BaL 2.01.16 - Beethoven: Symphony no. 5 in C minor

[seabright]

It's a bit ridiculous to have a 45-minute BAL on a work that's been recorded several hundred times. Indeed, how can he possibly even hear all the ones that are listed as "available," not least when there could be other versions better than his choice that are still "available" via the internet, whether Amazon or eBay? For example, the very first recording of all, namely the 1910 acoustic set made by Friedrich Kark and the Odeon Symphony, is readily "available" to anyone who wants to hear and download it at the click of a key, and surprisingly good it is! ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVbgz9kZeD0

I dare say he'll plump for Carlos Kleiber, like the last BAL reviewer did, if memory correctly serves! ... Personally, I'm more than content with Rene Leibowitz and the very fiery RPO should I ever wish to listen to this work, which isn't very often as it happens ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id1TdJswIiQ

[richardfinegold]

Owing to the purchase of several of the big mega box collections at low prices, I realize that I've got many versions by the likes of Dorati, Toscanini, Stowkowski, and Horenstein that I have never gotten around to listening to. A weekend project, perhaps.

[Bryn]

It's a bit ridiculous to have a 45-minute BAL on a work that's been recorded several hundred times. Indeed, how can he possibly even hear all the ones that are listed as "available," not least when there could be other versions better than his choice that are still "available" via the internet, whether Amazon or eBay? For example, the very first recording of all, namely the 1910 acoustic set made by Friedrich Kark and the Odeon Symphony, is readily "available" to anyone who wants to hear and download it at the click of a key, and surprisingly good it is! ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVbgz9kZeD0

I dare say he'll plump for Carlos Kleiber, like the last BAL reviewer did, if memory correctly serves! ... Personally, I'm more than content with Rene Leibowitz and the very fiery RPO should I ever wish to listen to this work, which isn't very often as it happens ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id1TdJswIiQ

I have always found the RPO/Leibowiz a reading easy on the digestion.

[Alison]

I have always found the RPO/Leibowiz a reading easy on the digestion.

( Happy Christmas Nethersage )

[Petrushka]

Just had the 'new' LPO/Tennstedt in my Christmas stocking with the Honeck/Pittsburgh still awating delivery. Will report back when I've heard the Tennstedt.

[richardfinegold]

Just had the 'new' LPO/Tennstedt in my Christmas stocking with the Honeck/Pittsburgh still awating delivery. Will report back when I've heard the Tennstedt.

The Honeck didn't make it here in time for the Holiday but the Tennstedt 6th that you advocated last spring did. I wasn't overly impressed when I heard the first 3 movements on Spotify then, but I was really impressed by the whole recording. Besides a very strong performance the recording is wonderfully detailed and presents a real concert hall acoustic.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

My first recording of this work was on four 78s: VPO/Schalk

I'm surprised at how few versions I've had:

VPO/Schalk
BPO/Furtwangler,
VPO/Furtwangler
Philharmonia/Karajan
CSO/Walter
VPO/Schmidt-Isserstedt
VPO/Bohm
Leipzig Gewandhaus/Masur
VPO/C Kleiber

The Columbia SO/Walter is by far my favourite, but there is one mannerism which puzzles me. In the first movement coda, Walter stops the orchestra for a short unmarked GP. It isn't an editing fault - this is clear because a few of the players make a bit of a mess of it. The idea does work, but I wonder why the conductor decided to do it.

[Roehre]

My first recording of this work was on four 78s: VPO/Schalk

I'm surprised at how few versions I've had:

VPO/Schalk
BPO/Furtwangler,
VPO/Furtwangler
Philharmonia/Karajan
CSO/Walter
VPO/Schmidt-Isserstedt
VPO/Bohm
Leipzig Gewandhaus/Masur
VPO/C Kleiber

The Columbia SO/Walter is by far my favourite, but there is one mannerism which puzzles me. In the first movement coda, Walter stops the orchestra for a short unmarked GP. It isn't an editing fault - this is clear because a few of the players make a bit of a mess of it. The idea does work, but I wonder why the conductor decided to do it.

The idea does work, and isn't entirely Walter's.
It's not indicated in the score, but -as some in 9i and 9iv- to be found in the sketches leading directly to the continuity draft. Thus it's a thought seriously contemplated by Beethoven, but eventually rejected.

I recall a similar discussion with our Maltese friend Auferstehen re bar 16 in the Ninth's 1st mvt.

[BBMmk2]

I have not many at all! Karajan(1962), Abbado(re-mastered) and Harnoncourt's.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The idea does work, and isn't entirely Walter's.
It's not indicated in the score, but -as some in 9i and 9iv- to be found in the sketches leading directly to the continuity draft. Thus it's a thought seriously contemplated by Beethoven, but eventually rejected.

Many thanks, Roehre. I knew there'd be someone on the forum who'd know.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

For myself, I find that the scherzo repeat, once heard in context, becomes a vital part of the experience so restricting my choice to those very few versions that include it (not sure which they are), I'm going for BPO/Abbado in the Rome concert recording.

It isn't there in either of my scores.

[pastoralguy]

Honeck/Pittsburgh still awating delivery.

Make sure it works, Pet! I've just had to send mine back due to a fault!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It isn't there in either of my scores.

One for Roehre, I think - IIRC, Loughran's was the first to record the repeat, based on an early edition who's accuracy has, I think, since been questioned. Jonathan Del Mar's edition contains (again IIRC) a full discussion of the evidence.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

One for Roehre, I think - IIRC, Loughran's was the first to record the repeat, based on an early edition who's accuracy has, I think, since been questioned. Jonathan Del Mar's edition contains (again IIRC) a full discussion of the evidence.

Does anyone know of a link that's more detailed than the Wiki article?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Scherzo repeaters include Christopher Hogwood, John Eliot Gardiner, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Pierre Boulez, David Zinman, and Claudio Abbado.