Ludwig van Beethoven: 9 Symphonien
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Free Music Notes for Ludwig van Beethoven: 9 Symphonien
Free Music Review: Karajan's Finest Cycle
Hit: 5 Stars
Throughout his conducting career, Herbert von Karajan was an imposing spectacle of a man. He was coarse and quite cold, a far cry from the raging antics of Toscannini but none the less just as intimidating. He is quoted to have said when taking the post of Music Director in Berlin: "I will be a dictator." This was an honest statement as he did become just that all over the world. One would tend to think that such a man would make a second rate(at best)musician. Such a man could easily portray the brutal intensity of Holst's Mars and the harsh depths of Shoshtakovich's Fifth Symphony. But how could one such as this portray the innocent beauty of Smetana's Moldau or Holst's second theme from Jupiter? These same questions most certainly apply to Karajan's Beethoven cycle as Beethoven utilizes these same extremes from the spectrum of emotion.
Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic are one of the greatest examples of musical chemistry. They each respond to each other as very few groups can. This is what makes this cycle so worth while and pleasing to listen to. The orchestra shines in the Eroica and becomes heavy in the Fifth. The beauty of the Pastorale is obtained as very few have acheived before and the Seventh is quite majestic and powerful. Karajan's interpretations are second to none as he reads the music the way that it is written. Highlights most certainly include the Eroica, the Fifth and the Sixth.
However, this is not a spotlight on the glories of Karajan or Berlin. As stated earlier, the Seventh IS majestic and powerful but these traits are not due to the playing of the Philharmonic. The playing is quite muddy and seldom right together. The first entry of the horns in the first movmt. is too brash and, again, muddy. This continues throughout the first, getting slightly better as the Symphony progresses. The last movmt, my personal favorite, is faring quite well and at times it is possible to truly enjoy the piece without becoming frustrated at late entrances and the like. However, at the final entrance of the opening theme I was horrified to hear the trumpet completly miss the entrance. There was nothing but cellos/basses. He managed to regain himself and come in with a delayed and sloppy sound. The last two were much better. But after this catastrophe, the tempos are jumpy and unstable. They speed up without rhyme nor reason. The end is together and clean but quite fast. I was quite dissapointed in this as it is one of the favorite Beethoven symphonies to date. Also, near the end of the first movt. of the Fifth, Karajan changes the orchestration that is in the score for reasons unknown. This again was a nasty discovery for Beethoven purists everywhere.
So why did I rate it five stars? Benefit of the doubt and I couldn't justify losing a star for one-ninth of the cycle. There are times that Karajan seems to lose his train of thought and the orchestra does begin to sound like a bored recording orchestra, but over all it is phenomonal playing and interpretation. I have honestly never heard other orchestra play these quite like Berlin or interpret them as cleanly and full of class as Karajan. A highly recommended asset to any classical music collection.
Free Music Review: Morphine, anyone?
Hit: 2 Stars
The symphonies are capable of compelling one's emotions from the depth of tragic despair to the pinnacle of majestic triumph. Karajan's interpretation leaves one with the overall sense of being drowned in a bowl of oatmeal. The size of the Philharmoniker doesn't make up for their lack of enthusiasm or of clean articulation. Instead of reaching out and grabbing ones attention and enthralling them with its sheer genius, this interpretation is more a sedative, dulling the senses with its insipid blurriness. Free Music Review: Outstanding; best 3rd, 4th, 8th and 9th available, and fine 5th and 7th to boot
Hit: 5 Stars
I have nothing to add to everyone else's endless praise of this cycle. The only thing I would suggest is to look for the better remastering: It's called "Complete Beethoven Edition, Vol.1 - Symphonies". The catalog # is 453-701-2. That set features all of the symphonies from the same legendary '63 cycle as this, but with Original Image-Bit Processing utilized during the remixing/remastering. I compared the two, and in terms of sound the rerelease is much better. In my opinion, I think the sound quality on the release I'm referring to may even beat the '77 set (of course it beats it artistically).Free Music Review: Sheer genius
Hit: 5 Stars
Beethoven's 9 symphonies represent the pinnacle of the symphonic form. This set, brings out the full brilliance of these works. From the heroic 'Eroica' symphony to the more subdued 'Pastoral'. The recording quality is excellent.
Another brilliant cycle from Von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic.
Free Music Review: There is a saying...
Hit: 5 Stars
There is a saying in the construction industry "Tripping over dollars to pick up nickels." Or in the regular world "Can't see the Black Forest for the trees."
I doubt if there IS an definitive rendition of all of Beethoven's symphonies. Even the composers own conducted versions changed over time and from performance to performance depending on the players or his intentions. Instruments were constantly changing and you know this guy was never satisfied, always stretching. We can only guess what his EXACT intentions would be today or tomorrow.
What you want to remember is:
1) The first version of anything you seriously like will color your listenings of subsequent versions. You'll be listening for qualities that aren't there and missing qualities that are there.
2) Different versions bring us different views. Isn't that a good thing? Sound in all it's forms is preferable than a useless search for the best sound. I'd rather have that kind of an attitude than the bickering negative perfectionist snob attitudes of some of the reviewers here.
Having said that... I love these versions. I've had them for some time. I have at least 4 versions of the symphonies. These are clear, well recorded, dynamic and straight forward. Beethoven's passion, mental range and personal warmth are within. You can easily hear the information that Beethoven wanted you to hear. Probably better than he could. No make that clearly better than he could. Ha ha!
These are solid, lovely, beautiful, and astounding. Listen to them.