Recordings that you enjoy: Beethoven Symphony #9

[Gurn Blanston]

In keeping with the recent trend that is establishing, one of the finer efforts of the new millennium;



Chailly has long been one of my favorite conductors since the days when he led the National Orchestra in Washington D.C.. He always seems to have that extra gear that gets the most out of the music and the players, and certainly doesn't allow the audience to nap! And so it is here. The Gewandhaus Orchestra is on form, they would have made Mendelssohn proud. One would have to be a real niggler to find anything to complain about here; playing, singing, good interpretation by the conductor, well executed.  I've been told the rest of the cycle is equally fine, so a good choice for a new set, if you don't already have it.

[Gurn Blanston]

I was thinking about one of my favorite conductors the other day, a man who passed far before his time and left behind a too small legacy of fine recordings.



Hickox was early in his conducting career (1988) when he led the Northern Sinfonia in this recording. He had been, however, of the London Symphony Chorus before that, and still was at the time of this recording. That is at least part of the reason that the chorus is such an integral part here, and quite standout they are. Despite Hickox not being affiliated yet with a period instruments band, as he would soon be with Collegium Musicum 90, he does make a point here to say that the Northern Sinfonia forces are pared down to match the size of Beethoven's original orchestra at the premiere. A clear indication of where his interests lay. I would say there is no lack of firepower either, even without all the players on the Island sitting in.   If you run across this, don't hesitate to pick it up (rare, but inexpensive, at least when I bought it a couple of years ago). You will enjoy it, I'm sure.

[kaergaard]

You wouldn't want to add two contrasting ones, contrasting in tempi? Michael Pletnev adding a lot more Freude than I hear from others, like the very slow, sedate and yet filled with beauty created performance by Sergiu Celibidache.

[Gurn Blanston]

You wouldn't want to add two contrasting ones, contrasting in tempi? Michael Pletnev adding a lot more Freude than I hear from others, like the very slow, sedate and yet filled with beauty created performance by Sergiu Celibidache.

Oh yes, those are both interesting performances. I listened to Pletnev and reported it earlier this year, but it has been a while since Celi has worked up through the pile again. Good idea, next week it shall be Celi! 

[Gurn Blanston]

By popular demand, today started off with Sergiu Celibidache leading the Munich Philharmonic in a 1989 live performance:



Those who know Celi, but not this 9th, can fully expect to get the interesting performance that he always provides. For those who don't know Celi, but know the 9th, let me just say that you are in for something different!

Varying tempos are apparently a hallmark of his style. At no point can I say that the same tempo persisted for any longer than it took him to push in the clutch and shift gears. By and large this is not disturbing to the listener, even someone who isn't used to it. It takes the individual sections and makes each of them stand out in its own particular way. The only time I found it disturbing was at the beginning of the Scherzo, where it was simply too dang slow to enable the phrase to be coherent. By the middle of the movement, though, he had instituted a very long, gradual accelerando that had them up to speed. I know it was his intent to do it that way, but it didn't sit well with me. The 3rd movement 'Adagio molto e cantabile' was likely a true Adagio, so I can't criticize it, but it was slower than the norm. This also had the reverse blessing of letting you ponder each bit of the entire and appreciate the wonderful structure that Ludwig built there.

The finale was closer to average speed and dynamics than most of the rest of the performance. If I could find the Münchener who managed to cough and choke through the more poignant moments, I would happily give him something to cough and choke about, but overall it was not too disturbingly disturbing for a live performance.

Playing - very good     
singing - good, not outstanding             
sound quality - good, at best.
Artistry - excellent

Overall - one you should hear, but not if it's your only version, or even if it's your 2nd version. I enjoyed it (but I have 100 others to compare it to!).   0:)

[DavidA]

In keeping with the recent trend that is establishing, one of the finer efforts of the new millennium;



Chailly has long been one of my favorite conductors since the days when he led the National Orchestra in Washington D.C.. He always seems to have that extra gear that gets the most out of the music and the players, and certainly doesn't allow the audience to nap! And so it is here. The Gewandhaus Orchestra is on form, they would have made Mendelssohn proud. One would have to be a real niggler to find anything to complain about here; playing, singing, good interpretation by the conductor, well executed.  I've been told the rest of the cycle is equally fine, so a good choice for a new set, if you don't already have it.

I have the set. The recording and playing are stunning. However, I have doubts about the relentless tempi everywhere. It is certainly exciting but I feel more relaxation is needed.

[trung224]

By popular demand, today started off with Sergiu Celibidache leading the Munich Philharmonic in a 1989 live performance:



Those who know Celi, but not this 9th, can fully expect to get the interesting performance that he always provides. For those who don't know Celi, but know the 9th, let me just say that you are in for something different!

Varying tempos are apparently a hallmark of his style. At no point can I say that the same tempo persisted for any longer than it took him to push in the clutch and shift gears. By and large this is not disturbing to the listener, even someone who isn't used to it. It takes the individual sections and makes each of them stand out in its own particular way. The only time I found it disturbing was at the beginning of the Scherzo, where it was simply too dang slow to enable the phrase to be coherent. By the middle of the movement, though, he had instituted a very long, gradual accelerando that had them up to speed. I know it was his intent to do it that way, but it didn't sit well with me. The 3rd movement 'Adagio molto e cantabile' was likely a true Adagio, so I can't criticize it, but it was slower than the norm. This also had the reverse blessing of letting you ponder each bit of the entire and appreciate the wonderful structure that Ludwig built there.

The finale was closer to average speed and dynamics than most of the rest of the performance. If I could find the Münchener who managed to cough and choke through the more poignant moments, I would happily give him something to cough and choke about, but overall it was not too disturbingly disturbing for a live performance.

Playing - very good     
singing - good, not outstanding             
sound quality - good, at best.
Artistry - excellent

Overall - one you should hear, but not if it's your only version, or even if it's your 2nd version. I enjoyed it (but I have 100 others to compare it to!).   0:)

At last, it is Celibidache's performace. If you can withstand his ideas about Zen effect, or sth like that, you can find it wonderful. If you don't, it is just dreadful slow performance 

[Gurn Blanston]

   At last, it is Celibidache's performace. If you can withstand his ideas about Zen effect, or sth like that, you can find it wonderful. If you don't, it is just dreadful slow performance 

Ah, Zen. No wonder I was at sea. I'm no mystic, I'm afraid.   At least I will say that it wasn't all slow, it bounced around like a crazy monkey from usually slow to something faster. Thousands like him.   0:)

[Bogey]

Do you have the Stokowski '67 recording, my friend?

[Gurn Blanston]

Do you have the Stokowski '67 recording, my friend?

No, never ran across it serendipitously, and it isn't what I would hunt down, although '67 could be quite fine for me, when I think of 'LEE-opoldt" I think more like '47....

[jochanaan]

It seems to me that there are many very fine orchestral recordings of the Ninth, but I've heard very few with what I would consider outstanding singing; certainly I've never heard anything like, say, the Karl Boehm/Vienna Philharmonic recording of the Missa Solemnis with Margaret Price, Christa Ludwig, Martti Talvela and either the Staatsopernchor or the Singverein.  Can anyone recommend a recording based on the singing?  (I saw that one of the recordings mentioned in this thread features Bryn Terfel; I bet he knocks the socks off that first recitative!)

[Gurn Blanston]

Jo,
This is an excellent choice based on singing. I don't know, I don't really go for old timey stuff, although that's where you hear the famous names. But this is superb for playing as well as singing, and it's only from 1999. I've never heard a discouraging word about it.

[jochanaan]

Thanks, Gurn!  I'll have to check it out when I can.

[Gurn Blanston]

Thanks, Gurn!  I'll have to check it out when I can.

You're welcome. And thanks back at'cha, since your question led me to choose it this AM for my weekly listening and I got to enjoy it all over again.

[Pat B]

Ah, I didn't realize that; I thought you already had the Z-Z set (it's Tops!) and had added the other later on. Well, at least the Z-Z is still fairly easy to obtain, and well worth the effort, if only for the fabulous 5th.

Hi Gurn. I finally grabbed Immerseel's cycle (2005-2007 on ZZT) and have given it a listen. I agree that the 5th is fantastic, but unfortunately I can't say the same for the 9th. The big problem for me is that the strings sound very distant and the recording doesn't balance that. I constantly wanted to turn the volume up or down to account for it, which is a distraction when it works and useless in tuttis. I don't consider myself super-picky about such things, but I have other 9ths where the choir sounds too recessed, or the whole thing sounds compressed. I suppose this is a difficult piece to engineer.

Today I went back to Immerseel's '99 9th. I hate to be one to promote a hard-to-find (in the USA) recording -- especially since prices on amazon.de have gone up since I last mentioned it -- but this remains my favorite PI version (over Gardiner, Herreweghe 1999, and Immerseel 2007). If you ever feel like splurging on an import of a piece that you already have 100+ recordings of , consider it.

[Pat B]

(Beethoven: Symphony 9 (Herreweghe 1998 on HM))

I had previously put this in the good-but-not-great category, but recently listened again, now from the Lumières box. This time I enjoyed it very much. I cannot remember or imagine what my reservations might have been (I didn't mention it in my notes).

[Gurn Blanston]

I had previously put this in the good-but-not-great category, but recently listened again, now from the Lumières box. This time I enjoyed it very much. I cannot remember or imagine what my reservations might have been (I didn't mention it in my notes).

I have to say, that is one of my top choices, not just because the playing is excellent, but the singing is as good as on any other performance I have. I'm pleased you gave it another chance!   

[Ken B]

I have to say, that is one of my top choices, not just because the playing is excellent, but the singing is as good as on any other performance I have. I'm pleased you gave it another chance!   

My answer, truthfully, is none. I don't like the finale, so rarely enjoy the symphony.  i usually stop after 3 movements, since they are great. This recording is less unenjoyable than most though.   
Is it possible to go beyond OVPP to 0VPP? 

[Gurn Blanston]

My answer, truthfully, is none. I don't like the finale, so rarely enjoy the symphony.  i usually stop after 3 movements, since they are great. This recording is less unenjoyable than most though.   
Is it possible to go beyond OVPP to 0VPP? 

Well, that is a not uncommon reaction, I have heard it many times before. Sorry to hear about this affliction...  

I actually learned to enjoy vocal music directly from listening to the 9th, so I owe it that debt of gratitude. With over 100 recordings of it, plus helping spread the gospel, I have paid it back a bit.  0:)

[André]

I just finished listening to Bernstein conducting the NYPO (the Sony recording). Not bad, but nothing to enthuse over. Lenny would become more 'cosmic' in I later on with the WP. The cannonade from the timps in II is a tad overdone. III is beautiful, the best movement - as it would be in Vienna too. The Finale is well organized, but the vocal forces are under par. There are some bleaters in the Juillard Chorus, and the soloists are hammy.

3 stars out of 5