Beethoven: Fidelio Overture / Eroica

1. Fidelio, overture, Op. 72c
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Gunther Herbig

2. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major ("Eroica"), Op. 55
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Gunther Herbig

Customer Reviews:

Mostly good.......2007-05-26

A bit of a mixed bag. The symphonies are superb. This is one of the great symphony cycles. The piano sonatas are good, very good (analog) sound. The quartets are well recorded indeed, but there are better cycles out there. The rest is OK, and the sound is genrally good.

Look at the List of Performers First.......2006-11-17

If you want most of Beethoven sitting on one bookshelf, this is a great bargain (especially if you shop for it on amazon.de). But few if any of the performances represent the pinnacles of interpretation that most listeners demand when Beethoven is the composer. The symphonies for instance: can Blomstedt be compared to Furtwangler or (if you lean toward historically informed instrumentation) Gardiner? Most amazingly, the artists who perform the quartets -- the heart of Beethoven's music -- are not even named in the listing.
On the other hand: Vivaldi: The Masterworks is a collection including the very best interpreters, such as Fabio Biondi! Bach Edition (complete Bach) is a fabulous selection of recordings made over 20 years, and almost the same praise can be given the Complete Mozart.

this "masterworks" series is available much more cheaply from Amazon France.......2006-05-28

there are several sets in this series and it's much cheaper to buy these from Amazon France.

included are bach, beethoven, vivaldi, brahms, dvorak, schubert, handel, hayden, and mendelssohn.

they're even cheaper than the list price once u go through the checkout (VAT is removed for overseas (out-of-france) purchases).

**also, the 'complete works of mozart' set is much cheaper there (or at Amazon Germany), too. the 'complete works of bach' is due out later this year.

You heard guy below: Beethoven needs the royality checks! .......2006-04-07

There is quality beyond the Austrian green cardboard (which is lovely to look at, to say the least). In fact, the performance of the symphonies (Dresden Staatskapelle and Herbert Blomstedt) is alone worth the price. The Staatskapelle is a solid group, and Blomstedt, although less wellknown, holds his own. It should be mentioned that Blomstedt recorded many of the most celebrated 20th composition CDs on the market, and definitely knows his stuff. Peter Wohlert recorded mostly for compiliation lables, but to be selected by the Berlin Phil shows that he is a formdiable conductor in rank as well.

Should you buy this collection then? Given the fact that each CD cost $1.75, there is definitely the bargin factor. However, Beethoven's music desveres the top interpreters and musicians of our time - and this applies for all of his music, not just the symphonic. If you are into bargins, then proceed to buy this collection. However, if you save up a bit more, you can buy Karajan's 1963 Beethovens symphonies along with Kempff's 1956 sonata cycles for just a bit more than 70 bucks. Shop around for the string quartets, and the complete overtures should range anywhere from 15 to 30 bucks depending on the conductor/ensemble.

Overall, this is certainly an exceptional bargin. However, quality matter more than money. Besides, chicks dig people with sophisticated tastes.

Buy my box Set!.......2006-03-21

Awesome deal, 40 CD box set of me, Beethoven! There are 3 principle reasons you should buy this box set:

This box is QUALITY my friend, made of the finest, Austrian cardboard with a lovely green finish, it is made to last! You can just set it on your dresser and whenever you need a Beethoven fix you can just pull a CD out. But don't you hate getting your CDs out of order so you can't find what the hell you're looking for?! Not with this set! They are well organized into symphonies, concerti, sonatas and such, so you can find EXACTLY what your looking for, and they have big numbers on them so you can put them right back where they belong.

And the music! Need we go into this, composed through the inspiration of God himself and penned by the greatest composer who ever walked the streets of Vienna, me, Beethoven! Top notch, all done by top performers and recorded at high, clear, digital quality, stick one in your stereo and rock out man! All of my great and mighty works are here, absolutely sublime!

Lastly, you'll be supporting me, I need those royalty checks to keep rolling in!

Buy it if you love me or just buy it if you want people to think that you're sophisticated (the chicks also dig it, I should know: Antonie Brentano, giggity!), you can't go wrong!

Average customer rating:

The Very Best of Beethoven

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000B6N64A
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Tracks:

Allegro Con Brio
Egmont Overture
Adagio Sostenuto
Allegro Molto
Rondo
Abscheulicher!
Adagio Cantabile
Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Finale
Rondo

Tracks:

Scherzo
Bagatelle In A Minor 'Fur Elise'
Sanctus-Benedictus
Adagio Molto Espressivo
Rondo
Andante Favori
Allegretto
Scherzo
Adagio Cantabile & Allegro Vivace
Ode To Joy

Average customer rating:

5 star performance at a budget busting outrageous price
Szell's Beethoven in best sound, forty years later
Superbly Remastered Classic Beethoven Symphony Cycle From Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra
Music Production At Highest Level
As Good as it Gets

Beethoven: The Nine Symphonies

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The New York Times Essential Library: Classical Music: A Critic's Guide to the 100 Most Important Recordings

ASIN: B0002CHK6I
Release Date: 2004-06-29

Tracks:

I. Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio
II. Andante Cantabile Con Moto
III. Menuetto,. Allegro Molto E Vivace
IV. Finale. Adagio - Allegro Molto E Vivace
I. Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio
II. Larghetto
III. Scherzo. Allegro
IV. Allegro Molto

Tracks:

I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Marcia Funebre. Adagio Assai
III. Scherzo. Allegro Vivace
IV. Finale. Allegro Molto

Tracks:

I. Adagio - Allegro Vivace
II. Adagio
III. Menuetto. Allegro Vivace - Trio. Un Poco Meno Allegro
IV. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Leonore Overture No. 3, Op. 72a

Tracks:

I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Andante Con Moto
III. Allegro
IV. Allegro
I. Allegro Vivace
II. Andante Cantabile
III. Menuetto. Allegretto
IV. Molto Allegro

Tracks:

I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
II. Andante Molto Moto. Szene Am Bach
III. Allegro. Lustiges Zusammensein Der Landleute
IV. Allegro. Gewitter Sturm
V. Allegretto. Hirtengesang, Frohe Und Dankbare Gefuhle Nach Dem Sturm

Tracks:

I. Poco Sostenuto - Vivace
II. Allegretto
III. Presto - Presto Meno Assai
IV. Allegro Con Brio

Tracks:

I. Allegro Vivace E Con Brio
II. Allegretto Scherzando
III. Tempo Di Menuetto
IV. Allegro Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo, Un Poco Maestoso
II. Molto Vivace
III. Adagio Molto E Cantabile - Andante Moderato
IV. Presto - Allegro Assai - Recitativo: O Freunde, Nicht Diese Tone! - Allegro Assai (Final Chorus On Schiller's 'Ode To Joy')

Tracks:

Egmont Overture, Op. 84
Coriolan Overture, Op. 62
King Stephen Overture, Op. 117
Leonore Overture No. 2, Op. 72b
Leonore Overture No. 1, Op. 138
Fidelio Overture, Op. 72

Tracks:

Overture. Adagio - Allegro Molto Con Brio
Introduction. La Tempesta. Allegro Non Troppo
No. 1. Poco Adagio
No. 3. Adagio - Allegro Con Brio
No. 3. Allegro Vivace
No. 4. Maestoso - Andante
No. 5. Adagio - Andante Quasi Allegretto
No. 6. Un Poco Adagio - Allegro
No. 7. Grave
No. 8. Allegro Con Brio
No. 9. Adagio
No. 10. Pastorale. Allegro
No. 11. Andante
No. 12. Solo Di Gioja. Maestoso
No. 13. Allegro
No. 14. Solo Della Cassentini. Andante
No. 15. Solo Di Vigano. Andantino
No. 16. Finale. Allegro

Customer Reviews:

5 star performance at a budget busting outrageous price.......2007-06-06

The cover for this cd boxed set came straight off the vinyl lp boxed set issued to commemorate Beethoven's 200 birthday and George Szell's passing in 1970. (I have this boxed set in great, near mint condition that sounds wonderful). I love these performances! I must have a couple of dozen or more George Szell lps. Szell is like money in the bank, like a classical sure thing! Just about everything I have heard from Szell and the CSO sparkles!

My problem with this set is the price. It costs about as much as 2.5 to 3 Klemperer Beethoven Symphonies/Bareneboim Piano Concerto cd boxed sets. For the money, you could easily buy another great Beethoven cycle, Tchaikovsky cycle, Schumann cycle, Brahms cycle, etc. etc here at Amazon. So, unless money is no object or you are a die hard (more likely die broke) Szell collector, I would recommend finding another path to Szell Beethoven Nirvana. Rhapsody has 6 or 7 of these posted. I checked the a la cart used prices at Amazon and it looks like you could pick up the missing ones not posted at Rhapsody and buy 8 or 9 months of unlimited listening at Rhapsody for the same price. Another option would be an Ebay search. There is probably an earlier cd edition you could bid on for at least two thirds cheaper or even pick up a good, used set of the real deal (vinyl lps!)

Or, maybe you have not done somehing stupid with your money and you are about due and you feel entitled, and that hundred bucks in your pocket is starting to burn a hole.......

Szell's Beethoven in best sound, forty years later.......2007-04-21

I empathize with fans for the late George Szell, who had to endure shallow, hissy sonics on the original LPs of his Beethoven cycle, then to wait decades longer while Sony put the recordings through cheap CD remastering on various budget lines. Now jsutice has been done, and the original tapes come up sounding quite good. (the same renovation has been done to the Szell-Fleisher Beethoven 3rd and 4th piano concertos though not to the Emperor, so far as I know).

The hallmarks of Szell's conducting style are well known by now. He followed Toscanini's propulsive lead, allowing little expressive rubato, insisting on perfection of execution, and in essence bringing the old man into the stereo era. To some ears this is great Beethoven, but there's more heroism and romance to be found elsewhere. I don't think Beethoven should be so well drilled, but if you favor Szell's meticulous cold style, his Beethoven is quite strong.

Sony deserves some finger wagging for filling these CDs so stingily and for stretching the material for 6 or 7 discs out to ten. Charging the full price of $100 seems like gouging, particularly when you have to buy Szell's Jupiter Sym., available elsewhere, and a Prometheus ballet that isn't even conducted by him but his pedestrian assistant, Louis Lane.

Superbly Remastered Classic Beethoven Symphony Cycle From Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra.......2007-01-31

In the 1960s, there was no other orchestra in the world - including Karajan's Berliner Philharmoniker - which sounded as fine as the Cleveland Orchestra under George Szell's magnificient direction. I am delighted that Sony has made this fine CD set available once more, using the latest digital state-of-the-art remastering, since I remember well from some old LPs I had of this Beethoven Symphony Cycle, superb performances of the 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th symphonies from Szell and his crack precision ensemble of a symphony orchestra. I concur with others who regard this CD set as the best recorded by the Cleveland Orchestra of not only Beethoven's symphonies, but indeed, of any of the great 18th and 19th Century composers. This 1957 to 1967 recorded cycle will remain as one of the most important artistic legacies of the Cleveland Orchestra during Szell's tenure as music director. Moreover, I am willing to guess that this CD set may be remembered as the best Beethoven Symphony Cycle recorded during this time, even if others, most notably Karajan's early 1960s Deutsche Grammophon cycle with the Berliner Philharmoniker, have earned lavish praise from critics and fans alike.

Music Production At Highest Level.......2006-01-14

No need to explain why Szell's Beethoven performances are exquisite - perfect balancing among instruments, expressive phrasing, unbelievable intensity, and oh yes, details!
But equal amount of praises should go to Sony's remastering engineers. You will hear a night-and-day difference from the old Essential Classics versions!

Just listen to the magnificent 9th. Szell and the Cleveland musicians give out their lives.

As Good as it Gets.......2005-04-10

Originally issued on Columbia's budget label, Epic, George Szell's early stereo (1957-1967) cycle of Beethoven's Symphonies became legendary on its original release. Originally released one at a time, the cycle was later reissued as a boxed set, individually again in the late 1970s, debuting on CD in the 1980s, and in several incarnations during the 1990s. Now, for the 21st Century, Sony has created a lavish reissue.

Ever the perfectionist, Szell drilled the Cleveland Orchestra to within an inch of its life, and the result here is orchestral playing of immaculate perfection, with the various choirs balanced as if they were one soloist. Technically, there is no better Beethoven cycle on records, not from Maazel's and Dohnanyi's later cycles with the same orchestra, not from Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic, and certainly not from Toscanini's NBC Orchestra.

Toscanini bears mentioning here, because there are similarities of approach. Szell chooses not to let details obscure the overall structure of each symphony--though there are telling details in plenty. By the time this cycle was recorded, Szell had lived with these masterpieces for half a century, and it shows in the judicious tempi, straightforward phrasing, and architectonic grandeur.

Receiving its first CD release is the same orchestra's recording of Beethoven's Creatures of Prometheus ballet, superbly conducted by Szell's assistant director, Louis Lane. Also included is Mozart's "Jupiter" Symphony, which was originally the B side for Beethoven's ubiquitous 5th. Since this is one of the finest Jupiters ever recorded, no complaints about breaking the one composer rule.

Sony's set reproduces the original cover art and sequencing (with once exception, the Overtures disc features two bonus tracks). Generally, the CDs are not well filled, however this is more than made up for by the superb documentation. The booklet contains the original LP liner notes (most of them by Klaus G. Roy, then program annotator of the Cleveland Orchestra), unfortunately whittled down. But, with a magnifying glass, one can read the miniaturized backs of the original LP covers. Sony's engineers have done an excellent job remastering the rather dry sounding original tapes.

For those encountering Beethoven's sypmhonies of Szell conducting for the first time, there is no greater starting point. For longtime fans, this set will impress with its refreshed sonics and deluxe packaging.

Average customer rating:

One of Karajan's best Beethoven Symphony cycles
Fine Analog Performance
Bring me the desert island, please.
Karajan's best Beethoven cycle for combination of performance and sound
under the surface

Beethoven: Nine Symphonies

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5

ASIN: B000001GBT
Release Date: 1990-07-03

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In C Major, Op. 21: 1. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 1 In C Major, Op. 21: 2. Andante cantabile con moto
Symphony No. 1 In C Major, Op. 21: 3. Menuetto. Allegro molto e vivace
Symphony No. 1 In C Major, Op. 21: 4. Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: 1. Adagio - Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: 2. Adagio
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: 3. Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: 4. Allegro ma non troppo
Overture, Egmont, Op. 84: Sostenuto, ma non troppo - Allegro

Tracks:

Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 36: 1. Adagio - Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 36: 2. Larghetto
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 36: 3. Scherzo. Allegro
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 36: 4. Allegro molto
Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: 1. Poco sostenuto - Vivace
Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: 2. Allegretto
Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: 3. Presto
Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: 4. Allegro con brio

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Erocia': 1. Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Erocia': 2. Marcia funebre. Adagio assi
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Erocia': 3. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Erocia': 4. Finale. Allegro molto
Overture Leonore No. 3, Op. 72A: Adagio - Allegro

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67: 1. Allegro con brio - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67: 2. Andante con moto - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67: 3. Allegro - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67: 4. Allegro - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: 1. Allegro vivace e con brio - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: 2. Allegretto scherzando - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: 3. Tempo di Menuetto - L.V. Beethoven
Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: 4. Allegro vivace - L.V. Beethoven
Overture Fidelio, Op. 72B: Allegro - L.V. Beethoven

Tracks:

Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Pastorale': 1. Awakening Of Cheerful Feelings Upon Arrival In The Country - Allegro ma non troppo
Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Pastorale': 2. Scene By The Brook - Andante molto mosso
Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Pastorale': 3. Merry Gathering Of Country Folk
Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Pastorale': 4. Thunderstorm
Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Pastorale': 5. Shepherd's Song: Happy And Thankful Feelings After The Storm
Overture To H. J. von Collin's Tragedy, Op. 62: Allegro con brio
Overture 'The Creatures Of Prometheus' To Salvatore Vigano's Ballet: Adagio - Allegro molto con brio
Overture 'The Ruins Of Athens' From The Music To A. von Kotzebue's Play: Andante con moto - Allegro, ma non troppo

Tracks:

Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125: 1. Allegro manon troppo, un poco maestoso - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125: 2. Molto vivace - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125: 3. Adagio molto e cantabile - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125: 4. Presto - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125: 4. Presto - Final Chorus From Schiller's 'Ode To Joy' - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Amazon.com

This is hedonistic Beethoven, though in listening to these accounts one wonders sometimes whether Herbert von Karajan may not have confused sex with love, and physicality with emotion. At least he seems more concerned with opulence of sound and weight of texture than with psychology or substance. Yet while his interpretation has neither great emotion, nor struggle, nor a sense of spiritual release, it certainly has great beauty and exhilaration. The readings are typical of the "massaged" style of performance Karajan cultivated in Berlin during the 1970s, and which Andrew Porter famously critiqued when he likened the results to Kobe beef. There is a certain softness under all that muscularity, though for the most part Karajan shows his usual strong grip and maintains the balance of lyrical and kinetic elements. The Berlin Philharmonic, at its peak when these recordings were made, is a marvel: even if its playing is rarely fiery or spontaneous, its sound is plush, succulent, and exilaratingly rich. Karajan uses a big orchestra all the way through, even in Symphony No. 1--which as a result sounds rather massive, though not heavy (the brisk scale in the violins at beginning of the fourth movement is delightfully airy). In addition to their polish, his readings are notable for their high energy level. This is particularly true of the Eighth, one of the most successful items in the set, which is interpreted in a way that clearly shows its connection to Seventh. On balance, the accounts run from very good to outstanding (Nos. 4, 8 and 9), but only rarely do they approach the transcendent. The recordings, made in Berlin's Philharmonie, are close-miked and mastered at a fairly high level, and sound is impressively firm. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

One of Karajan's best Beethoven Symphony cycles.......2007-04-20

Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989) recorded the Beethoven Symphonies four different times: with the Philharmonia Orchestra (early 1950s, EMI); with the Berlin Philharmonic (1961-62, DG); again with Berlin (1975-77, DG: THIS recording), and finally, in Berlin (1982-85, DG). Most critics consider either the 1961-2 or THIS recording to be Karajan's best Beethoven Symphony cycle. (The EMI has cramped sound, and the last cycle shows Karajan's eccentric side: somehow it doesn't "jell" and sound like Beethoven to me - it's more Karajan than Beethoven.)

These have Karajan's best Beethoven Symphony 5 and Symphony 6 recordings. The Berlin Philharmonic has the lush, rich sound Karajan was known for and will be remembered for by future generations of music lovers. The other symphonies are all very fine, too.

I should state my allegiences are for Bohm/Vienna Philharmonic (DG, 1970-72) in most of these symphonies. I also like Szell/Cleveland (Sony) for Symphonies 1, 3, 4 and 9; and Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony for Symphony 3,4,5, and 7 (Sony). Thomas Beecham's EMI recordings of Symphonies 2 and 7 with the Royal Philharmonic are worth seeking out.

Karajan is very fine, if you don't have an allegience to a given conductor, as I do to Karl Bohm.

Fine Analog Performance.......2007-03-12

Karajan has been one of my favorites for the past 30 plus years and I have many of his recordings on lp and cd. One of the few things I collect are lp box sets. This set I own on vinyl and it either just got posted to Rhapsody or I just ran into it. Rhapsody now has this set, his 1950s, and his digital 1980s posted. I have not run into the early 60s set yet at Rhapsody, but have it on vinyl and cd. I was a bit surprised to see yet another Karajan Beethoven Symphony cycle at Rhapsody and did a search at Amazon to find out what cycle it is.

Karajan did at least 4 complete Beethoven Cycles (50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s) on lp/cd plus one video cycle in the mid 80s that is just outstanding. Some may argue that this is overkill, and many argue about what cycle is best. As far as I know, no one has surpassed Karajan for the most complete cycles title (Jochum comes to mind who I think did three cycles). It is now possible to convert them all to mp3, put them on a single cd or into an mp3 player and do a taste test. Any of these cycles are fun to listen to and they are all well played, conducted, and recorded. The 50s cycle is probably the weakest from a sound/ recording engineer perspective and maybe the 80s is the best (though some do not like the early digital sound). I personally like the early 60s best plus I greatly enjoy the DVDs. I bought them from China through Ebay for about $30 including s/h.

The big difference for Karajan 80s vs 70s is that in the 80s he had health issues prior to his passing and he also started to get very elderly (born in 1908). I have viewed his DVDs of Tchiakovsky (sym. 4, 5, 6) and Dvorak (8, 9) and his Beethoven 9. He seems to be more vigorious on the Beethoven set, followed by the Tchaikovsky, and then the Dvorak. He seemed to me to be a little out of it on the Dvorak 9th and that symphony seemed to drag. I love his Tchiakovsky set from the 70s and the 80s video is almost as good. I read that Karajan had over 800 recordings!

Bring me the desert island, please........2005-12-17

I've always been an admirer of Karajan's Beethoven. I pretty much cut my Beethoven teeth on the much lauded (by me, too) sixties set. In many peoples' minds I suppose it will never be surpassed.

However, in nearly every respect, this mid-seventies undertaking is a better set. I have, as have others, quibbles with certain decisions Karajan makes. For example, he seems to have no problem occasionally ignoring Beethoven's calls for repeats, while at other times he observes them scrupulously. It seems to me that if Beethoven says to do it, then you should do it. Karajan, apparently, doesn't agree.

One could quickly lapse into a minutiae-induced stupor over details. However, a couple will suffice: This is, without doubt, Karajan's best recorded Sixth. That said, it must be admitted his overall concept of this symphony has always been, for some, a weak link. I agree. Simply, there are probably better Sixth's in the catalog, although none could possibly be better played, interpretation not withstanding. Also, this Fifth is to be preferred over the earlier version, ignored repeats and all. The Ninth, arguably the crown jewel of the earlier set, is remarkable here. The soloists are all admirable, even if they aren't Janowitz, Ludwig, et al.

All-in-all, a magnificent undertaking, beautifully realized on CD.

Finally, as most know, Karajan undertook the complete symphonies one last time, near the end of his career (and life) in the early eighties. They are great. The sound is generally great (although not really better in any demonstrable way than here). But Karajan and his Berlin orchestra were having legal, personal and personnel problems which would finally force the Maestro to leave Berlin all together for his final few recordings. At this stage, probably the less said about the utterly disgraceful treatment the ailing Maestro was subjected to, the better. However, that final recorded cycle suffers, I think, from these problems. There are, at times, a certain sloppiness to the procedings Karajan would never have tolerated earlier in his life.

Happily, we have cycle two, in glorious mid-seventies Berlin sound, as a living testament of Karajan's superlative Beethoven.

Karajan's best Beethoven cycle for combination of performance and sound.......2005-10-09

This cycle of Beethoven symphonies, recorded 1975-77 is Herbert von Karajan's strongest. It is also the best of his Beethovens for both performances and sound. Symphonies 5 and 6 are the best here of any others Karajan did, as are Symphonies 1, 2, 3 and 9.

Much of "the best" depends on personal preferences, but I prefer these to the last cycle, recorded 1982-84 for DG. The 1961-2 cycle (DG) is also very fine.

I won't go into details in the interest of keeping this review concise. But Karajan takes slightly slower tempos in Symphony 5: I and Sym. 6: I, II, making a better case for each work.

The sound is rather low level, and you may have to crank up your volume a bit + add some extra bass, as Deutsche Grammophon often shorts the bass a bit in some of their recordings. But the sound is clean, and overall very fine.

Read my reviews of Karajan's first DG cycle, also with the Berlin Philharmonic, for other details. This cycle is recommended, and highly thought of by many critics.

under the surface.......2003-09-18

This truly is an amazing set!
For me this set beats his famous 1963 recordings.
It seems that many people take it for a fact that most of his 1970 recordings lack power, passion and meaning without ever hearing those performances.

Yes you have that recognizable Karajan sound allover, but how this sound interacts with a certain composer or work you'll only find out by listening to it.
For example: I like the "kitschy" singing violins in this Beethovenset very much, it adds mysterie to the score.
The same singing violins (same recorded as well) however I dislike very much in his Bruckner-recordings.
Weird, because string-vibrato in general suits Bruckner's music better than Beethoven's.
But to me those strings rob Bruckner's music of its mystery and mystique.

As said, the main reason why people underrate this set and most of his '70 recordings is because of their general perception of Karajan's sound.
That Karajan sound isn't just the orchestral playing, but also the sound of the recordings and I agree that this sound can add too much "Karajan" to a musical work and can rob the music's identity
The Karajan soup, constantly flavoured by the same ingredients.
One particular flavour is the artificial sounding concert hall acoustic and it is this acoustic in partnership with those singing violins that might give some music that peculiar 1970 romantics feel: candlelight dinners, on the beach at the right time: when the sun is going down etc.

But it's not honest to judge all his music on these unlikable (or likable if you will) features
Under that polished surface of the recordings there is real passion, energy and drive and the playing isn't that polished at all.
Listen to the lower strings, they rub intensly and the brass isn't underplayed all the time, rather under-mixed.
I am probably the only person who rate these performances higher than his 1963 recordings, there I do not find the same energy, passion and speed.

Yes, the tempi are faster and I like them that way.
Of this set I particuarly like the 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th symphony.
The first two symphonies are given a too massive performance, in these works only a period intsrument ensemble can do a fine job or the orchestra must be smaller.

His 9th is let down by a too slow and not very rhythmical defined 1st movement. The rest, especially the adagio is superb.
The adagios in general I like better played by a traditional orchestra instead of a period ensemble.

His 3rd is superb.
Great speed in the first movement and the orchestra is playing their socks of, what power, drive and passion!
Same with the 7th.
Yes the brass could be better profiled and articulated, but the overall stormy performance generously makes up for these minor complaints.

His 6th is still the best I ever heard, to my ears this work is the most romantic in atmosphere and therefore everything matches even that "kitschy" recording.
And that's actually pretty funny because Karajan didn't care much for this symphony.

All these performances are not that cold and polished as the recordings might suggest.
In comparison with Gardiner I noticed that Gardiner's performance is much more controlled, polished and somewhat more polite than Karajan.
I recommend this set without hesitation, for me these performances are still up with the best.
Judge for yourself.

Beethoven: Symphony No. 3, Overture To Fidelio / Bernstein, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Average customer rating:

Which Bernstein Eroica to choose?
Brilliant, moving and intense
disappointing
Wonderfully Dramatic
Excellent Beethoven / Bernstein

Beethoven: Symphony No. 3, Overture To Fidelio / Bernstein, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Beethoven: Symphonien Nos. 5 & 7 / Kleiber, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
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Bach - Brandenburg Concertos / Lamon, Tafelmusik
Brahms: Symphony No. 1; Haydn Variations; Academic Festival Overture
Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3

ASIN: B000001GDU
Release Date: 1990-07-24

Tracks:

Symphonie Nr. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Eroica': Allegro con brio
Symphonie Nr. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Eroica': Marcia funebre. Adagio assai
Symphonie Nr. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Eroica': Scherzo. Allegro vivace
Symphonie Nr. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Eroica': Finale. Allegro molto
'Fidelio' Overture Op. 72b: Allegro

Amazon.com

A year after this recording was made, the principal violist of the Vienna Philharmonic confided to a music critic that "When we play Beethoven with Bernstein we do it Bernstein's way, but when we play Beethoven with Bohm, we do it Beethoven's way." Perhaps, but then Viennese string players have been saying that about every conductor since Otto Nicolai. In any case, the VPO strings give their all in this performance; their playing, and that of their colleagues in the wind and brass, is pure guts and glory. Bernstein's affinity for the music is beyond challenge, and the vivid recording brings it all home. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Which Bernstein Eroica to choose?.......2006-08-22

Bernstein's famous 1964 recording of the Eroica for Columbia Records defined the work for a generation of young listeners in the U.S. When he decamped to Europe to conquer Vienna, Bernstein waited until 1980 to make a second recording. The two sound quite different. To begin with, the Vienna Phil., as recorded by DG, is leaner and more compact, while the NY Phil. was deliberately made to sound bigger than all outdoors.

In keeping with the expansive sonics, Bernstein's first version is more overtly heroic, showy, and intense. By the time he made the 1980 remake, his view had become more personal--you can hear much more expressive freedom in the Funeral March, for example, which at 17 min. is a full two minutes slower than his first version. Yet by contrast the opening movement has become more classical and restrained; we don't get the heaven-storming Beethoven of Furtwangler or the tense drama of Toscanini.

Timings stay relatively the same in the two last movements. However, I hear far more restaint in the Vienna finale. Some of that may be the more contained recorded sound. In any event, DG's Eroica isn't as extroverted or highly dramatic, not by Bernstein's standards. I prefer the New York original by quite a bit--LB seems more involved and excited by the music.

Brilliant, moving and intense.......2004-12-24

I have been forced to write this as a response to some of the unintuitive and gormless reviews written below. In a nutshell, Bernstein's 'Eroica' is a dramatic and brilliant reading of a dramatic and brilliantly intense symphony.

Bernstein is less of a Classicist than he is a Humanist. Invariably, he searches for and draws out the human dialogue to found in classical music. His Mahler symphonies, for example,
are brilliant and inspired narratives that translate sound into human drama. The same can be said of this recording.

As one reviewer remarked , the Bernstein perfomrmance is "dynamic and marked by Bernsteinian rubato options that render this recording unforgettable." Rubato refers the expressive fluctuation of speed within a musical phrase. This is particularly notable in the second movement, the famous Funeral March. Bernstein clocks this movement in at 17'40", a full two minutes longer than Abbado's 3rd with the Wiener philharmoniker on DG. It is a wonderful two minutes. More classical interpretations of this movement seem comparatively unispired. Bernstein lays this movement out on the grandest possible scale. It is dark, dreadful and awe inspiring; the fugue, when it comes, is breathtakingly personal and powerfully intense. The dignity, tragedy and drama is riveting; the 5 chords which bring the fugal section to a close are harrowing, ripping from one's insides the remnants of what the fuge has left torn and shredded. The finale is equally pentrating and profound, very much the triumphant music and assertion of man that it was meant to be. One reviewer denigrated the music in this recording as 'mortal'. Of course it is, profoundly so. It relates to human beings and their destructive and beautiful mortal humanity - and that is exactly what makes this recording the same music that one critic at its electrifying and frightening debut in 1805 called 'daring, wild and... startling beautiful'.

At its debut, members of the audience and notable critics lamented the new symphony's 'inordinate length' and 'lawlessness'. One can only assume that the ungracious wretches below who are critical of Bernstein's approach sprang, or crawled, from he same mould. We should not forget that prosterity has since identified these men as the docile pompous peasants they were. As for concerns about the cover...could we be any more superficial?

This is perhaps the single most influential piece of music I have heard -not only because it the first piece of classical music I conciously remeber hearing- and this recording captures that intensity more strikingly than any of the other many recordings I have heard. There are many reasonable recordings of this symphony - each with something to offer someone. 1 star ratings are really just too emotive to be credible. The Szell / Cleveland is a really fine version of this symphony. It is the extra something, however, a deep intuition in this recording which makes this an outstanding choice.

disappointing.......2001-07-26

Despite Bernstein's best efforts to provide a "true" interpretation of Beethoven, his Eroica falls flat. The funeral march is the most lifeless, slow, uninspired reading I've heard. Klemperer also takes the movement slow, but his reading is filled with grandeur and depth, not shallow, ingartiating pitty, the way Bernstein plays it. The movement seems to go on forever! Then there's the Fidelio. You would think he could pull of a simple overture. He starts out with tremendous energy at the introduction, but the pause before the entry of the french horns is too long. After the intro, Bernstein starts to slow down the tempo. Why??? It's all amounts to another mediocre performance.

Wonderfully Dramatic.......2001-02-20

This is a great recording of Beethoven's first "Romantic" Symphony. Here L. Bernstein is conducting the Wiener Philharmoniker, probably one of the very best orchestras in the world for playing Beethoven (and any composer for that matter). Recorded in the late 70's, the sound quality is excellent, thanks to the great remastering by DG. Bernstein's tempos don't seem to lag like some of his recordings from the 80s. Conversely, the tempo is driven by Bernstein, especially in the funeral march. Overall, tempos are not too fast, but well-judged. The finale of the symphony brings the whole work together and the listener will find once again why this symphony is regarded to be one of the crowning achievements in orchestral music. This is a credit not only to Beethoven, but to Leonard Bernstein's genius as a conveyer of meaning and interpretation. The only reason I gave this CD 4 stars instead of 5 is because I happen to put Herbert von Karajan's recording of the 3rd Symphony a little higher than this one. Karajan turns in what is one of the most fiery performances that I have heard. Alas, both recordings are highly recommended.

Excellent Beethoven / Bernstein.......2000-08-28

As always, this Beethoven recording can easily be identified as a "Leonard Bernstein recording". His Beethoven interpretations are dynamic and marked by Bernsteinian rubato options that render this recording unforgettable. Really, really very good.

Average customer rating:

Not Half Bad

Only Beethoven Album You Will Ever Need

Manufacturer: Compendia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Only Mozart Album You Will Ever Need
Mozart 250: A Celebration [Box Set]
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Essential Bach
Beethoven Collection: Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Complete Recording (Box Set)

ASIN: B0001IN0FI
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 1st Movement
Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat, Op. 73, "Emperor" - Allegro
Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125, "Choral" - Molto vivace
Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92, Presto - Assai meno presto
Overture to "Egmont", Op. 84
Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55, "Eroica" - Allegro con brio
Ruins of Athens Overture
Fur Elise
Violin Concerto - Allegro
Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125, "Choral"

Tracks:

Overture to "Fidelio", Op. 72c
Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68, "Pastoral" - Allegro ma non troppo
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2, "Moonlight" - Adagio
Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21 - Adagio molto; Allegro con brio
Pathetique Sonata - Adagio cantabile
Triple Concerto in C Major - Rondo alla polacca
Symphony No. 8 - Allegro vivace e con brio
Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Rondo - Molto allegro

Customer Reviews:

Not Half Bad.......2005-02-05

I despise most CDs with titles like this one has, but have to admit that as a sampler, it's not bad at all. Some great orchestras, conductors, etc. A drawback is that they are not identified, but the excerpts are wonderful, nonetheless. Piano Concerto #5, for instance, is excellent. Haven't a clue who is playing, but it's more than adequate. The entire CD is uniformly well selected, so kudos to the producers for giving us a really good intro to the music of "the" genius of 19th century composition.

BEK

Average customer rating:

Based on Egmont Overture -- Tied for Very Best Beethoven Recording
Beethoven Lovers

#1 Beethoven Album

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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No. 1 Mozart Album
#1 Bach Album

ASIN: B0000D1FJA
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Tracks:

Allegro Con Brio - London Symphony Orchestra
Minuet In G Major, WoO 10 No.2 - I Musici
Turkish March - Frederick Fennell
Rondo. Allegro - Pinchas Zukerman
Adagio Sostenuto - Emil Gilels
Fur Elise - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Adagio Cantabile - Stephen Bishop-Kovacevich
Allegretto - London Symphony Orchestra
Adagio Un Poco Mosso - Wilhelm Backhaus
Scherzo (Allegro Vivace) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Finale. Allegretto - Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Egmont Overture, Op.84 (Music To Goethe's Tragedy 'Egmont') - Vienna Philharmonic

Tracks:

Overture To Fidelio, Op.72c - Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig
Allegro Ma Non Troppo - Vienna Philharmonic
Rondo (Allegro Ma Non Troppo)_ - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Allegro Molto - Quartetto Italiano
Allegro Moderato - Barry Tuckwell
Scherzo (Allegro) - Beaux Arts Trio
Allegretto - Stephen Bishop-Kovacevich
Tempo Di Menuetto - Rafael Kubelik
Presto - Allegro Assai (Excerpt) - Stuart Burrows

Customer Reviews:

Based on Egmont Overture -- Tied for Very Best Beethoven Recording.......2007-02-22

OK, I love the Egmont Overture -- so that is what I am juding this CD by. The listing of CD tracks can be seen elsewhere so I need not list them for you in my review. I've reviewed several Egmont Overtures (see all my reviews if you like), and two Egmont's are far superior to all the others: FRICSAY (conductor)'s magnificent recording (from 1958, but the CD sound quality is the BEST SONICALLY OF ALL!!!!) and the recording of the Egmont on this CD(set of 2 CD's). FRICSAY is a lush, magisterial, respectful, full-of-contrasting-moods recording of the Egmont. It is, at times, almost humorously slow (but still engaging). Its biggness, supreme profundity, full rich sumptuous sonics, and variety of moods makes it a must have. One could argue though that the Egmont in this set of 2 CD's is truly optimal. Plenty of profundity -- and not a "one-note" kind of profundity as in the Egmont & Ruins of Athens CD. But no distractingly exaggerated slowness in parts as FRICSAY did. Here there is no amping up the profundity to creation-of-the-universe proportions like Fricsay did. But there is profundity aplenty -- and not in the let-the-music-speak-for-itself European tradition. Beethoven does need more than that. This CD does it perfectly, optimally and with excellent sonics. If you need creation-of-the-universe profundity with the most rich sonics possible, you'll have to get the Fricsay. If you want the best liner notes -- to learn about how Beethoven adored composing for Egmont, you have to get the Egmont & Ruins of Athens CD. Optimal Egmont good enough for you? Get this "#1 Beethoven Album" by DECCA. You will DEFINITELY say "Wow! Thanks, Man!" (Gary Oldman, actor, commentary track in film "Immortal Beloved" -- quote about what happens when you listen to Beethoven.)

As for the CD other than Egmont. No comment because I haven't listened to it -- other than the Egmont track. Judging by Egmont, this CD set is one you have no excuse not to buy.

Beethoven Lovers.......2006-02-26

This is a comprehensive listing of Beethoven's most famous works. From opera, choral, violin and piano, these CDs have it all. Symphonies and sonatas are featured. There is no Brandenberg Concertos, but otherwise this 2 set CD creates pleasant listening and in my opinion is a must have for any Beethoven lover.

Average customer rating:

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

Beethoven: 9 Symphonien; Ouvertüren

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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

ASIN: B000001G98
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Amazon.com

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating:

Beethoven: 9 Symphonien

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Sym No. 5 in c, Op. 67: I. Allegro con brio
Sym No. 5 in c, Op. 67: II. Andante con moto
Sym No. 5 in c, Op. 67: III. Allegro
Sym No. 5 in c, Op. 67: IV. Allegro-Presto
Sym No. 1 in C, Op. 21: I. Adagio molto-Allegro con brio
Sym No. 1 in C, Op. 21: II. Andante catabile con moto
Sym No. 1 in C, Op. 21: III. Menuetto (Allegro molto e vivace)& Trio
Sym No. 1 in C, Op. 21: IV. Adagio- Allegro molto e vivace

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

Sym No. 3 in e flat, Op. 55 'Eroica': I. Allegro con brio
Sym No. 3 in e flat, Op. 55 'Eroica': II. Marcia funebre (Adagio assai)
Sym No. 3 in e flat, Op. 55 'Eroica': III. Scherzo (Allegro vivace) & Trio
Sym No. 3 in e flat, Op. 55 'Eroica': IV. Finale (Allegro molto-Poco andante-Presto)
Ov: Fidelio, Op. 72b
Ov: The Consecration of the House, Op. 124

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

Sym No. 7 in A, Op. 92: I. Poco sostenuto-Vivace
Sym No. 7 in A, Op. 92: II. Allegretto
Sym No. 7 in A, Op. 92: III. Presto-Assai meno presto
Sym No. 7 in A, Op. 92: Allegro con brio
Sym No. 8 in F, Op. 93: I. Allegro vivace e con brio
Sym No. 8 in F, Op. 93: II. Allegretto scherzando
Sym No. 8 in F, Op. 93: III. Tempo di Menuetto
Sym No. 8 in F, Op. 93: IV. Allegro vivace

Tracks:

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

Average customer rating:

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

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

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

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

ASIN: B000001GKP
Release Date: 1993-10-12

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But then K.'s very existence is offensive.

Track Listings: