Beethoven Symphony Cycles

[cloughie]

I didn't realise the Cluytens set was back in circulation - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-Sy...1964128&sr=1-1 Last time I checked it was in a box from EMI which I passed over - perhaps a mistake.

Now what about Konwitschny? That too now seems available in the UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-Co...1964257&sr=1-1 A few years ago that was only available from non UK sites.

Two long-time favourites of mine - the original Konwitschny Fontana CFLs were cut to fit on less SFL LPs - the Cluytens came out on CFP - No6 really good as was an earlier Pastoral (MONO ONLY) now on Testament with Schubert 8! Konwitschny's No2 really good!

[johnb]

You gave me a nudge there, Dave. Before my time, but he is a legend in Leipzig, still much talked about. My wife's home town. I have one rather threadbare LP (East German Eterna label). There's a good deal at jpc. I think I'll go for it. 18.98 Euro incl postage.

His [Konwitschny's] 7th is the most exhilarating recording of that piece that I have ever heard. It's worth getting the set for that alone IMO.

I've just ordered the box from jpc: £15.55 inc p&p.

[cloughie]

His [Konwitschny's] 7th is the most exhilarating recording of that piece that I have ever heard. It's worth getting the set for that alone IMO.

[Dave2002]

His [Konwitschny's] 7th is the most exhilarating recording of that piece that I have ever heard. It's worth getting the set for that alone IMO.

I've just ordered the box from jpc: £15.55 inc p&p.

That was my first LP of the 7th - not terribly good value really back in the 1960s, and not that long. Mine was a 12 inch so the whole work was split between the two sides. I think there were also 10 inch versions, and a later Fontana 12 inch reissue had the 8th on the other side.

I also think I paid full price - 32/6d. It runs slightly sharp IIRC, though that might have been my record player at the time. I wonder if it was recorded at a higher pitch for some reason - would the orchestra have tuned higher? I've not checked the LP or newer remasterings at all in recent years. Could simply have been a technical issue.

[visualnickmos]

Heard the 2nd done by LGO/Masur on CFM Full Works on Monday evening - good playing and sound but to my ears the larghetto is too fast (OK you HIPP guys will no doubt say that's what Beethoven's metronome says but I prefer it a little more leisurely.

Hi cloughie - I was actually referring to the violin concerto; I haven't heard the symphonies.

[Bryn]

... The much praised Z[e]hetmair performance of the violin concerto however did not appeal on first hearing .

Best you stay well away from the Kopatchinskaja then, though you might bear in mind the playing style of the man it was written for.

[cloughie]

Hi cloughie - I was actually referring to the violin concerto; I haven't heard the symphonies.

...and I meant the LGO/Chailly so was wrong footed anyway!

[clive heath]

The cycle that seems to have disappeared almost without trace is the one described here from wiki on the conductor James Loughran.
"He also recorded the complete Beethoven symphonies with the London Symphony Orchestra as part of the European Broadcasting Union's Beethoven Bicentenary celebrations in 1970." The orchestra was slimmed down with natural trumpets, no doubling, old type drum sticks etc.etc. The recordings were distributed throughout the EBU for transmission.

Are there any fans of his other set with the Hallé ?

[visualnickmos]

...and I meant the LGO/Chailly so was wrong footed anyway!

The LGO/Chailly - that's a new one on me too!

[cloughie]

The cycle that seems to have disappeared almost without trace is the one described here from wiki on the conductor James Loughran.
"He also recorded the complete Beethoven symphonies with the London Symphony Orchestra as part of the European Broadcasting Union's Beethoven Bicentenary celebrations in 1970." The orchestra was slimmed down with natural trumpets, no doubling, old type drum sticks etc.etc. The recordings were distributed throughout the EBU for transmission.

Are there any fans of his other set with the Hallé ?

These were discussed on another thread recently -may have been the why don't they release it (or words of that theme).

[clive heath]

great minds....

[Gordon]

The cycle that seems to have disappeared almost without trace is the one described here from wiki on the conductor James Loughran.
"He also recorded the complete Beethoven symphonies with the London Symphony Orchestra as part of the European Broadcasting Union's Beethoven Bicentenary celebrations in 1970." The orchestra was slimmed down with natural trumpets, no doubling, old type drum sticks etc.etc. The recordings were distributed throughout the EBU for transmission.

Are there any fans of his other set with the Hallé ?

Was that 1970 set the one made by the BBC and edited by Robert Simpson? I used to have a set of Revox tapes of all those taken off the radio. Sadly all lost or disposed of. I knew I should not have cleared out the loft. If they used natural trumpets did they also have natural horns? Can't see old Tuckwell taking kindly to that.

[clive heath]

I think that is right. I also recorded some on the Revox but only 2 and 3 survived and 2 without a few bars at the beginning which were sent to me as a patch by a very helpful person, unfortunately in a change of computer the patch went missing. But the 2nd (mostly!) and 3rd symphonies from that group are on

http://www.cliveheathmusic.co.uk/tapes.php

with other delights that I have rehearsed here often.

[Gordon]

I think that is right. I also recorded some on the Revox but only 2 and 3 survived and 2 without a few bars at the beginning which were sent to me as a patch by a very helpful person, unfortunately in a change of computer the patch went missing. But the 2nd (mostly!) and 3rd symphonies from that group are on

http://www.cliveheathmusic.co.uk/tapes.php

with other delights that I have rehearsed here often.

You note that the LSO archivist doesn't know of the availability of these recordings; the LSO discography by Philip Stuart doeesn't list these recordings either. Philip is an assiduous researcher and so if there had been evidence at the LSO then he would have put the information in. I suspect the recordings were made at Maida Vale. I think they were all stereo too. The BBC stereo network took its time to get everywhere in the UK at that time but Wrotham was among the forst as you'd expect but fed by landlines which were not too good for stereo - limited bandwidth and phase errors between channels. Must look out when the BBC network went digital, it was sometime in the 70s I think.

[BBMmk2]

VPO or BPO, Bbm?

BPO, Ferney