Symphonies Complete

1. Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Eduardo Marturet

2. Tragic Overture, in D minor, Op. 81
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Eduardo Marturet

3. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Eduardo Marturet

4. Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Eduardo Marturet

5. Variations on a Theme of Haydn for orchestra in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56a
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Eduardo Marturet

6. Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Eduardo Marturet

7. Academic Festival Overture, for orchestra in C minor ("Akademische Festouvertüre"), Op. 80
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Eduardo Marturet

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In C Minor Op. 68: 1. Un poco sostenuto - Allegro
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor Op. 68: 2. Andante sostenuto
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor Op. 68: 3. Un poco Allegretto e grazioso
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor Op. 68: 4. Adagio - Piu Andante - Allegro non troppo, ma con brio
Symphony No. 3 In F Major op.90: 1. Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 3 In F Major op.90: 2. Andante
Symphony No. 3 In F Major op.90: 3. Poco Allegretto
Symphony No. 3 In F Major op.90: 4. Allegro

Tracks:

Symphony No. 2 In D Major Op. 73: 1. Allegro non troppo
Symphony No. 2 In D Major Op. 73: 2. Adagio non troppo - L'istesso tempo, ma grazioso
Symphony No. 2 In D Major Op. 73: 3. Allegretto grazioso (Quasi Andantino) - Presto ma non assai - Tempo l
Symphony No. 2 In D Major Op. 73: 4. Allegro con spirito
Symphony No. 4 In E Minor Op. 98: 1. Allegro non troppo
Symphony No. 4 In E Minor Op. 98: 2. Andante moderato
Symphony No. 4 In E Minor Op. 98: 3. Allegro giocoso - Poco meno presto - Tempo l
Symphony No. 4 In E Minor Op. 98: 4. Allegro enerico e passionato - Piu Allegro

Amazon.com

These 1977-78 recordings are Karajan's best Brahms--better than his somewhat mannered digital set. The Berlin Philharmonic, as ever, is amazingly smooth and accomplished, playing with great class without losing any power--as an example, just listen to the finale of the second symphony. DG's engineers have turned this always-good recording into something truly magnificent to hear, and, at the price, this is a sure bet. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Karajan- Brahms symphonies.......2007-01-03

No matter who plays, Brahms always satisfies. This edition, however, is superlative! Highly recommend.

Symphonic Heaven.......2005-10-13

Karajan is largely considered the greatest exponent for mainstream symphonic works- Mozart, Brahms, Tchaikovsky Mahler, Dvorak and Bruckner. This collection is a terrific buy and it's affordable. You can't go wrong. Recorded in 1977 and 1978, Karajan delivers all the rich melody, grace, grandeur and musical harmony that Brahms suffused his four symphonies with. The Berlin Philharmonic are trained so that even the strings move with miraculous exactitude. The only other worthy set is Solti's. This one has everything one can hope for in Brahms symphonies.

Karajan was always a champion of his own German music's history. He is still regarded as the first-rate exponent of Wagner and Strauss for example. Brahms, born in Austria, was another composer whose Germanic music Karajan was able to aptly depict through the magic of his baton. The impressive parts of this set include the entire 1st symphony- not reduced to the Beethoven parody some make it out to be. Instead, it holds its own as a work of compelling power. The finale is inspirational. The finale to the second is equally as moving. The 4th symphony is my favorite symphony of the post Beethoven Romantic Era. In this symphony we find a mixture of mysticism, romantic beauty and classical balance. In it we also find, in the last movement, the greatest example of theme and variations, Brahm's strongest suit as a composer. Karajan knows his stuff. You can never go wrong with any of his interpretations, though he, too, has his detractors. His Tchaikovsky tends to be too fiery and melodramatic for example and he was never at home with Italian opera as he was in German. Karajan is brilliant and his Berlin forces electrify. At a cheap price, this is a must have if you call yourself a true classical music fan.

A great part of your collection!.......2005-10-07

This is an easy, afforable way to get all four Brahms symphonies on two great quality cds. Each symphony is recorded with the passion and fire you get from Brahm's music, although I have heard better recordings of the symphonies,I would still buy these cd's for the price.

If I have to say the worst thing about these recordings is the first movement of the third symphony is not what I was expecting ( I was expecting much more on the recording)

The greatest Brahms twofer you could imagine.......2005-09-24

DG's catalog is overflowing with Brahms performances from Karajan, and although this late-Seventies cycle of the four symphonies is not esteemed as highly as his earlier analog recordings, the truth is that Karajan had few real competitors in these works during the postwar era--except himself. He was the greatest Brahms conductor after Walter and Furtwangler, bar none, and these are outstanding performances in every way. The best are the First and Thrid symphonies, two works that Karajan was peerless in.

Very polished Brahms.......2004-08-28

Wonderful performances from the finest of the Brahms conductors...Herbie Karajan. Wonderfully straightfoward performances without the wayward stylings of the 63 set....

That being said the Fourth and First of the 63 set are incredible and deserve to be in any serious Brahms collection ...

sonincally these are very fine readings!!!

Beethoven Collection: Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Complete Recording (Box Set)

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

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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25 Mozart Favorites
25 Tchaikovsky Favorites
25 Vivaldi Favorites
25 Bach Favorites
25 Beethoven Favorites

ASIN: B000001VVY
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

Symphony No. 6 Op. 68 F Major: Allegro ma non troppo
Symphony No. 6 Op. 68 F Major: Andante molto mosso
Symphony No. 6 Op. 68 F Major: Allegro
Symphony No. 6 Op. 68 F Major: Allegro
Symphony No. 6 Op. 68 F Major: Allegretto
Symphony No. 2 Op. 36 D Major: Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 2 Op. 36 D Major: Larghetto
Symphony No. 2 Op. 36 D Major: Scherzo Allegro
Symphony No. 2 Op. 36 D Major: Allegro molto

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos

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

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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:

I: Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio
II: Andante Cantabile Con Moto
III: Menuetto & Trio: Allegro Molto E Vivace
IV: Adagio - Allegro Molto E Vivace
I: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
II: Andante Molto Mosso
III: Allegro - In Tempo D'allegro - Tempo I
IV: Allegro
V: Allegretto

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

I: Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio
II: Larghetto
III: Scherzo & Trio: Allegro
IV: Allegro Molto
I: Allegro Con Brio
II: Andante Con Moto - Piu Mosso - Tempo I
III: Allegro -
IV: Allegro - Presto

Tracks:

I: Adagio - Allegro Vivace
II: Adagio
III: Menuetto: Allegro Vivace - Trio: Un Poco Meno Allegro
IV: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
I: Poco Sostenuto - Vivace
II: Allegretto
III: Presto - Assai Meno Presto
IV: Allegro Con Brio

Tracks:

I: Allegro Vivace Con Brio
II: Allegretto Scherzando
III: Tempo Di Menuetto
IV: Allegro Vivace
Overture
Overture
Overture
Overture

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

I: Allegro Con Brio
II: Largo
III: Rondo: Allegro Scherzando
I: Allegro Con Brio
II: Adagio
III: Rondo: Molto Allegro

Tracks:

I: Allegro Con Brio
II: Largo
III: Rondo: Allegro
I: Allegro Moderato
II: Andante Con Moto
III: Rondo: Vivace

Tracks:

Fantasia For Piano, Chorus And Orchestra
I: Allegro
II: Adagio Un Poco Mosso -
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:

sublime
Excellent First and Fifth
Davis favors reflection over power
An Introduction to Sibelius
One of my favorite recordings

Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies 1

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies 2
Schumann: The 4 Symphonies
Dvorak: 3 Great Symphonies
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies no 4, 5, & 6 / Karajan, Berlin PO
Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies; 7 Overtures

ASIN: B0000041BV
Release Date: 1995-06-13

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 39: 1. Andante, ma non troppo - Allegro energico
Symphony No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 39: 2. Andante. Ma non troppo lento
Symphony No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 39: 3. Scherzo. Allegro
Symphony No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 39: 4. Finale
Symphony No. 4 In A Minor, Op. 63: 1. Tempo molto moderato, quasi adagio
Symphony No. 4 In A Minor, Op. 63: 2. Allegro molto vivace
Symphony No. 4 In A Minor, Op. 63: 3. Il tempo largo
Symphony No. 4 In A Minor, Op. 63: 4. Allegro

Tracks:

Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 43: 1. Allegretto - Poco allegro - Tranquillo, ma poco a poco ravvivando il tempo al allegro
Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 43: 2. Tempo andante, ma rubato - andante sostenuto
Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 43: 3. Vivacissimo - Lento e sauve - Largamente
Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 43: 4. Finale. Allegro moderato
Symphony No. 5 In E Flat, Op. 82: 1. Tempo molto moderato - Largamento - Allegro moderato
Symphony No. 5 In E Flat, Op. 82: 2. Andante mosso, quasi allegretto
Symphony No. 5 In E Flat, Op. 82: 3. Allegro molto

Amazon.com essential recording

As so often happens in the classical record business, Sir Colin Davis has been busily rerecording all of this music for RCA, with the London Symphony. And because he's an English conductor working with an English orchestra, the British critics are raving, as if these earlier, much better, and much less expensive versions didn't even exist. Well, ignore the hype. Not only does the Boston Symphony play rings around today's London Symphony Orchestra (Davis's current group), but they are much better recorded too. This first Sibelius cycle was a prime recommendation when it first came out, and it still is, plain and simple. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

sublime.......2006-12-09

These two discs contain some of the most gorgeous symphonic music and awesome orchestral playing ever committed to disc.

Of Sibelius' seven symphonies, we have here the dark, Tchaikovskian First; the epic, majestic, forlorn Second; the austere, solemn, and noble Fourth; and the affable, complex, understated, and profound Fifth. These works capture something of the essence of the Nordic spirit as poignantly as the Dvorak symphonies do the Slavic, and are quite simply some of the most rewarding, fascinating works of art we have. They have, unfortunately, been largely overlooked since the rise of the current, passionate enthusiasm of the classical music world for the Mahler symphonies began in the 1960s; especially given the bargain, rerelease pricing of these two discs, then, you really mustn't pass on this opportunity to familiarize yourself with these masterworks.

The old Boston Symphony plays with a beautiful, effortless virtuosity that demonstrates why they were known as the dean of American orchestras. This was the orchestra whose timbre Copland, Barber, Piston, Schuman, and Berstein had in mind when they wrote their symphonic scores, and where the Chicago Symphony of the 70s was perhaps better-suited to the bombast of Mahler, Strauss, and Bruckner, the Boston Symphony must have been one of the best two or three orchestras in the world for these more subtle, understated scores (the Amsterdam Concertgebouw and the Vienna Philharmonic being the two other candidates that come immediately to mind).

A real treasure.

Excellent First and Fifth.......2006-11-21

This half of the Colin Davis/Boston Symphony Orchestra Sibelius cycle includes two performances I've long admired, one that's unexceptional, and one that seems a complete misfire.

Writing the finale to a symphony causes problems for young composers. The finale of the Mahler First is by far the weakest movement in the Mahler canon. The same is true of the Sibelius First--or is it? The stunning opening of the First announces a mature, original genius, but the finale can easily sound like imitation Tchaikovsky, as in the Stokowski and Maazel/Vienna recordings. Some people like these recordings; I don't. Other conductors--Berglund, Jansons, and Colin Davis among them--work hard to make the finale worthy of the first three movements. Davis is by and large successful, with only one rather awkward moment. I bought the Davis First when it came out on LP and have liked it ever since.

The Davis Second is a performance one would be happy to hear in concert, but doesn't offer any special insights. Listen to the Barbirolli/Royal Philarmonic Second and you'll hear a conductor who believes completely in the heroism and grandeur of this symphony while presenting a specifically Sibelian sound world. Because this symphony is so popular, some conductors who don't perform much Sibelius apply a generalized romantic veneer. Davis gets the specifically Sibelian sound, but doesn't find the passion.

The Gramophone reviewer applauds Davis for taking the slow movement of the Fourth at a really slow tempo, but I think this wrecks the symphony. In theory, a slow tempo ought to enhance the bleakness of this northern landscape, but in actuality the slow tempo turns the specifics of the score into something generalized, more romanticized, and warmer. This isn't intended to be the kind of slow movement where not much happens. Very specific orchestral events occur, and are defeated by the overall cold. Listen to Berglund or to Maazel/Vienna at the more normal tempo, and see which you prefer.

No problems with the Davis Fifth. Davis gets the tempo relationships right and offers a committed performance. If you're comparing overall cycles, Davis offers a solid introduction to the Sibelius symphonies, especially if supplemented by the Barbirolli/Royal Philharmonic Second and the Maazel/Vienna Fourth. I prefer the Berglund cycle, which also includes good performances of tone poems and incidental music which most Sibelians will want to acquire.

Davis favors reflection over power.......2005-12-12

This widely admired Sibelius cycle from the Seventies, now on two budget Duos from Philips, displays Colin Davis's abiding view of Sibelius as a meditative, inward composer. These aren't powerful, sweeping itnerpretations of the kind conducted by Karajan and Bernstein, nor are they raw material for fervent personal expression, as one finds with Barbirolli. Davis is cool-to-chilly much of the time, abetted by elegant, restrained playing from the BSO. The orchestra had just emerged from a low period under Leinsdorf and had been partially rebuilt by William Steinberg, who unfortunately died suddenly after only a few years with them. Even so, the strings in particular sound very secure.

When this set was first issued I was more taken with it than I am now. In its understated way, despite stretches of inertness, it still sounds more musical than Maazel with the Vienna Phil. (Decca), and the orchestra is miles ahead of the Halle under Barbirolli (EMI) or the various Finnish ensembles condcuted in two cycles by Berglund. Davis's later two cycles with the LSO cross the line and become too static. Claims that these performances are definitve make little sense to me given all the great conductors--Kajanus, Stokowski, Koussevitzky, Beecham, Bernstien, Karajan, Rattle--who offer more than equal competition.

An Introduction to Sibelius.......2005-12-04

The seven symphonies of Jean Sibelius (1865 -- 1957) are among the most impressive musical achievements of the Twentieth Century. His music fell into obscurity briefly at around the time of his death but fortunately has been restored to its rightful place. Few Twentieth Century composers have been so influential.

Colin Davis is a master of Sibelius' music, and his first cycle of the symphonies with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, available on two "duo" CD sets on Phillips, is available at a budget price. Sibelius's symphonies reward a "completist" approach. There are only seven, and the listener can follow the set in order and learn how Sibelius developed from a composer heavily influenced by late romanticism, including Tchaikovsky, Bruckner, and Wagner, to a modernist composer with a difficult, complex voice. For those wanting a guide, I recommend Michael Steinberg's book "The Symphony" (1995). Steinberg obviously loves Sibelius, and he discusses each of his symphonies in a clear, nontechnical way.

This CD includes Sibelius' first, second, fourth, and fifth symphonies which are probably his best-known and most accessible. The four-movement symphony no 1 in E minor opus 39 dates from 1899 when the composer was in his early 30s. Listen to the long, melancholy clarinet solo which opens this symphony. The second movement is lyrical and romantic, uncharacteristic of the later Sibelius, with a lush horn solo. The third movement is a brusque scherzo with a slow fragmented trio which points to Sibelius' later style. The finale builds to a great climax and then the music seems to come apart. It fades away at the end.

The symphony no 2 in D major, opus 43 is a triumphant, victory work in four movements Listen to the soft, repeated chords with which the work begins. They form the basis for the entire symphony as Sibelius creates ambiguities -- shifting from using his opening material as a harmonic backdrop to using it as the theme. The music develops from fragmentary themes as Sibelius embroiders them into a large-scale integrated work. The second movement features horns, bassoons, and rushing strings and includes marked changes in tempo and mood. In the third movement, listen to the nine repeated notes on the oboe with which the trio begins. The famous finale is based upon two stirring themes, the second of which eventually predominates and forms the basis for the inspiring, triumphant close. This is a deservedly loved symphony in the heroic mode.

Sibelius' symphony no 4, opus 63 dates from 1911 and is one of the composer's most difficult and enigmatic scores. It is Sibelius at his most personal, dark, alone, and somber. In this work, Sibelius experiements with tonality. He makes great use of the whole-tone scale, as did Debussy and of an attendant interval consisting of three whole steps called the tritone. This gives the music an unstable, questioning character. Steinberg writes: "aloneness, a sense of the contrast between human and superhuman scale, the impact of enormously concentrated experience -- these are perhaps the images that, unbidden, lodged in Sibelius's mind as he conceived and began to fix the musical gestures of his unsettling masterwork." The symphony is predominantly slow and somber and challenging. Listen to the sad song of the third movement and to the bells (chimes) in the finale of this work. Sibelius' fourth symphony, together with his sixth and seventh symphonies on the other part of this compiliation, are each highly modernistic, unique compositions that grow with time.

The final work on this compilation if the symphony no. 5 in E-flat major, opus 82. Sibelius revised this symphony extensively, and the final version dates from 1919. The key of e-flat major often is used for heroic, broad-scaled music (think of Beethoven's Eroica symphony and Emperor concerto) and, with his own developing sense of restraint and ambiguity, Sibelius so uses it here. The work is generally described as in three movements (some listeners hear the first movement as two movements, joined together without a pause) which are closely integrated. The long first movement builds and builds from basically short, fragmentary material, includes a quick scherzo, which some people consider as the second movement. In any event, the material is tied together and integrated magesterially, concluding the opening section of the symphony. The second movement is a theme and variations in which a woodwind chorale sings througout as the backdrop to a short figure in the strings. The third movement takes materials presented as background in the second movement and makes it the basis for a rolling and repeated chorus in the french horns presented early in the finale. The finale of Sibelius' fifth develops to a stunning climax punctuated by the famous six large and irregularly spaced chords with which it concludes. I find this symphony similar to Sibelius' second, but in a more complex, original, and modernistic voice.

I think Sibelius has entered that relatively small class of composers that every lover of music should get to know. There is no better way of hearing Sibelius than in this CD and its companion CD by Colin Davis.

Robin Friedman

One of my favorite recordings.......2005-04-28

It is hard for me to place a finger on why I identify so much with Sibelius' music. There's a degree of sparseness and simplicity to it, yet also intensity and longing. I welcome it as a sound track to my life because it seems to speak of the individual and a feeling of "aloneness" whether it be walking on a deserted beach, a mountainous trail, or making my way through a busy city. In any case, the cd case that holds my copy of this recording is quite tattered, shattered, and scuffed up. I consider it and volume 2 some of the better cds in my collection. Before I knew much about orchestral music, I used to (and this is probably due to media stereotyping at an early age) connotate it with background music for grandiose social events for the social and political elite. But thankfully the symphonies of Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Mahler, and Sibelius make the case for music going far beyond social function to the outer reaches of individual expression and enlightenment.

Average customer rating:

GORGEOUS!
Wonderful intro To MEHDl ...
great
The Complete Wedding Album
Almost the compete wedding album

The Complete Wedding Album

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Classical Wedding
25 Wedding Favorites
Bride's Guide to Wedding Music
A Day to Remember - Instrumental Music for Your Wedding Day
The Knot Collection of Ceremony and Wedding Music Selected by the Knot's Carley Roney

ASIN: B000006ONZ
Release Date: 1998-04-28

Tracks:

Rigaudon - Empire Brass
Sinfonia - Michael Murray
Toccata - Michael Murray
Wedding March - Michael Murray
The Prince Of Denmark's March - Michael Murray
Trumpet Tune In D Major - Michael Murray
Te Deum - Michael Murray
Ave Maria - Michael Murray
Canon In D Major - Yolanda Kondonassis
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Yolanda Kondonassis
Prelude No. 1 In C Major - Yolanda Kondonassis
Entrance Of The Queen Of Sheba - Keith Clark
Air - Orchestra Of St. Luke's
Hornpipe - Orchestra Of St. Luke's
Rondeau - Empire Brass
Unchained Melody - Erich Kunzel
Through The Eyes Of Love - William Tritt
Love Theme From Romeo And Juliet - William Tritt
The Wedding Song (There Is Love - Danny Donnelly
Dodi Li - Shira Kammen

Tracks:

Rondeau - Michael Murray
Sheep May Safely Graze - Michael Murray
Ave Maria - Michael Murray
Gymnopedie No. 1 - Michael Chertock
Clair De Lune - Michael Chertock
Adagio Sostenuto - Michael Chertock
Largo - Angel Romero
Largo - Larry Cooperman
Largo - Keith Clark
Allegro - Boston Symphony Orchestra
Adagio In G Minor For Strings - Keith Clark
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - Leonard Slatkin
Adagio For Strings - Erich Kunzel
'Treulich Gefuart,' Bridal Chorus - Atlanta Symphony Orchestra And Chorus
Wedding March - Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

GORGEOUS!.......2007-06-13

I wish this CD had been around when I was planning my wedding as it would have been great for helping the bride to select music! Still, it's wonderful to listen to now.

Wonderful intro To MEHDl ..........2006-06-08

I've always enjoyed Great Wedding music and this album is no exception, but while reading some of the customer recommendations posted on this site I discovered a group by the name of MEHDl (pronounced medie). After an online search I found their site (S00THINGMUSIC,C0M) and listened to the samples...
I was instantly blown away by the quality of this music and so I gave it a try and now that I have listened to these CDs several times I really must say that although I'm still a Tomaso Albinoni fan of, I find MEHDl to be a great addition to this CD. I had them both in my multi-disc CD player during the wedding and love the way they compliment each other. I highly recommend that you give this artist a try or atleast just go listen to the samples, I have a feeling you'll be glad you did.

great.......2006-02-19

Highly recommended. Even has suggestions for pre-ceremony, processional, ceremony, and recessional inside. 2 different versions of Midsummer Night's Dream march included - one with trumpet and organ and one with a full orchestra. Lots of great selections, well recorded.

The Complete Wedding Album.......2005-08-05

This album has a lot of great wedding music. It had all of the songs I was looking for. There also is great background music for the ceremony. Glad I purchased it

Almost the compete wedding album.......2004-05-07

I used this cd to help me plan which songs I wanted to use for each part of the wedding. This cd helps you suggest the placement for the prelude, processional, ceremony and recessional. The cd mainly has classical songs, but it does have a few of "today's" songs. There could have been a few more songs they could have added. But overall, its a good cd.

Average customer rating:

THE Sibelius set...
Outstanding performances
An Introduction to Sibelius
WONDERFUL SOUND!
Hype and reality

Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies 2

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies 1
Schumann: The 4 Symphonies
Nielsen: Symphonies no 4-6 / Blomstedt, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
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Dvorák: The Symphonies

ASIN: B0000041BW
Release Date: 1995-06-13

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 In C, Opus 52: 1. Allegro moderato
Symphony No. 3 In C, Opus 52: 2. Andantino con moto, quasi allegretto
Symphony No. 3 In C, Opus 52: 3. Moderato - Allegro. Ma non tanto
Symphony No. 6 In D Minor, Opus 104: 1. Allegro molto moderato
Symphony No. 6 In D Minor, Opus 104: 2. Allegretto moderato
Symphony No. 6 In D Minor, Opus 104: 3. Poco vivace
Symphony No. 6 In D Minor, Opus 104: 4. Allegro molto
Symphony No. 7 In C, Opus 105: Adagio -
Symphony No. 7 In C, Opus 105: Vivacissimo - Adagio -
Symphony No. 7 In C, Opus 105: Allegro molto moderato - Allegro moderato -
Symphony No. 7 In C, Opus 105: Vivace - Presto - Adagio - Largamente molto -
Symphony No. 7 In C, Opus 105: Affettuoso

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In D Minor, Opus 47: 1. Allegro moderato
Violin Concerto In D Minor, Opus 47: 2. Adagio di molto
Violin Concerto In D Minor, Opus 47: 3. Allegro, ma non tanto
Finlandia, Opus 26
Tapiola, Opus 112: Tone Poem
The Swan of Tuonela, Opus 22 No. 2: Legend

Amazon.com essential recording

It was clever of Philips to couple Sibelius's least popular symphonies with the extremely popular Violin Concerto and tone poems. Don't let the words "least popular" scare you off, however. If you like Sibelius, you'll love the Third and Sixth Symphonies. The latter, in particular, is one of the most purely beautiful pieces of music in the history of sound; its only flaw is a quiet ending that makes conductors unwilling to play it at live concerts. Sir Colin Davis and the Boston Symphony perform all of this music with idiomatic flair and unflagging enthusiasm. These versions are far superior to Davis's recent remakes on RCA, and a lot cheaper too. So go ahead, indulge. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

THE Sibelius set..........2006-12-05

Sir Colin Davis has been known as a supreme Sibelius conductor for over 30 years now and this(his first complete cycle with the Boston Symphony Orchestra)is a perfect example of why. Davis gets into the heart of these works and shows why I consider Sibelius to be my favorite overall symphonist. These pieces all have an icy, lonely, quality that I've never heard from any other composer. No doubt part of this sound was highly influenced by the desolate landscape of his native Finland and one can almost feel the mountains and fjords when listening.

The symphonies on this set are basically perfect. Not to discredit his awesome first two, but Symphony no. 3 was his first truly innovative work and an unbelievably memorable and enjoyable piece. The 6th and 7th were his last two symphonies and perhaps his greatest. The richly melodic and inventive 6th is my personal favorite Sibelius work. The 7th is another standout for its unusual single movement structure and epic sound despite its sort length.

I'm usually not a huge fan of concertos in general, and the violin has never been my favorite instrument(I vastly prefer cello or piano), but Sibelius' violin concerto is an unbelievable work. There's no fancy showing off just for the sake of virtuosity here, although this piece does require a top-notch player. It's a bleak and chilling concerto and the orchestra shimmers right along side of the voilin. Admittedly this is the only version of this work I've head, but I was very very impressed. The second disc concludes impressively with 'Findlandia', 'Tapiola', and 'The Swan of Tuonela'- The three most popular Sibelius tone poems.

Philips deserves much credit here for pairing the least popular Sibelius symphonies with a second disc that includes some of his most popular works. Not only does this work perfectly to fill up each disc, but it should hopefully also introduce some hesitant fans to three awesome and neglected symphonies.

Outstanding performances.......2006-11-21

In the 1970s Colin Davis and the Boston Symphony Orchestra recorded a complete cycle of Sibelius symphonies, as well as the violin concerto and a few of the tone poems. A number of the live performances before the recording sessions were broadcast on PBS. The Davis cycle was generally regarded as one of the best available at that time, although the recorded sound was considered below Philips' usual high standard.

As it happens, the performances collected in Vol. 2 are among the stronger in the series. The two weakest performances--the Second and the Fourth--are in Vol. 1. If you're just getting to know Symphonies 3, 6, and 7, these are thoughtful, well-shaped, well-played performances with a strong feeling for the Sibelius sound world. Tempo relationships are reasonable. Davis doesn't rush the (apparently) faster music after the slow opening of the Sixth Symphony, a key point for those of us who love this symphony. A big plus is the violin concerto with Salvatore Accardo. There may be fierier or more virtuosic performances, but Davis makes the orchestra an equal partner. If you like the violin concerto treated as an additional Sibelius symphony, and I do, you'll like this interpretation.

Considering Vols. 1 and 2 of the Davis cycle together, I'd rate them superior to the Maazel/Vienna, but below the Berglund cycle, simply because none of Berglund's performances is as misconceived as the Davis Fourth. If you're looking for the specific works in Vol. 2, I wouldn't hesitate to get the Davis.

An Introduction to Sibelius.......2005-11-22

The music of Jean Sibelius (1865 --1957) has enjoyed a varied reputation over the years, but it today is held in deservedly high regard. His seven symphonies, in their varied forms, are classics of the Twentieth Century.

I have lived for several years with Sir Colin Davis' recordings of Sibelius with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Davis is an acknowledged master of this music. The recordings date from 1975 -- 1979 and are currently available on two "duo" CD sets from Phillips. Davis later recorded the cycle again and a third version is in process. But the Boston Symphony compilation is highly accessible and modestly priced. If you are looking for an introduction to the essential works of Sibelius, this set is for you.

I supplemented my recent listening to this music by reading the accounts of each of Sibelius' symphonies in Michael Steinberg's excellent reference book : "The Symphony a Listener's Guide" (1995). I also have read the account of the violin concerto in Steinberg's parallel guide to the standard concerto repertory. Listeners wanting a more detailed discussion of the symphonies and concerto than that found in most liner notes, including the notes for this set, will greatly benefit from reading Steinberg.

This CD opens with Sibelius' symphony no. 3 in C major composed in 1904. This is a three-movement work in which the composer finds fully his own voice. The work is spare and neoclassical in style, written with both energy and restraint. The first movement opens with a brisk, characteristic theme for cello and bass. The second movement is intermezzo-like, with rhythmic ambiguity and a lovely singing theme as it progresses. The finale is in two parts with ever-changing tempos and moods leading to a final climax at the end.

The symphony no. 6 in D, opus 104 dates from 1923 and has always been my favorite of the Sibelius symphonies. As Steinberg points out, much of this symphony is written in the Dorian mode (on the piano this consists of playing all the white keys beginning on D) giving the music an etherial and remote character. The scoring of this work is also unusual with Sibelius using a harp and a bass clarinet, both of which add a great deal of color to the orchestration. Although this symphony is in the standard four-movements it is far from traditional, as the music is weightless, enigmatic, and mysterious. It is restrained in tone and ends very softly after a remarkably beautiful theme in the strings. The sixth is a highly idiosyncratic work.

Sibelius' completed his final symphony, no. 7 in C in 1924. This is a work of only about 21 minutes in what is nominally a single movement. But in its short space, the symphony moves through a variety of tempos and moods, all tightly unified and flowing from one section to the next. Some hear the work in five sections while others hear it in three. Many critics have noted that "The Seventh Symphony consummates the nineteenth-century search for symphonic unity". (Steinberg, page 607, quoting Robert Layton.) The work opens with a long slow section based upon a drum-tap and an ascending scale and concludes with a loud, triumphant chord in the brass on C major. This is tightly-written yet romantic and passionate music that will repay many listenings. Even though Sibelius lived more than 30 years after completing this work, he composed no more symphonies.

This CD also includes Sibelius' violin concerto in D minor opus 47 which the composer wrote in 1903 and revised in 1905. This work has at least found its place in the standard concert repertory. (It was recently programmed a few weeks apart in my area by the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington D.C. and by the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra in suburban Virginia.) The work is performed here by Salvatore Accardo with Colin Davis conducting the London Symphony Orchestra. The violin concerto differs from Sibelius' symphonic writing in that it is unabashedly and passionately romantic in character and a crushingly difficult, virtuoso piece for the soloist. The first movement includes a long, famous and showy cadenza followed by a long meditative slow movement and a lively, icy finale. This is one of the finest twentieth-century violin concertos and worthy to stand with its great nineteenth century predecessors.

The CD closes with three of Sibelius' shorter works for orchestra including his most familiar work, "Finlandia" , composed in 1899, which for some years was the only work of the composer to get a hearing. It also includes the long tone-poem "Tapiola", one of the composer's last important works and written after the seventh symphony. But the highlight of these last three works is "The Swan of Tuneola" opus 22, which includes an inimitable solo for the English Horn performed here by Laurence Thorstenborg.

This CD and its companion are ideal ways to get to know the music of Sibelius.

Robin Friedman

WONDERFUL SOUND!.......2005-09-15

The orchestra here sounds so vast and powerful--but also it carries a mellowness, a smoothness. Fantastic listening!
It's a bit like the gutsy sound of Beethoven melded with the easy sound of Faure's choral stuff. Can't say enough about this!

Hype and reality.......2005-07-03

I recently bought the Sibelius Volumes 1 and 2 in 2-in-1 sets. I wont comment on the artistic content as they are covered in others reviews of this page. The sound quality of Vol 2 is decidedly degraded - almost unlistenable - compared to the much much higher quality of Volume 1 (with magnificient artistry). The transfers are AAD on the Phillips label which, like DGG, of the 1970's are not meant for better quality music systems (even of that period) and unless remastered disappoint the listener. It is possible that reissues for this particular packaging could be faulty or may be that the repackaging is so cleverly done that all the goodies are on Volume 1 and the second-best on the second. Davis is redoing the Sibelius Synphonies with LSO and that may account for the rush to get this set out of the way!

Average customer rating:

One of two Jochum sets of Bruckner
Bruckner by Jochum
The Best Complete Bruckner Symphonies
A good, but not great, Bruckner cycle.
Outstanding set!

Bruckner: The Complete Symphonies

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies & Tone Poems
Strauss: Orchestral Works
Mahler: The Complete Symphonies
Dvorák: The Symphonies
Debussy, Ravel: Orchestral Works

ASIN: B00004YA0T
Release Date: 2000-11-07

Tracks:

Sym No.1 in c: I. Allegro
Sym No.1 in c: II. Adagio
Sym No.1 in c: III. Scherzo: Schnell
Sym No.1 in c: IV. Finale: Bewegt, Feurig

Tracks:

Sym No.2 in c: I. Moderato
Sym No.2 in c: II. Andante
Sym No.2 in c: III. Scherzo: Massig Schnell
Sym No.2 in c: IV. Finale: Mehr Schnell

Tracks:

Sym No.3 in d: I. Mehr Langsam, Misterioso
Sym No.3 in d: II. Adagio (Bewegt) Quasi Andante
Sym No.3 in d: III. Ziemlich Bewegt
Sym No.3 in d: IV. Allegro

Tracks:

Sym No.4 in E flat 'Romantic': I. Bewegt, Nicht Zu Schnell
Sym No.4 in E flat 'Romantic': II. Andante Quasi Allegretto
Sym No.4 in E flat 'Romantic': III. Scherzo: Bewegt - Trio: Nicht Zu Schnell
Sym No.4 in E flat 'Romantic': IV. Finale: Bewegt, Doch Nicht Zu Schnell

Tracks:

Sym No.5 in B flat: I. Intro: Adagio - Allegro
Sym No.5 in B flat: II. Adagio - Sehr Langsam
Sym No.5 in B flat: III. Scherzo: Molto Vivace - Schnell
Sym No.5 in B flat: IV. Finale: Allegro Moderato

Tracks:

Sym No.6 in A: I. Maestoso
Sym No.6 in A: II. Adagio: Sehr Feierlich
Sym No.6 in A: III. Scherzo: Nicht Schnell - Trio: Langsam
Sym No.6 in A: IV. Finale: Bewegt, Doch Nicht Zu Schnell

Tracks:

Sym No.7 in E: I. Allegro Moderato
Sym No.7 in E: II. Adagio: Sehr Feierlich Und Sehr Langsam
Sym No.7 in E: III. Scherzo: Sehr Schnell - Trio: Etwas Langsamer
Sym No.7 in E: IV. Finale: Bewegt, Doch Nicht Zu Schnell

Tracks:

Sym No.8 in c: I. Allegro Moderato
Sym No.8 in c: II. Scherzo: Allegro Moderato
Sym No.8 in c: III. Adagio: Fierelich Langsam, Doch Nicht Schleppend
Sym No.8 in c: IV. Finale: Feierlich, Nicht Schnell

Tracks:

Sym No.9 in d: I. Feierlich, Misterioso
Sym No.9 in d: II. Scherzo: Bewegt, Lebhaft - Trio: Schnell
Sym No.9 in d: III. Adagio - Langsam, Feierlich

Amazon.com

Here's a welcome box of all Bruckner's numbered symphonies led by a distinguished specialist renowned during his lifetime for his identification with the composer. Neatly laid out with each symphony on a disc of its own (no annoying midsymphony changeovers) and in top-quality late-1970s sound, this is an irresistible bargain for such superb performances. Jochum's Bruckner was spontaneous-sounding, with generally swift tempos tempered by flexible rhythms and slow movements that squeeze all the juice from this heartfelt music. The Dresden orchestra is a marvelous instrument for these works, with a beefy, warm sound and brass players that can whip up the excitement in the grand climaxes. Individual conductors, whether vintage greats like Furtwängler or more recent Brucknerians such as Wand on RCA and Tintner on Naxos, may equal or better Jochum in individual works, but taken as a complete traversal of these massive scores, Jochum's is second to none. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

One of two Jochum sets of Bruckner.......2007-04-22

The other complete set of Eugen Jochum conducting Bruckner's symphonies, of course, is the series he recorded for DG in stereo between 1958 and 1967 with the Bavarian RSO or (in Symphonies 1, 4, and 7-9) the Berlin Philharmonic, following a number of recordings of individual symphonies he made in the pre-LP days. Although Jochum's basic conceptions remained consistent over the years, that earlier set finds Jochum more consistently alert and a shade more vibrant than in this valedictory go-round with the canonical Bruckner symphonies, taped in the late 1970s. By comparison, the overall impression here is of slightly lower voltage, although the flip side is that this cycle is also just that much more serene, and aptly so (Bruckner's music has been described as "blazing calm").

Even so, this boxed set has a lot to recommend it, whether or not in preference to the DG cycle. There is the burnished and responsive delivery of the great Dresden orchestra, perhaps the oldest in Europe. There is EMI's warm and atmospheric sound, which in this remastering is considerably better focused and more detailed than in the first CD incarnation of this cycle. This cycle's Seventh and Ninth Symphonies arguably make a deeper impression than their counterparts in the DG series--even if the DG cycle compensates with more successful readings of the Fourth and Eighth. Above all, there is Jochum's lifelong identification with Bruckner's music (but NOT, as another reviewer suggested, due to a personal relationship between the conductor and the composer, who had died six years before Jochum was born!). Personal preference will dictate whether you go for the DG or EMI cycle; either way, you will hear Bruckner via one of the last exponents of a more flexible, less "monumental" (and also less stolid) approach to this composer's music.

Bruckner by Jochum.......2005-10-03

These CDs contain performances of the nine Bruckner symphonies.
Of these 3,4,7,8,9 are remarkable, with 4, 8 and 9 being
masterpieces. The performances by Eugen Jocum and the Dresden
Staatskapelle orchsetra are well-designed, and played at tempi
that seem to represent the composer's intentions. The recording
quality is good, except for dynamics: the sound volume is
on the low side. One needs a high grade system for adequate
reproduction, especially given the wide dynamic range and
timbral subtlety characteristic of Bruckner.

The Best Complete Bruckner Symphonies.......2005-09-25

The reason that this is the best complete symphony recordings of Bruckner is that conductor Eugene Jochum had a close relationship with Bruckner himself and knew the music like the palm of his hand. despite any negative commentary or the fact the preferred editions are conducted by the eminent Herbert Von Karajan, this box set is by far the best. All the symphonie sound great, polished, romantic, idealized, spiritual, energetic, passionate and mysterious, especially the opening movement of the final 9th, which comes in both versions here. This is a true winner for a recording box set. Your other choice should be Karajan though. But Jochum masters the music with great affinity and brilliant technical musicianship. In this recording, particularly impressive are the 7-9th. The early symphonies are German-Romantic Wagner/Mahler style but entirely Bruckner's individualized style. It is music that is heavy, and not music for a beginner to hear. It is deep, highly emotional, music to meditate by. It's slow-moving, dream-like and powerful, horns and brasses sounding fatalistic at times, while the winds and strings evoking either intensity or quietness. Bruckner himself would love this set. He certainly approved of Jochum conducting.

A good, but not great, Bruckner cycle........2005-02-18

Ideally, I wanted to review the DG Jochum cycle, since I actually prefer that one, but it's NLA as of this posting, so I'll just make some comments about both cycles here.

Eugen Jochum may have been the greatest advocate of Bruckner, of the 20th Century. However, I have lived with this cycle, and especially the DG one, for many years now, and I have come to view his Bruckner interpretations as somewhat overrated, even in comparison with his "old school Bruckner" colleagues. Perhaps my opinion is a little skewed by overexposure, but I have other recordings I turn to more frequently that have not started to "wear" on me as much as some of Jochums. For one example, I am not, by any means, a "Karajan freak" (I have also come to view his last VPO Eighth, over which most people seem to be "ga ga," a bit overrated, as well) but I find his full DG cycle from the 70's and early 80's, for one, to be more consistently satisfying, with the exception of the first, fourth, and sixth, in all of which Jochum is clearly better, imo. I must say I do get tired of the cliches' about Karajan's performances being too "cool, polished, and sterile," and Haitink's being too "light," etc. These preconceptions, often based on preconcieved opinions about the conductors themselves, precludes people from really having to seriously consider their recordings, just as the opposite preconception that Jochum is THE Brucknerian of the century tends to make his recorded preformances somehow beyond reproach.

Based on Jochum's reputation, I eagerly awaited the DG cycle, back at a time in the late 80's when I was first getting into Bruckner when there were relatively few Bruckner recordings in print. Even on first listening, there were certain things about his interpretations that didn't sound right to me. Admittedly, at that time, I knew virtually nothing of the "old school," with its more flexible tempi, dynamics, and more dramatic approach, to Bruckner. Since then, I have become very well acquainted with recordings of the "old school" Bruckner conductors such as Schuricht (his 1943 Ninth is one of my ten favorites), Furtwangler (his 1944 Ninth might BE my favorite), Hausegger, Kabasta, Abendroth, Matacic; Walter and Horenstein's mono recordings, etc. etc...and I still don't find many of Jochum's interpretations to compare all that favorably.

One thing you can say with some degree of confidence about Jochum is that most of his interpretations are amazingly consistent over a half century of recordings. Compare his recordings of the Fourth and Seventh from the late 1930's to those from his later DG and EMI cycles, and they are remarkably similar, both in terms of timings, tempos, and phrasing. Two examples of "Jochumisms" that have come to grate on me a bit over time are: 1) As much as I love most of his Fourth, esp. the finale, which I think he "nails" better than any other conductor, I feel that he turns the andante quasi allegretto into an adagio (in general, I can never understand why many conductors insist upon turning this flowing movement into a dirge); 2) The slow tempo he chooses for the lovely "enchanted forest" motif (as I call it) that flows out of the beautiful intro of the Seventh, which ultimately steers the whole first movement toward a slow and stodgy tempo. Jochum's Seventh almost sounds like it starts out with two adagios. His first movement isn't excessively slow in terms of it's total timing (and I've noticed that many listeners pay too much attention to timings anyway), but in terms of it's lack of flexibility and flow: there are readings of this movement a minute of two longer (like Chailly, for example, although I think his Seventh is a bit overrated) that still have a better sense of ebb and flow to them. Some examples of sevenths I prefer to Jochum's are Sinopoli's; Karajan 70's DG; Inbal's; Wand's 70's Cologne recording; Furtwangler's 1951 BPO (Rome); Abendroth's 1956 recording; and Haitink's 70's recording.

Jochum's Fifth was one of the biggest disappointments of my Bruckner collection, esp. after all of the things I had heard about it's legendary status. Although I think his inner movements are just fine (except the slow movement of his 1938 Fifth, which I found a little too slow), I think he is too slow--and even more importantly not flexible enough--in the all important outer movements. But the "Jochumism" that grates on me the most, in ALL of his recordings, is his excessive stretching out of the coda of the finale, made even less convincing by the lack of a strong underpinning of timpani. Karajan (whose DG Fifth was my first, and is still my favorite, followed by Horenstein, Welser-Most, and Gielen) augmented this thrilling coda--Bruckner's best, even better than the Eighth's, if it's done properly--with an extra set of timpani, and very effectively. If any of you are rolling your eyes (esp. you "Karajan-bashers") at Karajan's use of extra timpani, remember that Jocum augmented the brass section for the famous chorale of the Fifth's finale...this is part of what the vanishing art of interpretation is all about. On the subject of timpani, one of the characteristics of the Bruckner "old school" was the ideal that the Bruckner orchestra started from the ground (bass) up, and needed a strong underpinning of timpani (too often missing in recent recordings), esp. in climactic moments: Furtwangler's recordings provided the best example of this; most of Jochum's recordings are surprisingly lacking in powerful timpani, and this is particularly exposed in his somewhat melodramatic lengthening of the Fifth's final coda.

In general, I find Jochum's Eighth and Ninth to be a bit terse, except for his readings of the third movement of the Ninth, which was consistently one of his best movements, esp. his Dresden recording. If his readings of 1-7--except, again, his 1,4, and 6, which I find generally excellent--tended to lack flexibility on the slow side, the outer movements of his Eighth and the first movement of his Ninths tended to lack flexibility on the fast side. One very notable exception, however, is his 1949 Hamburg Eighth, which is my very favorite Jochum recording, and perhaps one of my ten favorite Eighths overall. He gets everything right here, with a good amount of flexibility...which makes it even more puzzling to me that the outer movements of his later recordings of the Eighth were so terse by comparison.

As far as the merits of the DG cycle versus the EMI, again, there is very little to choose as far as interpretations: they are remarkably similar. The only difference that really jumped out at me was that the first movement of the Dresden Ninth was not only a little too terse, but strangely "herky jerky" in terms of some awkward tempo relations, which create more distraction than tension. Although I feel that the adagio of the Dresden Ninth is Jochum's most searching account of this movement, I still like the Ninth from the DG set a bit better.

In terms of recorded sound, again I'd have to give the nod to the DG cycle. The older DG recordings sound more natural to me, whereas the late analog EMI recordings are a bit too brightly lit, almost sounding like early digital in places. The seemingly endless permutations of packaging, repackaging, and recoupling of both of these cycles, and the individual recordings from them, has become a bit absurd, but at least it has made it very easy to pick up most of these recordings in used CD bins.

Outstanding set!.......2004-08-07

To win conducting Bruckner demands from a director several issues . You must have a first order orchestra ; second your rapport with the orchestra ; third Bruckner symphonies are a real challenge they are real difficult works because you have to maintain the sound all along the work ; fourth: the different mood changes and the running time of every symphony demands a serious analysis and commitment with the inspired and rapture melodic lines inmersed ; fifth : to underline and emphasize the sforzandos , the dramatic accents are almost an epic achievement ; sixth : since the undeniable influenc of Wagner in Bruckner you have to keep the balance and obviously to have studied Wagner in every work and consider the fact if Wagner would have lived twenty years more Would it sound in the brucknerian mood? and if all the previous factors were not enough , you have to consider the giant directors in Bruckner : Wilhelm Furtwangler , Hans Knappersbutch , Jasha Horenstein ,Carl Suricht , Horst Stein and obviously Eugene Jochum and the most remarkable Bruckner conductor in the actual times : Daniel Barenboim .
Jochum was a noble man and he had another important point to his favour : the orchestra : placed in the East Germany kept his sound due the isolation in the thirties forties and fifties . I underline this because the character and presence of similar orchestras as the Gewandhaus of Leipzig let obtain a pure sound ; and not a traditional vision .
This set is relevant in your collection because the standard level of every work is very high and often inspired . So it is easier for you to make a musical journey all the way.
I really recommend to you .

Sibelius: Complete Symphonies; Violin Concerto; Finlandia

Average customer rating:

5 Stars for the Symphonies and Finlandia!
As usual, it's mainly a matter of taste.

Sibelius: Complete Symphonies; Violin Concerto; Finlandia

Manufacturer: Ondine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Mahler: Symphonies 1-10; Das Lied von der Erde
Sibelius: The Symphonies / Blomstedt
Sibelius: The 7 Symphonies; Finlandia; Kullervo; etc.
Mahler: Symphony No. 6; Piano Quartet [Hybrid SACD]
Mahler: Symphony No. 5

ASIN: B000CQNVSU
Release Date: 2006-03-21

Tracks:

Andante, Ma Non Troppo - Allegro Energico
Andante (Ma Non Troppo Lento)
Scherzo. Allegro
Finale (Quasi Una Fantasia). Andante - Allegro Molto
Symphony No.7 In C Major, Op.105
Finlandia, Op.26 No.7

Tracks:

Allegretto
Tempo Andante, Ma Rubato
Vivacissimo
Finale. Allegro Moderato
Allegro Molto Moderato
Allegretto Moderato
Poco Vivace
Allegro Molto

Tracks:

Allegro Moderato
Andantino Con Moto, Quasi Allegretto
Moderato-Allegro (Ma Non Tanto)
Tempo Molto Moderato-Allegro Moderato (Ma Poco A Poco Stretto)
Andante Mosso, Quasi Allegretto
Allegro Molto

Tracks:

Tempo Molto Moderato, Quasi Adagio
Allegro Molto Vivace
Il Tempo Largo
Allegro
Allegro Moderato
Adagio Di Molto
Allegro, Ma Non Tanto

Customer Reviews:

5 Stars for the Symphonies and Finlandia!.......2007-06-12

If you have loved the Sibelius Symphonies as I have and have been searching for the one set to buy, this is that set. A Finnish conductor and orchestra make it all the better. The recorded sound is amazingingly clear and deep. The performances are rich, detailed and have a great urgency to them. There is I would say a tension to the performaces and excitement and more warmth than so much of the "icy" Sibelius that is out there on CD. The second is taken at a slower pace than some, but at no expense of structure. The first is my personal favorite in the set. Many conductors I think treat this as an early "romantic" Sibelius work (as though it is not "real" Sibelius) and it often comes off rather Tchaikovsky-ish. Not so here as here it definately sounds like Sibelius. I was also very impressed with the 7th, which despite its short length comes off as having great size and breadth, feeling more like a symphony at the length of a tone poem. My only gripe is the recording of the Sibelius violin concerto, which is simply not worthy of the rest of the set. Fortunately there are many good recordings of that concerto available.

The version of Finlandia in this set features chorus with it and it is sublime. A great bonus with the 7 symphonies.

As usual, it's mainly a matter of taste........2006-07-06

Segerstam's Sibelius will probably appeal more to those who appreciate a somewhat rounded, relatively slower paced, more richly textured quality. The possible downside to this may include tendencies toward woolliness or congestion, languidness and atmospheric humidity. In other words, if you like tauter, cleaner lines, a more vivid and energetic pace and a cooler interpretive style, then Segerstam may not be your man. There's no doubt he can be quite musically expressive, but the issue is in what way[s] ? One of the chief considerations with Sibelius is atmosphere. Aside from nature's colors playing a vital role, grandeur or an epic quality frequently demands representation. While Segerstam is capable of projecting a swelling sense of intensity when called for, I feel he doesn't reveal enough in the way of that Sibelian attribute of loftiness. However, the Sixth Symphony's recipe calls for a somewhat different set of ingredients. Though there are still aspects of the usual mystery and grandness, more flowing textures and some lighter considerations significantly come into play. Segerstam deals with these things in a most disarming way by bringing warmly expressive detail to what is often referred to as a wintry toned work. I do not rate him as highly however in the other symphonies...In the First, my main criticisms are along aesthetic grounds---his characterization of particular phrases, the prominence given to certain instrumental sections over others and some pauses that are too long...The popular Second Symphony is the kind of piece that runs the risk of being twisted and pulled excessively by some conductors. The worst case I'm familiar with is Thomas Schippers' New York Philharmonic account from the 1960s. Segerstam does not go that far, though I'm still not especially enamoured with his reading. Moreover, he does not entirely avoid some congestion. I also do not respond well to some of his heavier accents. My disappointment with his conception of the Fifth Symphony is based on similar grounds...I rate Segerstam's Third Symphony performance as being next best after his Sixth. It is nicely tuneful, although the final minutes of the last movement would have benefitted from a little more textural clarification...The conductor's perspective on the Seventh Symphony misses a taut, vivid quality. Musical lines could be cleaner. There's not much of that epic presence either...Finally, in the Fourth Symphony, Segerstam is appropriately dark and moody, but there has to be more evidence of life's vital signs. I find his pace too slow and his musical outline a bit spongy. Among other Fourths I have heard, Collins and Maazel are the best at grabbing my attention and keeping it throughout...As for Finlandia, it begins in fairly routine fashion though near the close there is a nice contribution from the Male Polytech Choir; however, they and Segerstam never really bring the piece to inspired heights...In the Violin Concerto the conductor's mostly plodding pace carries all the way to the end. Though technically fine, violinist Pekka Kuusisto doesn't project much personality. There seems to be little range or depth of feeling in his rendition.

Here are my favorite choices for these pieces, not necessarily in order of preference: Sym.1--Maazel/Vienna Philharmonic, Collins/London Symphony ( All of Collins' Sibelius readings are in mono.) and Stokowski/National Philharmonic; Sym.2--Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra ( Columbia/Sony ), Collins and Ashkenazy/Philharmonia Orchestra ; Sym.3--Kamu/Helsinki Radio Symphony, Collins and Segerstam/Helsinki Philharmonic; Sym.4--Maazel/Vienna and Collins; Sym.5--Bernstein/New York Philharmonic, Barbirolli/Halle Orchestra, Collins and Ashkenazy; Sym.6--Vanska, Collins, Saraste/Finnish Radio, Karajan/BerlinPhiharmonic on EMI, Ashkenazy and Segerstam/Helsinki Phil.; Sym.7--Maazel/Vienna, Collins and Vanska; It is quite obvious that I think very highly of Anthony Collins' interpretations. His commanding dynamics, emotional sensitivity and attention to color and detail affirm a level of quality that is consistently excellent. Finlandia--Ormandy/Philadelphia ( with Mormon Tabernacle Choir ), Collins and Ashkenazy; Violin Concerto--Oistrakh/Ormandy and Heifetz/Hendl. Incidentally, the recorded sound on Segerstam's Ondine set is very fine.

Average customer rating:

Groundbreaking but partly outdated
Outstanding Mahler Compilation
Bernstein or Tennstedt: read on....
Comparing the two Bernstein Mahler cycles
Mahler complete symphonies.

Mahler: The Complete Symphonies
Dame Janet Baker , Jennie Tourel , Lili Chookasian , Martha Lipton , Israel Philharmonic Orchestra , New York Philharmonic , Hans Vollenweider , Adele Addison , Dame Gwyneth Jones , Erna Spoorenberg , Lee Venora , Lucine Amara , Reri Grist , John Mitchinson , and Richard Tucker
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies; 7 Overtures
Schubert: 8 Symphonies
Bruckner: The Complete Symphonies
Johannes Brahms: The Symphonies
Dvorák: The Symphonies

ASIN: B0000589BP
Release Date: 2001-01-30

Tracks:

Sym No.1 in D 'Titan': Movt I: Langsam. Schleppend. Wie Ein Naturlaut - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.1 in D 'Titan': Movt I: Immer Sehr Gemachlich - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.1 in D 'Titan': Movt I: Sehr Gemachlich - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.1 in D 'Titan': Movt I: Vorwats Dragend - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.1 in D 'Titan': Movt II: Kraftig Bewegt - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.1 in D 'Titan': Movt II: Trio. Recht Gemachlich - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.1 in D 'Titan': Movt II: Tempo Primo - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.1 in D 'Titan': Movt III: Feierlich Und Gemessen, Ohne Zu Schleppen - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.1 in D 'Titan': Movt III: A Tempo. Ziemlich Langsam - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.1 in D 'Titan': Movt III: Sehr Einfach Und Schlicht Wie Eine Volksweise - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.1 in D 'Titan': Movt III: Weider Etwas Bewegter, Wie Im Anfang - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.1 in D 'Titan': Movt IV: Sturmisch Bewegt - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.1 in D 'Titan': Movt IV: Sehr Gesangvoll - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.1 in D 'Titan': Movt IV: Wieder Wie Zu Angang. Sturmisch Bewegt - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.1 in D 'Titan': Movt IV: Sehr Langsam - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.1 in D 'Titan': Movt IV: Wieder Vorwarts Drangend - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.10, 'Adagio': Andante - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.10, 'Adagio': Andante Come Prima - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.10, 'Adagio': A Tempo (Fliessend) - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.10, 'Adagio': Measure 104 - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.10, 'Adagio': Measure 194 - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.10, 'Adagio': A Tempo - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein

Tracks:

Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt I: Allegro Maestoso - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt I: Sehr Massig Und Zuruckhaltend - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt I: Schnell - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt I: Tempo I - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt I: Tempo Sostenuto - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt II: Andante Moderato - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt II: Energisch Bewegt - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt II: Wieder In's Tempo Zuruckgehen. Tempo I - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt III: In Ruhig Fliessender Bewegung - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt III: Vorwarts - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt III: Zum Tempo I. Zuruckkehren - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan

Tracks:

Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt IV: ' Urlicht' - Sehr Feierlich, Aber Schlicht - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt IV: Etwas Bewegter - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt V: Im Tempo Des Scherzos. Wild Herausfahrend - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt V: Langsam - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt V: Im Anfang Sehr Zuruckgehalten - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt V: Maestoso - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt V: Wieder Zuruckhaltend - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt V: Sehr Langsam Und Gedehnt - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt V: Langsam. Misterioso - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt V: Etwas Bewegter 'O Glaube' - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt V: Mit Aufschwung, Aber Nicht Eilen 'O Schmerz!' - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.2 in c 'Resurrection': Movt V: Piu Mosso 'Sterben' - Lee Venora/Jennie Tourel/The Collegiate Chor/Abraham Kaplan
Sym No.5 in c#: IV. Adagietto. Sehr Langsam - New York PO/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand', Part One: Veni, Creator Spiritus! - Adele Addison/Lucine Amara/Lili Chookasian/Jennie Tourel/Richard Tucker/Ezio Flagello...
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand', Part One: Imple Superna Gratia - Adele Addison/Lucine Amara/Lili Chookasian/Jennie Tourel/Richard Tucker/Ezio Flagello...
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand', Part One: Infirma Nostri Corporis - Adele Addison/Lucine Amara/Lili Chookasian/Jennie Tourel/Richard Tucker/Ezio Flagello...
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand', Part One: Tempo I. (Allegro, Etwas Hastig) - Adele Addison/Lucine Amara/Lili Chookasian/Jennie Tourel/Richard Tucker/Ezio Flagello...
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand', Part One: Infirma Nostri Corporis - Adele Addison/Lucine Amara/Lili Chookasian/Jennie Tourel/Richard Tucker/Ezio Flagello...
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand', Part One: Accende Lumen Sensibus - Adele Addison/Lucine Amara/Lili Chookasian/Jennie Tourel/Richard Tucker/Ezio Flagello...
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand', Part One: Qui Paraclitus Deceris - Adele Addison/Lucine Amara/Lili Chookasian/Jennie Tourel/Richard Tucker/Ezio Flagello...
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand', Part One: Gloria Patri Domino - Adele Addison/Lucine Amara/Lili Chookasian/Jennie Tourel/Richard Tucker/Ezio Flagello...

Tracks:

Sym No.3 in d, Part One: Movt I: Kraftig. Entschieden - John Ware
Sym No.3 in d, Part One: Movt I: Langsam. Schwer - John Ware
Sym No.3 in d, Part One: Movt I: Tempo I - John Ware
Sym No.3 in d, Part One: Movt I: A Tempo - John Ware
Sym No.3 in d, Part One: Movt I: Immer Dasselbe Tempo (Marsch). Nicht Eilen - John Ware
Sym No.3 in d, Part One: Movt I: Im Alten Marschtempo (Allegro Moderato) - John Ware
Sym No.3 in d, Part One: Movt I: Tempo I - John Ware
Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt II: Tempo Di Menuetto. Sehr Massig - John Ware
Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt II: A Tempo - John Ware
Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt II: Ganz Plotzlich Gemachlich. Tempo Di Menuetto - John Ware
Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt III: Comodo. Scherzando. Ohne Hast - John Ware
Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt III: Wieder Sehr Gemachlilch, Wie Zu Anfang - John Ware
Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt III: Etwas Zuruckhaltend - Sehr Gemachlich - John Ware
Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt III: Tempo I. Mit Geheimnisvolles Hast! - Martha Lipton/Women's Chor Of The Schola Cantorum/Hugh Ross...
Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt III: Wieder Sehr Gemachlich, Beinahe Langsam - Martha Lipton/Women's Chor Of The Schola Cantorum/Hugh Ross...
Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt IV: Sehr Langsam. Misterioso. Durchaus Ppp - Martha Lipton/Women's Chor Of The Schola Cantorum/Hugh Ross...
Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt IV: Piu Mosso Subito - Martha Lipton/Women's Chor Of The Schola Cantorum/Hugh Ross...
Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt V: Lustig Im Tempo Und Keck Im Ausdruck - Martha Lipton/Women's Chor Of The Schola Cantorum/Hugh Ross...

Tracks:

Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt VI: Langsam. Ruhevoll. Empfunden - Martha Lipton/Women's Chor Of The Schola Cantorum/Hugh Ross...
Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt VI: Nicht Mehr So Breit - Martha Lipton/Women's Chor Of The Schola Cantorum/Hugh Ross...
Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt VI: Tempo I. Ruhevoll! - Martha Lipton/Women's Chor Of The Schola Cantorum/Hugh Ross...
Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt VI: A Tempo (Etwas Bewegter) - Martha Lipton/Women's Chor Of The Schola Cantorum/Hugh Ross...
Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt VI: Tempo I - Martha Lipton/Women's Chor Of The Schola Cantorum/Hugh Ross...
Sym No.3 in d, Part Two: Movt VI: Langsam. Tempo I - Martha Lipton/Women's Chor Of The Schola Cantorum/Hugh Ross...
Three Ruckert Songs: Ich Atmet Einen Linden Duft - Jennie Tourel
Three Ruckert Songs: Ich Bin Der Welt Abhanden Gekommen - Jennie Tourel
Three Ruckert Songs: Um Mitternacht - Jennie Tourel
Des Knaben Wunderhorn: Das Irdische Leben - Jennie Tourel
Kindertotenlieder: Nun Will Die Sonn' So Hell Aufgeh'n! - Jennie Tourel
Kindertotenlieder: Nun Seh' Ich Wohl, Warum So Dunkle Flammen - Jennie Tourel
Kindertotenlieder: Wenn Dein Mutterlein - Jennie Tourel
Kindertotenlieder: Oft Denk' Ich, Sie Sind Nur Ausgegangen - Jennie Tourel
Kindertotenlieder: In Diesem Wetter! - Jennie Tourel

Tracks:

Sym No.4 in G: Movt I: Bedachtig. Nicht Eilen - Reri Grist
Sym No.4 in G: Movt I: Tempo I - Reri Grist
Sym No.4 in G: Movt I: Wieder Wie Zu Anfang. Sehr Gemachlich, Behaglich - Reri Grist
Sym No.4 in G: Movt I: Wieder Plotzlich Langsam Und Bedachtig - Reri Grist
Sym No.4 in G: Movt II: In Gemachlicher Bewegung. Ohne Hast - Reri Grist
Sym No.4 in G: Movt II: Nicht Eilen - Reri Grist
Sym No.4 in G: Movt III: Ruhevoll - Reri Grist
Sym No.4 in G: Movt III: Viel Langsamer - Reri Grist
Sym No.4 in G: Movt III: Anmutig Bewegt - Reri Grist
Sym No.4 in G: Movt III: Andante - Reri Grist
Sym No.4 in G: Movt III: Vorwarts. Poco Piu Mosso - Reri Grist
Sym No.4 in G: Movt IV: Sehr Behaglich - Reri Grist
Sym No.4 in G: Movt IV: Wieder Lebhaft - Reri Grist
Sym No.4 in G: Movt IV: Tempo I. Sehr Zart Und Geheimnisvoll Bis Zum Schluss - Reri Grist

Tracks:

Sym No.5 in c#: Part I: I. Trauermarsch. In Gemessenem Schritt. Streng. Wie Ein Kondukt - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.5 in c#: Part I: II. Sturmisch Bewegt. Mit Grosster Vehemenz - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.5 in c#: Part II: III. Scherzo. Kraftig, Nicht Zu Schnell - James Chambers
Sym No.5 in c#: Part III: IV. Adagietto. Sehr Langsam - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.5 in c#: Part III: V. Rondo-Finale. Allegro - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein

Tracks:

Sym No.6 in a 'Tragic': I. Allegro Energico, Ma Non Troppo (Heftig, Aber Markig) - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.6 in a 'Tragic': II. Scherzo. Wuchtig - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.6 in a 'Tragic': III. Andante Moderato - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.6 in a 'Tragic': IV. Finale. Allegro Moderato - Allegro Energico - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein

Tracks:

Sym No.7 in e: Movt I: Langsam (Adagio) - Raymond Sabinsky
Sym No.7 in e: Movt I: Nicht Schleppen - Raymond Sabinsky
Sym No.7 in e: Movt I: Allegro Risoluto, Ma Non Troppo - Raymond Sabinsky
Sym No.7 in e: Movt I: A Tempo (Sempre L'istesso) - Raymond Sabinsky
Sym No.7 in e: Movt I: Subito Allegro I. Ziemlich Ruhig - Raymond Sabinsky
Sym No.7 in e: Movt I: Adagio (Tempo Der Einleitung) - Raymond Sabinsky
Sym No.7 in e: Movt I: Maestoso. Allegro Come Prima - Raymond Sabinsky
Sym No.7 in e: Movt II: Nachtmusik I. Allegro Moderato - Raymond Sabinsky
Sym No.7 in e: Movt II: Sempre L'istesso Tempo. Nicht Eilen, Sehr Gemachlich - Raymond Sabinsky
Sym No.7 in e: Movt II: Tempo - Raymond Sabinsky
Sym No.7 in e: Movt III: Scherzo. Schattenhaft, Fliessend, Aber Nicht Zu Schnell - Raymond Sabinsky
Sym No.7 in e: Movt III: Trio - Raymond Sabinsky
Sym No.7 in e: Movt III: Wieder Wie Zu Anfang (Nicht Eilen) - Raymond Sabinsky
Sym No.7 in e: Movt IV: Nachtmusik II. Andante Amoroso - Raymond Sabinsky
Sym No.7 in e: Movt IV: (Figure 197) - Raymond Sabinsky
Sym No.7 in e: Movt V: Rondo-Finale. Tempo I (Allegro Ordinario) - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.7 in e: Movt V: Gemessen! Nicht Schnell! Tempo II (Allegro Moderato Ma Energico) - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.7 in e: Movt V: Tempo I (Halbe Wie Die Viertel Des Tempo I) - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.7 in e: Movt V: Sempre L'istesso Tempo - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein

Tracks:

Kindertotenlieder: Nun Will Die Sonn' So Hell Aufgeh'n! - Janet Baker
Kindertotenlieder: Nun Seh' Ich Wohl, Warum So Dunkle Flammen - Janet Baker
Kindertotenlieder: Wenn Dein Mutterlein - Janet Baker
Kindertotenlieder: Oft Denk' Ich, Sie Sind Nur Ausgegangen - Janet Baker
Kindertotenlieder: In Diesem Wetter! - Janet Baker
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part I: Veni, Creator Spiritus! - LSO/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part I: Imple Superna Gratia - LSO/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part I: Infirma Nostri Corporis - LSO/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part I: Tempo I. (Allegro, Etwas Hastig) - LSO/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part I: Infirma Nostri Corporis - LSO/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part I: Accende Lumen Sensibus - LSO/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part I: Qui Paraclitus Diceris - LSO/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part I: Gloria Patri Domino - LSO/Leonard Bernstein

Tracks:

Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Poco Adagio - LSO/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Piu Mosso. (Allegro Moderato) - LSO/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Waldung, Sie Schwankt Heran - Leeds Festival Chor/London Sym Chor
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Ewiger Wonnebrand - Vladimir Ruzdjak
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Wie Felsenabgrund Mir Zu Fussen - Donald McIntyre
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Gerettet Ist Das Edle Glied - Leeds Festival Chor/London Sym Chor/Highgate School Boys Choir
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Jene Rosen, Aus Den Handen - Leeds Festival Chor/London Sym Chor
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Uns Bleibt Ein Erdenrest - Leeds Festival Chor/London Sym Chor
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Ich Spur' Soeben - Leeds Festival Chor/London Sym Chor
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Hier Ist Die Aussicht Frei/Freudig Empfangen Wir - John Mitchinson
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Hochste Herrscherin Der Welt - John Mitchinson
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Jungfrau, Rein Im Schonsten Sinne - John Mitchinson/Leeds Festival Chor/London Sym Chor
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Aussert Langsam. Adagissimo - LSO/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Dir, Der Uberuhrbaren/Du Schwebst Zu Hohen - Gwyneth Jones
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Bei Der Liebe, Die Den Fussen - Erna Spoorenberg
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Bei Dem Bronn, Zu Dem Schon Weiland - Anna Reynolds
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Bei Dem Hochgeweihten Orte - Norma Procter
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Die Du Grossen Sunderinnnen - Erna Spoorenberg/Anna Reynolds/Norma Procter
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Neige, Neige, Du Ohnegleiche - Gwyneth Jones
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Er Uberwachst Uns Schon - Highgate School Boys Chor
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Vom Edlen Geisterchor Umgeben - Gwyneth Jones
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Komm! Hebe Dich Zu Hohern Spharen! - Gwenyth Annear
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Blicket Auf Zum Retterblick - John Mitchinson
Sym No.8 in E flat 'Sym Of A Thousand': Part II: Alles Vergangliche - Leeds Festival Chor/London Sym Chor

Tracks:

Sym No.9 in D: Movt I: Andante Comodo - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt I: Etwas Frischer - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt I: Tempo I Subito - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt I: Mit Wut. Allegro Risoluto - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt I: Schattenhaft - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt I: Wie Von Anfang - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt I: Plotzlich Bedeutend Langsamer (Lento) Und Leise - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt I: Schon Ganz Langsam - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt II: Im Tempo Eines Gemachlichen Landlers. Etwas Tappisch Und Sehr Derb - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt II: Poco Piu Mosso Subito (Tempo II) - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt II: Tempo III - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt II: A Tempo II - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt II: Tempo I - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt II: Tempo II - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt II: Tempo I Subito - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt III: Rondo - Burleske. Allegro Assai. Sehr Trotzig - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt III: L'istesso Tempo - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt III: Sempre L'istesso Tempo - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt III: Nicht Eilen - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt III: Piu Stretto - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt IV: Adagio. Sehr Langsam Und Noch Zuruckhaltend - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt IV: Plotzlich Wieder Langsam (Wie Zu Anfang) Und Etwas Zogernd - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt IV: Molto Adagio Subito - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt IV: A Tempo (Molto Adagio) - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt IV: Stets Sehr Gehalten - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt IV: Fliessender, Doch Durchaus Nicht Eilend - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt IV: Tempo I. Molto Adagio - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein
Sym No.9 in D: Movt IV: Adagissimo - New York Phil/Leonard Bernstein

Amazon.com

For many of us, Leonard Bernstein's first Mahler cycle for CBS (compiled here, remastered and cheaper than ever) has stood the test of time since it initially came out on LP in the late 1960s. Upon completing this traversal of nine symphonies (and the "Adagio" movement from the unfinished 10th), Lenny and the New York Philharmonic achieved something no one else had and proved that Mahler was, simply put, worth recording in the first place. It's still a marvelous set of recordings that belongs in every record collection.

Using the same budgeted design as on their (surprisingly pricey) Original Jacket series of box sets, Sony has unleashed a true bargain here: 12 CDs that average a little over five bucks a pop. Lenny's second cycle for Deutsche Grammophon may boast greater sonics, plenty of wonderful moments, and the complete song cycles, but it costs more than twice as much. Here, we get a younger Lenny, sounding fresh and expressive and delivering still-unparalleled interpretations of the First, Third, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth, and pretty great performances of the rest. The intensity on these discs is infectious and the price can't be beat. A must-have. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Groundbreaking but partly outdated.......2007-03-26

Recorded 1960-67, this is the first complete cycle of Mahler's numbered symphonies (1-9 + no. 10 Adagio), and, as such, an essential purchase. Add Bernstein's 1966 classic recording of Das Lied von der Erde (Decca), and you get a piece of recording history: the development of the Mahler boom in the sixties.

How do these recordings stand today? The interpretations of the third, fourth, and seventh are very fine, even exceptional, and, despite their age, the recordings are sonically impressive as well. NYPO plays marvellously. The seventh, in particular, is a reference disc.

The remaining recordings are not really for the desert island, however. The fifth, for instance, is very unsuccessful and badly recorded too. Bernstein's later account on DG is clearly an improvement. The same holds for the second symphony, which you also find on DG in a later, much improved and moving interpretation. But here we have also a crowded field of classic performances, such as Klemperer's second (EMI) and Walter's fifth (SONY). Both are preferable to Bernstein's recordings, old or new.

The first, sixth, eight and ninth are quite good but not exceptional. No one beats Kubelik's first (DG). Mitropoulos (BMG Great Conductors) and Barbirolli (EMI) own the sixth. The eight - well, here we have Horenstein (BBC) and Mitropoulos (Orfeo) as classic, first choices. And for the ninth, Ancerl (Supraphon), Barbirolli (EMI), Klemperer (EMI) and Walter (SONY) sound far more attractive and fresh than Bernstein's mannered account.

If you're a collector this box is of course essential - regardless all critical considerations. But if you just look for an excellent and consistent Mahler box, go for Gary Bertini's cycle on EMI, which you get for a super-bargain price. It's a contemporary and future classic.

Thus I recommend a pick of individual Bernstein SONY CDs: the third, the fourth and the seventh. Add his fifth and second from his DG recordings, and his 1966 Das Lied von der Erde (Decca). These recordings are what I take to be the "essentials" of the Bernstein Mahler legacy.

Outstanding Mahler Compilation.......2007-01-29

I think is very important for a Mahler Fan to hear carefully all his work. This compilation allows you to enjoy that experience. A better sound quality for some symphonies could be a great plus, but you have to consider that this is a remasterized old record.

Leonard Bernstein just express the true passion that Mahler put on his work. It's incredible that (using the 8ve Symphony as an example) with fewer instruments than in the Abbado version, the feeling is even better. Simply outstanding.

Great price, great compilation. Lot of Mahler.

Bernstein or Tennstedt: read on...........2006-07-12

If the only way you could obtain the Mahler Symphonies was by buying a box containing them all by one conductor, then this would be my second choice, or my first!; my first (or second)would be the Tennstedt set. It's a close call thoughout - a 'swings and roundabouts' situation, but if Bernstein's was the one and only then I would be happy enough. Actually if you want a truly satisfying Mahler Symphonies collection then the two sets together sitting side by side on your CD shelf would be pretty well ideal, as I believe that the legacy of recordings by these two great men are nowhere surpassed (save Horenstein in the Fourth, Barbirolli in the Sixth and Rudolf Schwarz in the Fifth). As to comparisons between individual symphonies, the following would be my first choice:

No. 1 Bernstein. More poetic and earthy than T and my very first choice out of the dozens of others I've heard.
2 Bernstein. Simply the greatest Mahler 2; T is earthbound by comparison.
3 Tennstedt. Actually this is a tougher one to decide as B is marginally better in the first movement and he produces the best sixth movement of any version I've heard. Overall T has it, partly due to the excellent sound quality.
4 Overall B is better but there are so many points of comparison to take into consideration that it's a tough one to decide. T has the better soloist in the finale. My far-and-away first choice in the Fourth is Horenstein on EMI/CfP.
5 Tennstedt. Bernstein's CBS Fifth was the weakest link. However, Rudolf Schwarz (Everest) produces the very finest Fifth:
I always maintain that you can tell pretty much straight away when a Mahler conductor gets it right and Schwarz gets it 100%
6 Tennstedt. From the angry crunching heavy tread of the opening through to the nightmare ending, this is a very dark view of the Sixth, but it works. Barbirolli on EMI is my definite first choice in the Sixth. Bernstein's quick-march approach sounds like parody.
7 Bernstein. Nobody has produced a better Seventh and probably never will. T's version is very good though and I think he out-performs all other competition.
8 This one is the hardest of all to separate, but in the end I opt for Bernstein as his version as the feel of a live performance and the recording is almost as good as T's digital one.
9 Bernstein. Again my favourite version. T's weakest link of his whole set.
So Bernstein scores more points, but take into account the generally better sound of the Tennstedt set (especially in nos. 3,5,6) and things are evened up slightly. My advice overall? Go for both sets; at the asking prices you will have a superb Mahler Symphonies collection which will last you a lifetime. But don't forget those other versions of 4, 5 and 6. A point about sound quality: most of the above are analogue recordings, made many years ago, but across the board they are in almost every way superior to most modern digital ones (though to be fair one or two are not so great). I have a very good stereo system which reproduces very neutral sound; what goes in at the CD player end comes out unchanged at the loudspeaker end and so what I hear is the 'real thing'. For example Bernstein's 2 is stunning. One of the very best is the oldest of them all - Schwarz's Fifth, made in 1958. Maybe the art of recording has been replaced by science (and not for the better)? In the final analysis, to my mind the above versions render most of the rest of the Mahler symphonies discography redundant and surplus to requirements.

Comparing the two Bernstein Mahler cycles.......2006-06-27

Most buyers aren't in the market for a complete Mahler cycle by a single conductor, but if they were, the two from Bernstein contain many great performances. I've reviewed the contents of this Sixties cycle on Sony and the later one from the Eighties (contianing many live performances) on DG, taking them one symphony at a time. But it's worthwhile to give a sense of the strongest and weakest parts of each set.

Cycle #1:

By general consensus the performance of Sym. #3 is one of the glories of this cycle and perhaps the most inspired Mahler condcuting Bernstein did on disc. It has all the freshness of discovery--LB was new to Mahler in 1961. Sony's 20-bit remastering makes the original analog sound quite good. In fact, there's no need to fear the sound quality of these NY Phil. recordings, none of which are bad. Expect the deep sound stage and wide stereo separation that Columbia Records favored at the time.

Bernstein also put his stamp on Sym. #7 in such a way that no one would ever hear it the same again. Previously, 'The Song of the Night,' as this work was dubbed, had almost no life either on disc or the concert stage (a Mahler champion as prominent as Bruno Walter never performed it). Not only did LB prove that this was coherent music, he made an unforgettable drama out of the Seventh. This is his signature recording of the work.

Two other great performances stand out: Sym. #2 and #4, each rendered with amazing imagination and a huge range of emotions. The accusation that LB went over the top in the Second is unjustified--he is often tender and delicate--but there's no doubt that he takes an apocalyptic view of the finale. Whatever you think about his approach, he single-handedly revolutionized the way that the Resurrection Sym. was played. In Sym. #4 the classic recording was by Bruno Walter, but LB added more depth, imaginaiton, and excitement. Lyric soprano Reri Grist has come in for a good deal of criticism in the vocal finale, but I think she fits beautifully into LB's overall conception.

In the middle of the pack, as it were, we get LB's readings of Sym. #1 and #9. He went on to conduct greater readings of both works, especially the Ninth. In person LB's First was a real showpiece, but somehow Sony's sonics are not up to the conductor's vision. In the cse of the Ninth, the NY version would qualify as an outstanding performance if there weren't so many truly great ones from Karajan, Bruno Walter, James Levine, and Barbirolli, among others. Bernstein himself would add two of the greatest, both on DG.

I find a few problems wiht Sym. #5, #6, and #8 in the first cycle. For many critics all three are great recordings. For some reason, I have never warmed up to either of LB's versions of Sym. #5, where for once he does manipulate and exaggerate to the point that the spirit of the work seems lost in histrionics. Sym. #6 is too brisk in the first movement to let the music expand to its visionary potential, and in the other movements Bernstein seems less expressive than he could be. The Eighth is unmathced in the excitement and joyousness of Part 1, and for some listeners the whole symphony remains on that exalted level. I find that LB is too studied in Part 2, and my attention wasn't held. He does elicit very beautiful singing and playing, however. It should be noted that this performance is with the London Sym. and a host of fine English singers.

To the end of his life Bernstein resisted Deryck Cooke's completion of the Tenth Sym., agreeing to conduct only the shattering Adagio. which Mahler had essentially finished in full score. Bernstein's reading with the NY Phil. is one of the most searing accounts this magnificent fragment has ever received, equaled by his later live reading with the incomparable Vienna Phil.

Cycle #2:

It should be said right off that DG's digital sonics are in a different league from what LB got in New York. Even though several venues were involved (Vienna, Amsterdam, New York), and many recordings were under live concert conditions, the DG engineers triumphed. They favor closer mike posiitons, solo highlighting, and a vivid sound stage compared to their predecessors in New York. As to the interprettions, with a few exceptions--the most prominent being Sym. #6--Bernstein did not drastically change his views from the first cycle, and in some cases the readings feel almost identical (Sym. #2 and #7, for example).

The most interest centers on the works where LB clearly outdoes his younger self. At the top of the list I would put Sym. #6 and #9. In the former he achieved one of the classic Mahler reacordings of the modern era. His Sixth has slowed down by 2 min. in the first movement, giving the music room to expand properly. The Andante is heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. The finale is an explosion of genius on Mahler's part that LB resonates with perfectly. Almost the same can be said of the Ninth, where the conducting reaches deeply moving areas of expression. The finale is drastically slow (as is Levine's, to similar devastating effect), which some critics find excessive. But it's a truism that no tempo is right or wrong; everything depends upon being drawn into the world of the music. LB achieved a great Ninth but would surpass himself with a live performance from Berlin in 1979, also on DG.

Almost as great is Sym. #1, which on DG receives a flawless performance packed with excitement. I'm not sure that LB's reading actually changed, but the superlative sonics and the spine-tingling playing of the Concertgebiuw weren't matched in New York.

The next thing to ask is where Bernstein fell short of his earlier versions. The Sym. #2, #3, and #4 from New York were one of a kind, representing LB's early and most exciting explorations of Mahler's world. Their counterparts on DG are also strong, but I don't think they rise to the heights he achieved earlier. The only sharp criticism I have is with the use of a boy soprano in the finale of the Fourth; musical as he is, a boy is too undeveloped to capture what Mahler intended. It should be said, however, that if the earlier NY versions didn't exist, these would be outstanding performances.

I feel much the same about Sym. #7, where LB's first recording set a standard that only two or three rivals have come close to, but his DG remake, which was a return to the NY Phil. in oncert from Lincoln Center(as are Sym. #2 and #3), feels fractionally less overwhelming. It's in better sound, however. The one symphony I can't compare is the Fifth, which doesn't satisfy me in either cycle. The DG version with the Vienna Phil. convinces many listeners, and some critics call in unsurpassable, but I am not on its wavelength.

That leaves Sym. #8, which Bernstein didn't live to record for commercial release. DG reached into its vaults for a live 1975 radio tape from Vienna, and although it has flaws in execution, including some rough singing in Part 2, LB's conducting is superlative, more ocmpelling than his version from London. Paired with this symphony is a 1974 reading of the Adagio from Sym. #10, also with the Vienna Phil. As you'd expect, it's an inspired, searing reading, just like the NY version.

How ot sum up? If money were no object, I'd own both cycles for the pleasure of Bernstein's unqiue inspiration. If I had to pick and choose, I'd take Sym. #2, #3, and #4 from New York, Sym. #8 from London, and the rest form the DG cycle.

Mahler complete symphonies........2006-02-24

"Mahler was an altogether great man" -One who also knows a thing or two.

Average customer rating:

Try the rest, but buy the best
Very Fine!
Good Sibelius Introduction

Sibelius: Complete Symphonies

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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ASIN: B0000942LP
Release Date: 2003-07-01

Customer Reviews:

Try the rest, but buy the best.......2005-12-31

You will hear about Berglund, Sir Colin Davis, Leonard Bernstein, Jarvi and others and their renditions of Sibelius' Symphonies but having listened to almost all renditions I come away with this set as my favourite.

Sibelius' music is "wide open" - big - expansive, and Herbert von Karajan and Okko Kamu do an excellent job of bringing this out. Sir Colin Davis' interpretation sorely lacks the sonority, the vibrance and clarity the gives the Symphonies shape and logic. If you listen, just as an example, to the second movement of the 3rd Symphony, you will be astounded by how amateurish the Davis version is. It lacks direction, robustness and majesty. Kamu makes it shine.

This set is highly recommended.

Very Fine!.......2004-10-14

As to characterization in Sibelius no one has the idiom mastered so well as Karajan...even Sibelius agreed that Herbert was the man for his music...he relishes in the incredible simplicity and austere melodic beauty of this music. No sentimentality here...purchase with out guilt!!!

Good Sibelius Introduction.......2004-01-10

Chances are that if you are reading this review, you may be searching for a good Sibelius symphony cycle to purchase. This set, split between the Finnish conductor, Okko Kamu, and the legendary Herbert von Karajan, is a mixed blessing.

Overall, the performances are perfectly acceptable. Kamu gives some fairly convincing readings of the First and Second Symphonies, but the tempi are a bit inconsistent, the brass loud and blatty, and there are some glaring faults in the First Symphony. He does an average job on these great masterpieces.

The prizes in the set are the performances by von Karajan. He does a much finer job bringing out details, controlling dynamic and musical direction, and giving more polished, prepared readings with his superior orchestra. The Fourth Symphony is particularly fine, full of intense, concentrated emotion and commitment from the players.

Overall, if you want a budget set of the symphonies and cannot afford the sets by Sir Colin Davis or Paavo Berglund (both outstanding and worth the money), then you can purchase this cycle and be happy with decent performances of the Jean Sibelius symphonies. Otherwise, I recommend that you search elsewhere (Sir Colin Davis, Paavo Berglund, Lorin Maazel--I haven't heard, but know from reputation).

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Transsolar Records: Checking the Skies for Taikon [Import]

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 7 and 8

Blues Before Sunshine

Spooky Actions, Music of Anton Webern

Behind the Wheels

Best of Barry White

Children's Corner: Baby's First Album

Arturo Toscanini: Roussel; Roger-Ducasse...

Americana

Amor A La Mexicana

Animal Serenade [Live]

Bangin On [CD-single] [Import]

Chill-Out Mix: The Blues Sessions

Prokofiev: Peter And the Wolf/March In B Flat Major/Overture On Hebrew Themes/Classical Symphony

Suspended Night