Collecting Beethoven

[Mark]

Their 4 & 5 are heavenly, but the set is a tough swallow.

What you perhaps hear as 'shallow', others hear as lightly worn? I'm thinking particularly of the earlier Sonatas, which this pairing bring off beautifully without any hint of heavy-handedness or over-indulgence.

[71 dB]

Piano Sonatas: Brautigam on BIS

[ChamberNut]

Choral Fantasy Harnoncourt/COE (Warner Classics)-Just maybe my favorite Beethoven recording on the shelf.

Bogey, I have this one too and really enjoy it.  It also includes the Triple Concerto.  I'm a big fan of Harnoncourt.

[Bogey]

Bogey, I have this one too and really enjoy it.  It also includes the Triple Concerto.  I'm a big fan of Harnoncourt.

It's a beauty for sure.

[gmstudio]

Anyone familiar with this set? 



It's only $18 on Amazon.  I've been collecting boxes of the Beethoven Symphonies recently and was wondering if it's worthwhile or not?   (Sets I currently have:  Szell, Muti, Karajan (60's), Norrington, Gardiner)

[MN Dave]

Anyone familiar with this set? 

It's only $18 on Amazon.  I've been collecting boxes of the Beethoven Symphonies recently and was wondering if it's worthwhile or not?   (Sets I currently have:  Szell, Muti, Karajan (60's), Norrington, Gardiner)

Holden recommends it above.

[gmstudio]

Holden recommends it above.

My thread-skimming skills suck...apologies. 

[MN Dave]

Todd,

Is the Gulda the same as the set on Brilliant?

[MN Dave]

My thread-skimming skills suck...apologies. 

No problem.

[George]

Todd,

Is the Gulda the same as the set on Brilliant?

Same performance, though I have read the transfer is better on Brilliant.

[MN Dave]

Same performance, though I have read the transfer is better on Brilliant.

Thanks, George. Good news.

[jwinter]

Anyone familiar with this set? 



It's only $18 on Amazon.  I've been collecting boxes of the Beethoven Symphonies recently and was wondering if it's worthwhile or not?   (Sets I currently have:  Szell, Muti, Karajan (60's), Norrington, Gardiner)

I think it's well worth your time.  It's the same orchestra as the famous Karajan, and recorded about the same time, so it's interesting to contrast & compare.  Very nice in it's own right, too.

I think a set from Vienna would compliment what you have nicely.  For an economical and easy on shelf-space intro, the Schmidt-Isserstedt/WP set of the symphonies & concerti is excellent -- the piano concerti with Backhaus are really superb.  Personally I like Karl Bohm with the same orchestra a bit more in the symphonies (his last 9th, while very slow, is my all-time favorite), but S-I is very refined, if a little mellow in spots.  Avoid Rattle -- very stilted, undercooked interpretations, not at all convincing IMO.  Bernstein/WP is very good, though not a top choice other than his 7th IMO.  I haven't heard Abbado/WP, although his Berlin CD set is pretty good, and the BPO DVD set from Rome is outstanding -- that's definitely what I would recommend if you're looking for DVDs.

For piano, my top overall choice is probably Gilels, and if I were looking for my first complete sonata set on a budget I'd go for Gulda on Brilliant.  Hard to imagine being truly satisfied with just one, though...

Hope that helps! 

[Holden]

Anyone familiar with this set? 



It's only $18 on Amazon.  I've been collecting boxes of the Beethoven Symphonies recently and was wondering if it's worthwhile or not?   (Sets I currently have:  Szell, Muti, Karajan (60's), Norrington, Gardiner)

This is the set I imprinted on in the LP era and when it finally came out on CD I was not disappointed (my ears did not deceive me) to hear it again. While no set is perfect, it is a very recommendable overall. The weaker works in the set are the 5th and 3rd IMO but they are still good interpretations. The top performance is a Pastoral to rival Bruno Walter - indeed they are very similar. An old fashioned but very well crafted 9th with excellent soloists is also a good recommendation. I also enjoyed the 7th, 4th and especially the 2nd. If the overtures come with this set then that's good news too.