Recordings that you enjoy: Beethoven Symphony #9

[Gurn Blanston]

He might be my all-time favorite. First-rate in an astonishing wealth of repertoire.

Last year I bought a Roku device for the TV, partly because it featured a classical music performance channel. Seeing some of Abbado's Lucerne Mahler performances, I learned that I enjoyed watching as well as hearing them. I even bought a pair of decent speakers and hooked them up to an old amplifier so as to improve my "home concert hall" experience.

Roku promptly discontinued the classical music channel. Neither Netflix nor Amazon offers much in the way of non-pop music videos and for some reason I've never particularly enjoyed opera videos (though I keep trying!). So I am looking forward to seeing whether this DVD set rekindles the magic. If so, my buying habits may change!

I'm thinking that there are a lot of concert DVD's now available, and as you noted, the prices are very decent. I got one recently of the Juilliard's doing some Beethoven quartets that was really excellent and a pleasure to watch. I also have a pile of home-made concerts that were burned off broadcast TV from as long as 15 years ago, many of which are outstanding performances. Like Gardiner doing the 9th from Carnegie Hall. So I do get to enjoy more than I would have predicted. I probably won't be streaming video in my lifetime, given where I have chosen to live. And it's also the only way to go with opera; just sayin'.

[Beale]

This post may be a little off-topic.

The Australian Chamber Orchestra has just completed a tour playing the 9th with the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge. The reviews are full of superlatives. http://www.aco.com.au/whats_on/event_detail/beethoven9

Local composer/reviewer Stephen Whittington wrote: "... possibly the most exciting performance of this work that has ever been given in Australia." "All sorts of details in the score that are so often submerged in the overall sound were distinctly audible, so much so that at times it was like hearing this extremely familiar work for the first time." "It was magnificent and deeply moving."

Now if they release a recording of this performance it should be something really worth checking out.

[Gurn Blanston]

This post may be a little off-topic.

The Australian Chamber Orchestra has just completed a tour playing the 9th with the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge. The reviews are full of superlatives. http://www.aco.com.au/whats_on/event_detail/beethoven9

Local composer/reviewer Stephen Whittington wrote: "... possibly the most exciting performance of this work that has ever been given in Australia." "All sorts of details in the score that are so often submerged in the overall sound were distinctly audible, so much so that at times it was like hearing this extremely familiar work for the first time." "It was magnificent and deeply moving."

Now if they release a recording of this performance it should be something really worth checking out.

Not really OT since, if the best result happens, we will all have a copy of it soon!   I would certainly snap it up. OTOH, it is possible that a recorded version will, in its turn, resubmerge those lovely details back into the overall sound, since they certainly exist in every live performance... no matter though, I'd love to have something from Australia to bolster that corner of the globe in my collection.

[Gurn Blanston]

Sunday AM excellence;



IMO, this is one of the best efforts on period instruments. If you are one who has been hesitant for whatever reason to invest in a PI 9th, or conversely if you are a big fan of PI performances, this is a disk to have. Unusually enough, it was rec'd to me by a singer, one who is unusually critical of recorded singing efforts, and the result is that besides being wonderfully well-played, it also has just about the best choral work I've heard, in addition to really good soloists. Strongly recommended.

[Opus106]

Sunday AM excellence;



IMO, this is one of the best efforts on period instruments. If you are one who has been hesitant for whatever reason to invest in a PI 9th, or conversely if you are a big fan of PI performances, this is a disk to have. Unusually enough, it was rec'd to me by a singer, one who is unusually critical of recorded singing efforts, and the result is that besides being wonderfully well-played, it also has just about the best choral work I've heard, in addition to really good soloists. Strongly recommended.

Still waiting for its first Sunday spin, sitting in the amber-and-black box. Incidentally, this is my 3rd overall and 2nd PI Ninth. (All unintended of course, since no-one in their right mind would invest in more than one recording of a work. Right? 0:))

[Gurn Blanston]

Still waiting for its first Sunday spin, sitting in the amber-and-black box. Incidentally, this is my 3rd overall and 2nd PI Ninth. (All unintended of course, since no-one in their right mind would invest in more than one recording of a work. Right? 0:))

Why no, of course not!  All 90 of mine came as throw in's with other purchases....

You really need to take this one out for a test drive though, Navneeth, it is superb. 

[Opus106]

You really need to take this one out for a test drive though, Navneeth, it is superb. 

I've been wanting to, truth be told. Will do as soon as the presently-in-the-state-of-fritz CD player is set right again. I don't really want to première it on computer speakers.

[Gurn Blanston]

I've been wanting to, truth be told. Will do as soon as the presently-in-the-state-of-fritz CD player is set right again. I don't really want to première it on computer speakers.

Ouch. Electronics can drive you nuts sometimes.

[Opus106]

Listened to Herreweghe's Ninth, this evening. Lovely performance, but I probably wouldn't recommend this to a conservative who is about to invest in PI for the first time. Of the three I have (Fricsay and Gardiner are the other two), this is what I would call the more rustic. The pacing, especially in the last two movements, is wonderful. The third movement is virtually ball room music and flows smoothly without dragging (not that I mind dragging; a little is OK). I've mentioned my love for the woodwinds in period performances a few times, and in that respect this recording did not fail me. And the measured finale had a sense of dance to it, that I could almost imagine all the "brooder" holding hands and dancing , and which was unlike the mad rush to the finish that I usually hear.

[North Star]

Listened to Herreweghe's Ninth, this evening. Lovely performance, but I probably wouldn't recommend this to a conservative who is about to invest in PI for the first time. Of the three I have (Fricsay and Gardiner are the other two), this is what I would call the more rustic. The pacing, especially in the last two movements, is wonderful. The third movement is virtually ball room music and flows smoothly without dragging (not that I mind dragging; a little is OK). I've mentioned my love for the woodwinds in period performances a few times, and in that respect this recording did not fail me. And the measured finale had a sense of dance to it, that I could almost imagine all the "brooder" holding hands and dancing , and which was unlike the mad rush to the finish that I usually hear.

The Herreweghe is abslutely wonderful. Immerseel's last three movements have practically identical timings, but Herreweghe's first movement is two minutes faster - a rather significant difference, and the faster tempo works very well. Anyway, both of them are excellent, but the Herreweghe is by far my favourite.

[Gurn Blanston]

Navneeth,
Well, but it was just right for you though, yes? I have to say, if I had 3 versions to rotate listening of, Gardiner, Herreweghe and Fricsay would certainly keep my interest up for a long time.  All 3 are well up in my Top 10. I like your description of the last movements. I get that, and it is an uncommon approach.

Today;



When I listen to this I miss Mack more and more. Such a great conductor. 

[Opus106]

Navneeth,
Well, but it was just right for you though, yes?

Most certainly!

[Gurn Blanston]

Most certainly!

Ah, splendid. There is simply no better way to end the week than with such a great piece of music, well played.

[DavidW]

He might be my all-time favorite. First-rate in an astonishing wealth of repertoire.

Last year I bought a Roku device for the TV, partly because it featured a classical music performance channel. Seeing some of Abbado's Lucerne Mahler performances, I learned that I enjoyed watching as well as hearing them. I even bought a pair of decent speakers and hooked them up to an old amplifier so as to improve my "home concert hall" experience.

Roku promptly discontinued the classical music channel. Neither Netflix nor Amazon offers much in the way of non-pop music videos and for some reason I've never particularly enjoyed opera videos (though I keep trying!). So I am looking forward to seeing whether this DVD set rekindles the magic. If so, my buying habits may change!

I miss that app on the roku too Dave.  There are a few CM apps on my sony blu-ray player and will try them one day.

[Coopmv]

Sunday AM excellence;



IMO, this is one of the best efforts on period instruments. If you are one who has been hesitant for whatever reason to invest in a PI 9th, or conversely if you are a big fan of PI performances, this is a disk to have. Unusually enough, it was rec'd to me by a singer, one who is unusually critical of recorded singing efforts, and the result is that besides being wonderfully well-played, it also has just about the best choral work I've heard, in addition to really good soloists. Strongly recommended.

After having added the Beethoven Symphonies cycles by Gardiner, Goodman and Hogwood to my collection, I am still not convinced if HIP is the way to go for these classical masterpieces.  But there is no doubt in my mind I always prefer HIP for any baroque works ...

[Gurn Blanston]

After having added the Beethoven Symphonies cycles by Gardiner, Goodman and Hogwood to my collection, I am still not convinced if HIP is the way to go for these classical masterpieces.  But there is no doubt in my mind I always prefer HIP for any baroque works ...

Well, Stewart, as I tried to point out, this performance has so many things to recommend it apart from period instruments that it scarcely bears discussion in that context. It is quite simply a great performance.   

[Gurn Blanston]

In view of last week's discussion, this week I decided to return to this true classic performance, one of the all-timers on record;



Not a bad thing can be said about the instrumental performance, the singing or the leadership. Even the recorded sound is damned near perfect.

More than makes up for a marginal day on the golf course.   

[Gurn Blanston]

This week, with 5"+ (13cm) of rain in the gauge since yesterday morning, no golf on the agenda! So got to listen to the 9th early times, and just now enjoying the dulcet tones of the Minnesota Chorale led by Osmo Vänskä in this first rate version from 2006:



I've read mixed reactions to this performance although I find it hard to sympathize with the naysayers on it. Universally agreed upon though (so far) is that the recording quality itself is absolutely outstanding in its sound engineering values. If you are looking for a performance from this millennium that you can happily enjoy for years to come, you would be hard-pressed to top this one.

[Opus106]

Today I heard an overblown version, and for some reason the last movement kept on repeating for nearly an hour. Strangely enough, the file was named "Mass in D major, Op. 123 'Missa Solemnis'.

[Gurn Blanston]

Today I heard an overblown version, and for some reason the last movement kept on repeating for nearly an hour. Strangely enough, the file was named "Mass in D major, Op. 123 'Missa Solemnis'.

  Well, that's an oddity.