Recordings that you enjoy: Beethoven Symphony #9

[Gurn Blanston]

For those who liked Krivine's performance of the Ninth on period instruments, this will be a good news because now has been released the complete set of Beethoven's symphonies:

Thanks for that, Antoine. I listened to that 9th just last Sunday, in fact. I was lukewarm towards it at the first, but after several trials now, the soloists have won me over. They are especially good.



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Now playing:
Collegium musicum 90 - Richard Hickox - Hob 22 04 Missa in honorem BVM pt 07 - Credo - Et resurrexit

[Renfield]

Finally, and the main reason I went through the rest of the thread tonight: you don't seem to have the Abbado/CSO 9th. Is that correct?

[asin]B0001ENYEY[/asin]

Renfield, concentrate! Sorry, Gurn: the cold I apologised to MishaK for over at the violin babes thread seems to still be addling my wits. I was thinking about Abbado's Tchaikovsky with the CSO, and somehow they ended up playing Beethoven. At least we know for sure it's not the violin babes perpetrating the wit-addling.


So, this is an earlier Abbado/BPO 9th, which is what I meant to type, recorded live in Salzburg. It's a different performance to the one you have on CD, which is itself different from the DVD Rome version, but is nonetheless the one Abbado opted to include in the subsequent CD release (the red box) with the Rome 1-8. Go figure.

To sum up, there are four Abbado 9ths that I know of, from Vienna (VPO), Salzburg (BPO), Berlin (BPO) and Rome (BPO).

You have the Berlin BPO 9th, and the Rome BPO 9th on DVD. I have the Berlin and Salzburg BPO 9ths.


The Salzburg BPO 9th is the performance to which my above comments pertain, and the Berlin BPO 9th is the one I mention in my comparison, when I say it sounds (to me) like Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic playing Beethoven, whereas the Salzburg performance just sounds like Beethoven's 9th symphony.

That's the one I recommend you hear!

[Gurn Blanston]

Renfield, concentrate! Sorry, Gurn: the cold I apologised to MishaK for over at the violin babes thread seems to still be addling my wits. I was thinking about Abbado's Tchaikovsky with the CSO, and somehow they ended up playing Beethoven. At least we know for sure it's not the violin babes perpetrating the wit-addling.


So, this is an earlier Abbado/BPO 9th, which is what I meant to type, recorded live in Salzburg. It's a different performance to the one you have, which is itself different from the DVD Rome version, but is nonetheless the one Abbado opted to include in the subsequent CD release with the Rome 1-8. Go figure.

To sum up, there are four Abbado 9ths that I know of, from Vienna (VPO), Salzburg (BPO), Berlin (BPO) and Rome (BPO).

You have the Berlin BPO 9th, and the Rome BPO 9th on DVD. I have the Berlin and Salzburg BPO 9ths.


The Salzburg BPO 9th is the performance to which my above comments pertain, and the Berlin BPO 9th is the one I mention in my comparison, when I say it sounds (to me) like Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic playing Beethoven, whereas the Salzburg performance just sounds like Beethoven's 9th symphony.

That's the one I recommend you hear!

  It sucks when our health is niggling with us, I know!  Allergy meds make me quite daft this time of year myself.

OK, well that all makes perfect sense then. I have seen your Salzburg version, I think it can be had quite reasonably still. I'll certainly have a go at it.

And if I can get the WP one, I will do that too. Not for complete-ism's sake, since that is virtually impossibly (and at best, undesirable!) but simply because I have versions by that orchestra spanning decades and always enjoy hearing the evolution (or really, the opposite of that, yet in a good way).




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Now playing:
Collegium musicum 90 - Richard Hickox - Hob 22 05 'Missa Cellensis' pt 03 - Kyrie - 'Kyrie eleison' Vivace

[DarkAngel]

 

1958 Munch/BSO 9th included on the very expensive 2CD Munch collection is now also sold as stands alone RCA Living Stereo  release with Sony DSD remaster for very cheap $7 new at Amazon USA, this has always been in my top 5 recordings of 9th so I highly recommend checking this out

[Gurn Blanston]

DA,
Thanks. Bought it. I've been (not diligently) keeping an eye open for a Munch version, and this looks ideal. Maybe I can report back next Sunday.



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Now playing:
Haydn - Hob 16 35 Sonata in C for Keyboard 1st mvmt - Allegro con brio

[zauberharfe]

@Renfield

can you please specify the disc number of that Salzburg/BPO/Abbado recording? Unfortunately I could not find it, that is to say, I'm not sure if I've found the right one. The place of the recording is rarely mentioned outside his releases... 

Thank you!

(a digression: for what is it worth that Munch recording is among my favourites, too!)

[Gurn Blanston]

DA,
Thanks. Bought it. I've been (not diligently) keeping an eye open for a Munch version, and this looks ideal. Maybe I can report back next Sunday.

And so I did.

[asin]B003YI3CXC[/asin]

Contemporaneous versions that I have;
1958   Berlin Philharmonic           Cluytens, André
1958   Berlin Philharmonic           Fricsay, Ferenc
1958   Boston SO                           Munch, Charles
1959   Orchestre Suisse-Romande   Ansermet, Ernest

Boy, 1958/59 was a great period for 9ths! Not only were the recordings themselves getting better (Fricsay's was the first stereo 9th released, although all 4 of those are in stereo) for sound quality, but also the performance practice itself was evolving into something far more like we hear today.  In the next few years, the standard for performance of this piece would become possibly less fluid than it was in the late '50's, but at least in part that is because it was so good.

And that is very true with this version too. A great quartet of soloists (led by Leontyne Price), and a fine choral backup keep the last movement on par with any. I've never been disappointed with the playing of the Boston SO, and here under Munch they are as good as ever, possibly even a bit better. He doesn't play around with tempos, not a great lot of rubato or other stuff that I don't like, just a brisk and steady beat throughout. If this is Toscanini inspired, then more power to him.




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Now playing:
Boston SO \ Munch  - Op 125 Symphony #9 in d 4th mvmt - Presto - Allegro assai - Recitativo: 'O Freunde, nicht diese Töne' - Allegro maestoso

[jlaurson]

To sum up, there are four Abbado 9ths that I know of, from Vienna (VPO), Salzburg (BPO), Berlin (BPO) and Rome (BPO).

You have the Berlin BPO 9th, and the Rome BPO 9th on DVD. I have the Berlin and Salzburg BPO 9ths.
The Salzburg BPO 9th is the performance to which my above comments pertain,... [it] just sounds like Beethoven's 9th symphony.

Incidentally my favorite Beethoven 9th, too.


Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (Part 2)
http://www.weta.org/fmblog/?p=360


I think there is even another (or more) Abbado Beethoven 9th out there...

As you mentioned:

Vienna / DG - CD
Berlin in Salzburg / Sony - CD
Berlin in Berlin Beethoven Cycle and in Rome Beethoven Cycle / DG - CD
(Berlin Cycle), (Rome Cycle)
Berlin in Rome on Rome Beethoven DVD cycle / medici arts, EuroArts

and then this:


Berlin in Berlin DVD (not Quasthoff) / EuroArts
same as the
coupling DVD with Pletnev PC #2 / EuroArts
possibly, presumably same as the
"Discovering Beethoven's Ninth" performance / EuroArts ????

[Gurn Blanston]

Incidentally my favorite Beethoven 9th, too.


Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (Part 2)
http://www.weta.org/fmblog/?p=360


I think there is even another (or more) Abbado Beethoven 9th out there...

As you mentioned:

Vienna / DG - CD
Berlin in Salzburg / Sony - CD
Berlin in Berlin Beethoven Cycle and in Rome Beethoven Cycle / DG - CD
(Berlin Cycle), (Rome Cycle)

and then this:

Berlin in Rome on Rome Beethoven DVD cycle / medici arts, EuroArts
Berlin in Berlin DVD (not Quasthoff) / EuroArts
same as the
coupling DVD with Pletnev PC #2 / EuroArts
possibly, presumably same as the
"Discovering Beethoven's Ninth" performance / EuroArts ????

Thanks, Jens. Yes, I have that DVD version myself and am actually quite fond of it. I wondered a few years back if it would ever be released on CD, and I'm guessing by now that the answer is no.

Anyway, it has that certain joie de vivre that only a live performance seems able to bring out.

[Gurn Blanston]

Purchased this week;


I have had this as a modest quality download for several years and always given it the nod as a very nice version, but this was the first time I have seen it available for under my price point. It should be here this week, looking forward to hearing it in all its glory!

[chung]

Purchased this week;


I have had this as a modest quality download for several years and always given it the nod as a very nice version, but this was the first time I have seen it available for under my price point. It should be here this week, looking forward to hearing it in all its glory!

This is a fine recording and I've liked it since I heard it on cassette many years ago. It's a shame that Universal/Decca has not bothered to reissue Schmidt-Isserstedt's cycle, and we're left fighting over used copies or single CDs from the cycle on Amazon Marketplace.

[Gurn Blanston]

This is a fine recording and I've liked it since I heard it on cassette many years ago. It's a shame that Universal/Decca has not bothered to reissue Schmidt-Isserstedt's cycle, and we're left fighting over used copies or single CDs from the cycle on Amazon Marketplace.

This is so. I actually received this disk today, and I see that it was issued in 1988. AFAIK, it hasn't been released since then. I saw a box set of the symphonies, but without any children to sell I'm afraid I will have to do without...

[Gurn Blanston]

I am curious whether or not anyone here has heard the 9th by the Vienna Philharmonic / Elihu Inbal on Denon? It dates from <>1988, IIRC, and was recorded at the New Year concert. I've been thinking of having a go at it. If you have an impression of it, please leave a line here.

Thanks,
Gurn 

[RJR]

This is so. I actually received this disk today, and I see that it was issued in 1988. AFAIK, it hasn't been released since then. I saw a box set of the symphonies, but without any children to sell I'm afraid I will have to do without...

I have an old cassette of Schmidt-Isserstedt conducting Beethoven's 7th, but it has been a long time since I've listened to it. Going to listen to his recording of the Ninth sometime this week after I finish processing it.

[Gurn Blanston]

I have an old cassette of Schmidt-Isserstedt conducting Beethoven's 7th, but it has been a long time since I've listened to it. Going to listen to his recording of the Ninth sometime this week after I finish processing it.

I think you will be pleased, I found it to be a very nice recording. It's interesting, listening to the same orchestra (WP) over a long period of time (1935-2000+), how they have responded to different conductors' input, and yet consistently the WP no matter who is up front.

[Gurn Blanston]

Recopied from WAYLT?.

Sunday morning here, must be The 9th!

I recently acquired this version by Wiener Symphoniker / Eliahu Inbal. Recorded at the 1990 New Year Concert at the Wiener Konzerthaus. Of course, you never know with live recordings, but I have to say that this is one of the best I've heard. Playing excellent, singing excellent, Inbal's vision for the rhythms and tempi are very congruent with my own, so it makes me happy. No applause.   If you run across this Denon disk, do yourself a favor.

[Gurn Blanston]

With the recent addition of Maazel, I have been re-listening to my various Cleveland Orchestra Recordings. I now have these four;



SONY 1963 Szell, George Cleveland Orchestra Choir/Shaw, Robert Addison, Adele Hobson, Jane Lewis, Richard Bell, Donald

CBS   1982 Maazel, Loren   Cleveland Orchestra Chorus/Page, Robert Popp, Lucia Obraztsova, Elena Vickers, Jon  Talvela, Martti

Telarc 1985  Dohnányi, Christoph von  Cleveland Orchestra Chorus/Page, Robert Vaness, Carol Taylor, Janice Jeruselem, Siegfried Lloyd, Robert

D-G 2007    Welser-Most, Franz   Cleveland Orchestra Chorus/Porco, Robert     Brueggergosman, Measha O'Connor, Kelley Lopardo, Frank Pape, René

and they are all pretty fine! Anyone have any favorites among them? Are there any I don't know about? They give a nice overview of the state of the orchestra over a nearly 50 year period.

[Sergeant Rock]

and they are all pretty fine! Anyone have any favorites among them? Are there any I don't know about?

I checked the Cleveland Orchestra discography. Those are the official four. I don't know if there are any pirated versions out there. My favorite of the four: Dohnänyi...not only my favorite Cleveland performance, my favorite MI version period.

Sarge

[TheGSMoeller]

I haven't looked through the thread to see of its been mentioned, but my choice is Leinsdorf with Boston, has been for many, many years.

[Gurn Blanston]

I checked the Cleveland Orchestra discography. Those are the official four. I don't know if there are any pirated versions out there. My favorite of the four: Dohnänyi...not only my favorite Cleveland performance, my favorite MI version period.

Sarge

Thanks, Sarge. I knew you would know if anyone did!  I like the singing, both chorus and soloists, on the Dohnányi the best, but I think I prefer the playing in other movements on the Szell better. He keeps a mean tempo! The Maazel is interesting, I just listened to it this AM for the first time so I don't have a lot to say about it yet, but I can hear more of the instrumental solos in that recording than in any other I have. Whether that is a good thing or a bad one, I'm not sure, since it sounds like it is made possible by a bit of recording imbalance, kind of like you see when you watch a concert video and the instrument that the camera is on is more audible than the others.