Beethoven: The Nine Symphonies - Barenboim / Berliner Staatskapelle: MusicNear.com

Music CD 1

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

Music CD 2

Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Sinfonia eroica': Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Sinfonia eroica': Marcia funebre: Adagio assai
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Sinfonia eroica': Scherzo: Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Sinfonia eroica': Finale: Allegro molto

Music CD 3

Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: Adagio - Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: Adagio
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: Allegro ma non troppo
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67: Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67: Andante con moto
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67: Allegro
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67: Allegro

Music CD 4

Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Sinfonia pastorale': Allegro ma non troppo - Erwachen heiterer - Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande
Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Sinfonia pastorale': Andante molto moto - Szene am Bach
Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Sinfonia pastorale': Allegro - Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute
Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Sinfonia pastorale': Allegro - Gewitter, Sturm
Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Sinfonia pastorale': Allegretto - Hirtengesang. Frohe und dankbare Gefuhle nach dem Sturm

Music CD 5

Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: Poco sostenuto - Vivace
Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: Allegretto
Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: Presto
Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: Allegro vivace e con brio
Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: Allegretto scherzando
Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: Temp di Menuetto
Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: Allegro vivace

Music CD 6

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

While Barenboim has clearly absorbed key elements of Furtw?ngler's Beethoven (the spiritual and dramatic grip, plus long-range harmonic tension), the younger conductor is no carbon copy of his hero. Moreover, few (if any) Furtw?ngler recordings boast orchestral execution at the extraordinary level of the Berliner Staatskapelle here, achieving more heft and finesse than on their previous cycle under Otmar Suitner on Denon. Their playing never lets up in fervency and commitment, the few missed notes and anticipated entrances insignificant. The brass resonates like old gold, the winds are no less colorful, and the dark, articulate strings at once caress and scorch. Likewise, the all-important timpani parts emerge with greater clarity than in many other Beethoven cycles, and the close-miked singers in the Ninth Symphony's finale add much to that movement's inner vitality. Barenboim observes nearly every repeat, and opts for such traditional reinforcements as the extended trumpet line in the Eroica Symphony's first movement coda and added brass in the Ninth's scherzo. Teldec's spacious yet dynamic engineering suits both the music and Barenboim's conceptions to a tee. In sum, these potent, concentrated, and powerfully inflected performances reveal the extraordinary degree to which Barenboim has internalized the German Beethoven tradition and made it his own. --Jed Distler