Recordings that you enjoy: Beethoven Symphony #9

Started by Gurn Blanston, April 26, 2009, 08:39:39 AM

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Gurn Blanston

Quote from: Philoctetes on September 16, 2010, 01:07:27 PM
Well for me it is the fulfillment of my idea of what the music is supposed to sound like. It was completely unbounded. I mean you just want to jump with him.

And that is certainly what this thread is about; recordings that you enjoy. I have Bernstein with the NYPO and much later with the WP, and in fact I have this one on a DVD (bootleg). He always seems to me like someone who really loves the music in this work. Add the extra zest of the fall of the Wall and there is little between many of the people there (including LB) and ecstasy. :)

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Que

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on September 16, 2010, 12:44:55 PM
Best LvB 9th I've heard by Walter so far, sadly a flawed last movement.

Q


Q,
What exactly does it mean "sadly, a flawed last movement"?  I mean, are we talking about the whole thing sucks from first to last? Or there's a couple of missed noted among the players/singers?  ???

I was just getting ready to pull the trigger on this disk, and I remembered that we had this conversation last year so I came and looked it up. I would quite like to have a Walter, and can't find the other one under discussion here (the 49/53), but would like to be pleased with this one if possible. :)

8)

Gurn, I mean the movement in general. Earlier comment HERE !  Check PM.  :)

Q

The new erato

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on September 02, 2010, 06:52:25 AM


Does anyone here know anything about Konwitschny?

8)
A very fine Beethoven violin concerto with Suk and the CPO on Supraphon - and a fine supplement to Suk's version with Boult.

Gurn Blanston

Quote from: Que on September 17, 2010, 12:15:06 AM
Gurn, I mean the movement in general. Earlier comment HERE !  Check PM.  :)

Q

Ah, I was afraid you did, although I have seen people write about an entire symphony being the shits, and it turned out to be because of one foul note by a horn in the 3rd movement. ::)  Had to check. :)

Well, I see your expanded comment in that other thread. It isn't enough to put me off, although it does make me stop and think for a moment. But no, in my group of historical recordings I have the reputedly great conductors, I really need a Walter there. So if this is the best I can do (lacking access to that hybrid 49/53 version), I will do it and be happy. Thanks for the commentary, most illuminating. :)

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Gurn Blanston

Quote from: erato on September 17, 2010, 02:37:34 AM
A very fine Beethoven violin concerto with Suk and the CPO on Supraphon - and a fine supplement to Suk's version with Boult.

I can see me grabbing that Suk Beethoven if I come across it. As it turned out, I was quite favorably inclined towards his 9th, as I reviewed briefly this past Sunday. For recordings of that era (1960), I thought it had a lot of features in tempo and performance that I usually associate with recordings of the 1990's. :)

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Gurn Blanston

I bought this today, having heard or read absolutely nothing about it. Anyone specifically heard this? London SO / Haitink.



Amazon's 6 reviewers say 4 or 5 stars, but that has little value since apparently only people who like things post a review there... :)

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Brian

Hmmm - I quite like some of the LSO Live recordings (esp 7, 8 ) but haven't heard the Ninth!

Coopmv

Quote from: Brian on September 23, 2010, 04:22:53 AM
Hmmm - I quite like some of the LSO Live recordings (esp 7, 8 ) but haven't heard the Ninth!

This is one of the 24 Beethoven cycles I have.  For B9, I actually prefer the version by the RCO and Haitink, recorded on Philips in the late 70's ...

AndyD.

The Furtwangler "Nazi" era recording is my favorite. Also, alot of people will hate me for this, but the Furtwangler features the only 3rd movement of this symphony that l can listen to without falling asleep.
http://andydigelsomina.blogspot.com/

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Gurn Blanston

Quote from: Brian on September 23, 2010, 04:22:53 AM
Hmmm - I quite like some of the LSO Live recordings (esp 7, 8 ) but haven't heard the Ninth!

This is my first recording of anything on their own label. It would be a 9th, of course. :)  I like Haitink anyway, so that's a good start. I also have the LSO in this work, for sure under Jochum and also Giulini, and maybe 1 or 2 others...  :-[    So we'll see how it goes. :)

Quote from: Coopmv on September 23, 2010, 04:49:41 PM
This is one of the 24 Beethoven cycles I have.  For B9, I actually prefer the version by the RCO and Haitink, recorded on Philips in the late 70's ...

I like that 9th too (and that cycle, for that matter). In another 3 months, I will have 3 extra 9ths to add to each of your complete cycles. Sort of rounding them out... :D

8)


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Academy of Ancient Music / Schröder  Hogwood - K 318 Symphony #32 in G 2nd mvmt - Andante
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Gurn Blanston

Quote from: AndyD. on September 23, 2010, 04:55:38 PM
The Furtwangler "Nazi" era recording is my favorite. Also, alot of people will hate me for this, but the Furtwangler features the only 3rd movement of this symphony that l can listen to without falling asleep.

As an historical document it is very interesting, as a result it is good to own, and for an occasional listen. Really and truly, and nothing against it, just sayin'; it isn't Beethoven's 9th, it's Furtwängler's 9th. Well, with a little help from Wagner & Co. :)

----------------
Now playing:
Academy of Ancient Music / Schröder  Hogwood - K 318 Symphony #32 in G 2nd mvmt - Andante
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Haydn: that genius of vulgar music who induces an inordinate thirst for beer - Mily Balakirev (1860)

kishnevi

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on September 23, 2010, 04:58:01 PM
This is my first recording of anything on their own label. It would be a 9th, of course. :)  I like Haitink anyway, so that's a good start. I also have the LSO in this work, for sure under Jochum and also Giulini, and maybe 1 or 2 others...  :-[    So we'll see how it goes. :)



I like the LSO Live Schopfung....

As for the work actually being discussed on this topic, my two favorites are almost literally the extremes on either end--Gardiner/ORR from their Beethoven cycle for the short, and Bohm/VPO for the long (very long--has there been anyone who's gone over the 80 minute mark?)

AndyD.

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on September 23, 2010, 05:00:49 PM
As an historical document it is very interesting, as a result it is good to own, and for an occasional listen. Really and truly, and nothing against it, just sayin'; it isn't Beethoven's 9th, it's Furtwängler's 9th. Well, with a little help from Wagner & Co. :)

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Now playing:
Academy of Ancient Music / Schröder  Hogwood - K 318 Symphony #32 in G 2nd mvmt - Andante


I think you have a very good point here. To me, it's a powerful performance, and the irony of it all really wins me over each time I listen.
http://andydigelsomina.blogspot.com/

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Gurn Blanston

Quote from: AndyD. on September 24, 2010, 01:32:20 AM

I think you have a very good point here. To me, it's a powerful performance, and the irony of it all really wins me over each time I listen.

Absolutely, Andy. It is brimful of passion and power. And yes, irony too. :D  Furtwängler was one of the last of the generation that took works from before their time and made them into "modern and up-to-date" interpretations. It was a style that is pretty much dead now, but he did it to perfection.

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Gurn Blanston

Quote from: kishnevi on September 23, 2010, 07:36:09 PM
I like the LSO Live Schopfung....

As for the work actually being discussed on this topic, my two favorites are almost literally the extremes on either end--Gardiner/ORR from their Beethoven cycle for the short, and Bohm/VPO for the long (very long--has there been anyone who's gone over the 80 minute mark?)

Ah, Gardiner & Böhm! The antipodes of 9th performance!  :D  It seems to me that somewhere I read about a performance that was longer than that, but Böhm is my personal record setter at a few seconds under 80 min. I have Celibidache too, and he doesn't threaten Böhm in any way. Scary , eh?  :o :o

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AndyD.

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on September 24, 2010, 04:14:36 AM
Absolutely, Andy. It is brimful of passion and power. And yes, irony too. :D  Furtwängler was one of the last of the generation that took works from before their time and made them into "modern and up-to-date" interpretations. It was a style that is pretty much dead now, but he did it to perfection.

8)

Of course, there are ridiculous extremes in this area: G. Gould's Beethoven interpretations were a little too "personal", for me at least.
http://andydigelsomina.blogspot.com/

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Gurn Blanston

Quote from: AndyD. on September 24, 2010, 04:18:06 AM
Of course, there are ridiculous extremes in this area: G. Gould's Beethoven interpretations were a little too "personal", for me at least.

Oh yeah, me too. Once was enough! :o

Historically, there has always been a dichotomy between following the perceived intent of the composer vs. interpreter's wishes reign supreme. At times the popular sentiment swings way over to interpreter, and right now it has swung back the other way. My personal taste is towards composer's intent is supreme, so I'm at my peak of happiness at this point in history. 10 years from now, in the event that I'm still alive, I will probably be totally on the outside of prevailing taste. So it goes. :)

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AndyD.

You know, I felt that the Celibidache approach was more succesful with Bruckner than Beethoven.

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on September 24, 2010, 04:24:23 AM
Oh yeah, me too. Once was enough! :o

Historically, there has always been a dichotomy between following the perceived intent of the composer vs. interpreter's wishes reign supreme. At times the popular sentiment swings way over to interpreter, and right now it has swung back the other way. My personal taste is towards composer's intent is supreme...
8)

Especially when it comes to Beethoven (though there are notable exceptions, mostly in the chamber music).
http://andydigelsomina.blogspot.com/

My rockin' Metal wife:


AndyD.

You know, I just wrote about individual interpretation in Beethoven, and I have to admit, the Furtwangler "Nazi 9th" does have a Wagnerian feel that I just completely wins me over, whether it's a bit unadherent to the score or not.
http://andydigelsomina.blogspot.com/

My rockin' Metal wife:


Gurn Blanston

#179
Quote from: AndyD. on September 24, 2010, 04:27:14 AM
You know, I felt that the Celibidache approach was more succesful with Bruckner than Beethoven.

I am not a Brucknerian, so can't comment on that. But I was modestly surprised that I enjoyed the Celi Beethoven 9th quite a lot, hadn't expected to as it is the Anti-HIP, so to speak. But really quite listenable. Go figure. :)

QuoteEspecially when it comes to Beethoven (though there are notable exceptions, mostly in the chamber music).

I am intrigued by this statement. Could you expand on it just a tad? Don't want to derail my own thread, but I am curious what you mean. :)

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