max Reger (1873-1916).

Back around 1970 I read "Pages From A Musician's Life," the autobiography of conductor Fritz Busch up to the time he fled Germany in the early 1930's. He and his violinist brother Adolf are two artists that I admire deeply, and it became evident from reading this book that both of them worshiped Reger, whose music I didn't know at all. But strangely, many American critics write disparagingly of Reger's output, calling it things like "endless post-Wagnerian gush," "relentlessly chromatic," and even "bloated counterpoint." Well, many of these same nitwits say identical things about Bruckner, so I simply ignored them and plowed ahead. As it turns out, Reger's music has much in common with R. Strauss, Korngold and Pfitzner in its predilection for lyrical expression and rich harmonies. What on earth is wrong with that? Perhaps the best response to all those naysayers is the one Reger himself sent to a newspaper critic: "Sir: I am now seated in the smallest room of my house. Your review is before me. Soon it will be behind me."

About this same time I became interested in the recordings of Dutch conductor Eduard van Beinum (specifically due to his brilliant Epic LPs of the Brahms 2nd and the Bruckner 8th). So I purchased Beinum's early 1950's recording (Decca LP) of Reger's "Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Mozart," and I fell in love with the music immediately. Then my enthusiasm for conductor F. Charles Adler's first-ever recordings of Mahler & Bruckner on the SPA LP label led me to Reger's "Variations and Fugue on a Theme of J. A. Hiller," a wonderfully jovial and good-natured work of which I am inordinately fond (that SPA LP needs to be on CD!). Fortunately, Konwitschny's recording of it is nearly as good, and that has been issued on a Berlin Classics CD.

I soon lost interest in Beinum (other than those Brahms & Bruckner recordings, I now find Beinum too straightforward and rather impersonal). But my fascination with Bongartz led me to his LP of Reger's Mozart Variations & Fugue (much warmer and more expressive than Beinum's), and it has since been coupled with Reger's lovely Bocklin Suite on a Berlin Classics CD. There is another great Berlin Classics CD with Bongartz that has Reger's Sinfonietta, An die Hoffnung, and Hymnus der Liebe. Also along the way I picked up Eugen Jochum's outstanding account of the Serenade for Orchestra with the Berlin Philharmonic on a Urania LP. Finally, my interest in conductor Hans Rosbaud led me to his Odeon LP of Reger's delightful Piano Concerto, with soloist Erik Then-Bergh (not yet on CD). That piece reminds me strongly of the Burleske by Richard Strauss.

By the time I bought this excellent CPO 2-disc CD set of Reger Orchestral Works, my purchase was based on my affection for BOTH the composer AND the conductor (Scherchen has long been one of my very favorites). So far as I know, none of these performances with the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie was ever released on LP. Everything here was recorded in 1960, and the sound is excellent. The Mozart Variations are beautifully done, a close match for the Bongartz and the fine "live" Schuricht account on Music & Arts (see my review). The Serenade is slightly cut but lovingly played. His Variations & Fugue on a Theme of Beethoven completely outclasses Jarvi's. And the comical Lustpiel Overture, the gorgeous Romantic suite, and the An die Hoffnung are played with the greatest affection by Scherchen. This CPO set is especially valuable now that Bongartz's CD accounts on Berlin Classics have been deleted.

If you are looking for an introduction to Reger's orchestral pieces in good sound, these sympathetic performances will fit the bill very nicely. This composer's unique sound world is wonderfully captured here by Scherchen.

Very Highly recommended.

Jeff Lipscomb

Reger: Symphony #2 Op. 95 (which he called a "serenade.".......1999-03-11

Thank goodness your CDs present at least an abridged version of this lovely but very neglected work. It's a real shame that the abridged 3rd section ("movement") leaves a very striking interlude completely out, but the abridged presentation is definitely much better than not having any of Op. 95 at all. Very truly yours, David J. Vance

Average customer rating:

Hermann Scherchen Conducts
Beethoven , Scherchen , Vsoo , and Lpo
Manufacturer: Enterprise
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B00008F1KH
Release Date: 1994-01-04

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Hermann Scherchen Conducts Beethoven

Manufacturer: Idi [Ital Disc Inst]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00008GQAE
Release Date: 2003-02-25

Average customer rating:

Scherchen the Best!
Late Scherchen excellence

Scherchen Conducts Beethoven

Manufacturer: Tahra
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000003O6T
Release Date: 1997-11-25

Tracks:

Egmont, Ov, Op.84 - RSO Leipzig/Herman Scherchen
La Victoire De Wellington, Op.91: Repetition - Das Sudfunk-SO/Herman Scherchen
La Victoire De Wellington, Op.91: Execution - Das Sudfunk-SO/Herman Scherchen
An Die Hoffnung, Op.94: Annonce - Mary Simmons
An Die Hoffnung, Op.94: Execution - Mary Simmons

Tracks:

Sym No.1 in C, Op.21: Adagio Molto-Allegro Con Brio
Sym No.1 in C, Op.21: Andante Cantabile Con Moto
Sym No.1 in C, Op.21: Minuetto
Sym No.1 in C, Op.21: Finale (Adagio - Allegro)
Sym No.2 in D, Op.36: Adagio Molto
Sym No.2 in D, Op.36: Larghetto
Sym No.2 in D, Op.36: Scherzo (Allegro)
Sym No.2 in D, Op.36: Allegro Molto

Tracks:

Les Ruines D'Athenes, Op.113
La Consecration De La Maison, Op.124
Grande Fugue in B flat, Op.133
Sym No.4: Repetition
Sym No.8: Repetition

Customer Reviews:

Scherchen the Best!.......2001-07-31

Hermann Scherchen is one of the finest (if not THE finest) interpreters of Beethoven's music who ever lived. He ignites each piece with a passion that is rarely found in recordings of Beethoven's music. If you enjoy hearing Beethoven's music with the intensity that the composer intended, Scherchen is definitely the conductor to buy.

Late Scherchen excellence.......1998-12-30

Hermann Scherchen is usually known for his "weird" tempi. It makes one think of him as a kind of off-beat, new-age musician. In reality, he was nothing of the sort. He was one of the finest conductors ever to have recorded. The fact that he was not under contract to one of the major companies often kept him out of the running. More's the pity. These performances, taped in concert with a less than first-rate orchestra, will make you listen to the first two Beethoven symphonies as if you had never heard them before. They are full of tension and very, very revolutionary. If you want your Beethoven served to you on a velvet cushion, pick up any of the hundreds of other recordings. If you want to sit up and think, get these Scherchen CD's. He was one of the major forces in progressive music, and his performances show it. The sound, of course, is not up to modern standards, hence the four stars. Tahra, however, has done a wonderful job in bringing them up to snuff.

Hermann Scherchen Rehearses and Conducts Beethoven Symphony # 5 + Eulenberg Miniature Score

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Hermann Scherchen Rehearses and Conducts Beethoven Symphony # 5 + Eulenberg Miniature Score

Manufacturer: Aura Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000ODZ2C4

Product Description

The album consists of Hermann Scherchen first rehearsing the four movements of the symphony then performing same. This is what I call real insight !!

Track Listings: